Frivolous Lawsuits Threaten Iowa Chops
By Trent Loos

For a long as I have been a consumer of pork chops, I have decided that none are more desirable than the Iowa Chop. Yet if the frivolous lawsuits against Iowa farm families continue, I am not sure where that chop will come from. Actually, I have a pretty good idea where they will come from and that is why I am voicing my opinion.

I spoke three times at the Iowa Pork Congress including the 1:00 pm session on Wednesday January 28, which was sponsored by Zierke Farms. Zierke’s are a farm family that understands the importance of maintaining pork production in farm states like Iowa. In addition, I addressed the Linn County Corn and Soybean annual meeting with a similar message. Livestock consumes over 2/3 of grain produced in Iowa.

This makes livestock production a vital necessity for a flourishing ag economy. What is threatening the livestock economy in Iowa? As President Bush referenced three times in his recent state of the union address, it is frivolous lawsuits. A well-funded group of anti-ag activists has selected many families in Iowa to file lawsuits against, not because these families are operating illegally or in an un-neighborly fashion but simply to harass them.

Groups posing as grass roots community folks, organized by ringleaders from Des Moines, New York City and Washington, DC, hold town meetings pitting the family farm against corporate agriculture. Ironically, there is not a single hog farm in the state of Iowa that is not operated by a farm family. No matter who owns the farm, it is still operated by a person with a family. Being a 6th generation United States farmer, I love the sound of the phrase “a family farm”, yet a family farm is not what it was when my father or my grandfather were in pork production.

The citizens of every Iowa community need to realize these clever spin-doctors are using them as pawns in an evil game. Their game involves harassing viable farm families who are working with their children to do what Iowa is known for around the globe - converting natural resources into value-added human consumable food products.

Last year, seven nuisance lawsuits were filed against Iowa farm families on one day, plus one against a farm family with 300 head of pigs in Madison county. The attacks against livestock production are frivolous and need to be recognized for what they truly are. Class action attorneys are working in conjunction with activist groups to generate publicity with the ultimate fund-raising stunt of the century: “We are here to save the family farm.” Maybe they should start by explaining that to the nine families they recently filed frivolous lawsuits against. Similar lawsuits are being filed against farmers across the nation.

George Willer, a 3rd generation dairy farmer near Quincy, IL, won verdicts in numerous lawsuits that were filed against his families’ dairy. Despite the victories in court, the family spent over $150,000 in legal expenses to defend what they have been doing right. They have now filed bankruptcy. They won, but did they really win? Of course not! The well-funded activists succeeded in destroying another family farm. Consumers around the country are being enticed into sending funds to support organizations that claim they are taking down corporate factory farms. Instead they are using their deep pockets and their tax-exempt status to eliminate livestock production in this country.

Where will the Iowa chops come from? At the current rate of agricultural destruction in this country, they will probably have to change the name to Brazil chops – how does that sound? When I address the audience in Iowa this week I will submit a call to action. We in production agriculture must to stop defending agriculture. Agriculture, farming and food production are a means of national security. We tend to sit on our hands, hoping that we can fly under the radar screen. As Martin Niemoller taught us from the Nazi’s regime in Germany, if you don’t speak up when they come for your neighbor, there will be no one there to stick up for you when you become the target. The time has come for everyone in Iowa, and across the nation, to understand the importance of what farmers do so well. Stop defending our high-quality, low-cost food and get on the offensive. Tell the story and stick up for your fellow agriculturalists! United we stand, divided we will fall!

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