AFBF concerned about privacy lawsuit dismissal

Created: 1/28/15 (Wed) | Topic: Issues

“Farmers, ranchers and citizens in general should be concerned about the court’s disregard for individual privacy,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said in a statement issued today.

“This court seems to believe that the Internet age has eliminated the individual’s interest in controlling the distribution of his or her personal information. We strongly disagree.”

Late yesterday the federal district court in Minnesota dismissed its lawsuit seeking to block EPA from releasing the personal information (such as a person’s name, home address, GPS location and telephone number) of livestock and poultry farmers and ranchers in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. The court concluded that no federally permitted livestock or poultry farmer is injured by such disclosure because the Clean Water Act mandates disclosure of information concerning permit issuance.

AFBF statement and background info
 

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