The political economy of state right to farm amendments: evidence from Missouri

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17811/ebl.11.3.2022.93-97

Keywords:

right-to-farm, state referendum, animal welfare, environmental economics

Abstract

Right-to-farm laws started in the 1970s. In 2014, Missouri residents voted on a right-to-farm constitutional amendment that gave farmers constitutional protection from nuisance suits related to agricultural production. The Amendment passed 50.12% to 49.88%. We use an empirical median voter model on county-level voting data to analyze the determinants of yes voting. We find that an increased presence of agricultural interests in a county as measured by head of cattle, acres planted, and % employed in agriculture were associated with a higher percentage of yes votes. Our results highlight the importance of widespread farm interests obtaining constitutional projections for farming.

Author Biography

Josh Hall, West Virginia University

Joshua Hall is an Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Free Enterprise in the College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University.

References

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Published

13-07-2022

How to Cite

Russell, L., & Hall, J. (2022). The political economy of state right to farm amendments: evidence from Missouri. Economics and Business Letters, 11(3), 93–97. https://doi.org/10.17811/ebl.11.3.2022.93-97

Issue

Section

Policy Watch