Tuesday, two Iowa State lawmakers introduced companion bills in the State House and Senate to place a moratorium on factory farms or confined animal feeding operations. Senator Pam Jochum, a Dubuque Democrat is sponsoring the measure in that body while Democrat Representative Art Staed of Cedar Rapids is carrying the House bill. Sierra Club’s Jess Mazour says her group is in favor of these bills which target large and medium sized operations.

Ava Auen Ryan, organizer with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement says they’re seeing growing support for the moratorium.

Mazour says while much of the concern that generated these bills is the need for improvement to the state’s environment as well as cleaner water, another major need is fixing of the current agricultural system.

Joining the Sierra Club in backing the legislation is ICCI as well as Food and Water Watch and the Iowa Farmers Union.