Comer wins Kentucky ag commissioner race LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican James Comer will take his experience from years spent on his southern Kentucky beef cattle farm to Frankfort, as the state’s next agriculture commissioner. Comer defeated Democrat Bob Farmer, a marketing specialist and former humorist with no farming experience, in a campaign that highlighted Comer’s familiarity with Kentucky agriculture issues. With 100 percent of precincts reporting Nov. 8, Comer had 519,079, or 64 percent, of the vote, to Farmer’s 294,574, or 36 percent. “I think experience, especially in agriculture, was the big issue,” Comer said. “I just feel blessed. We’re very happy.”
Comer was the lone bright spot for Republicans, winning with help from Democrats who were willing to support his campaign over Farmer, a political newcomer. Comer had the backing of business and political leaders from both sides of the aisle and former ag commissioner Billy Ray Smith, a Democrat who served two terms ending in 2003.
Ethics board dismisses complaint against Rastetter
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State ethics regulators have dismissed a complaint that claimed a member of the Environmental Protection Commission shouldn’t take part in regulating the livestock industry because of his close ties to such operations.
The Ethics and Campaign Finance Disclosure Board voted unanimously Thursday to dismiss the complaint filed against Brent Rastetter. Rastetter drew criticism when he voted in June to scrap a proposed toughening of clean water regulations. Groups such as Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, which filed the complaint, argued that’s a conflict because Rastetter owns a business that builds large livestock operations that are regulated under the clean water laws.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is a frequent critic of the livestock industry. The panel voted 6-0 to dismiss the complaint.
No jail for farmers who hired illegal immigrants
BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — A couple who admit hiring illegal immigrants for years at their Michigan dairy farm have been sentenced to probation.
John and Anja Verhaar could have been sent to jail. The sentences ordered Nov. 8 in federal court in Bay City will allow them to return to their 5,000-cow dairy farm in the Thumb near Bad Axe. Last summer, the Verhaars pled guilty to misdemeanor charges. They admit they employed 78 illegal immigrants from 2000-07. Many were hired on multiple occasions using different names or Social Security numbers.
The government will be collecting more than $2.7 million in penalties from the couple and the farm. Many businesses that provide goods or services to Aquila Farms had urged the judge to keep the Verhaars out of jail.
Court likely to overturn California law on livestock
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court seems ready to overturn a California law requiring euthanization of downed livestock at federally inspected slaughterhouses to keep the meat out of the nation’s food system.
The court heard appeals Nov. 9 from the National Meat Assoc., which wants a 2009 California law blocked from going into effect. The law bars the purchase, sale and butchering of animals that can’t walk. It requires slaughterhouses to immediately kill non-ambulatory animals.
The association sued, saying state law interferes with federal laws that require inspections of downed livestock before determining whether they can be used for meat. A federal judge agreed and blocked the law, but the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the hold.
Chief Justice John Roberts said state laws cannot say downed animals can’t be sold as meat when federal law says that they can.
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