Factory farms get green light in state

Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently released a report outlining recommendations for the livestock industry. The governor's recommendations would provide a green light for factory farms in Minnesota by reducing regulatory requirements, weakening local authority, rushing approval of permit applications and providing tax credits. These types of operations have displaced family farmers devastating our rural eco-nomy, not to mention the environment. At the same time the report ignores environmentally sound, consumer driven livestock production systems, such as organic, free range or grass fed.