March 28, 2024

Dr. Rudy Daniels Sioux City

Readers should question the validity of the concerns raised by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement about the Master Matrix, which is used to regulate and score proposals for new farms. Last month, the attorney for Mitchell County stated that Iowa CCI “misled” the county board of supervisors in opposing a proposed farm. Iowa CCI had alleged that a farm didn’t score high enough on the Matrix, leading the board to vote against the proposal. On review, however, Iowa CCI was found to be misleading and incorrect.

Iowa CCI is not an impartial group of concerned citizens looking to tweak regulations—it is a group with a political agenda that includes shutting down large-scale farms across Iowa. Iowa CCI is tied to the radical anti-business “Occupy” movement and is known for extreme tactics, including getting arrested and protesting at people’s homes. It is kept afloat by millions of dollars from out-of-state groups, while its advocacy would have detrimental effects on rural economies here in Iowa.

If lawmakers want to review the Matrix’s guidelines, they should only listen to true stakeholders in agriculture. Groups like ICCI don’t deserve a seat at the table.