More than 5,000 Iowans have signed a petition calling for a temporary moratorium on construction of new confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) until the legislature can adequately address citizens’ concerns about the damage these operations do to the state’s economy, environment and social fabric.At Iowa Farmers Union’s lobby day on Monday, March 17, these petitions were presented by IFU President Chris Petersen and other board members to Governor Chet Culver’s office, and to House and Senate majority and minority leaders. Petersen told them that if the legislature refused to address this crucial issue in 2008, IFU “will be back with 5,000 more signatures next year.”Petersen was interviewed by WHO radio, Des Moines, about the petition, and IFU’s other legislative priorities including locally owned renewable energy, open and fair markets for independent livestock producers, and growing Iowa’s local food system.