Iowa’s so-called "ag gag" law made it a crime for journalists and advocacy groups to go undercover at ag-related operations to investigate working conditions, animal welfare, food safety and environmental hazards, among other things. This week, a federal judge struck down that 2012 law.
In this news buzz edition of River to River, host Ben Kieffer talks with Jennifer Zwagerman of Drake University to examine why the court says the law is not compatible with free speech, and what this new ruling means for the future of the industry-backed statute.
Zwagerman is an associate director of the Agricultural Law Center at Drake.
Also included in today's show: a Des Moines family law attorney tells about the nightmare the government shutdown is causing for some of his clients; Congressmen Steve King now faces a primary challenger and a potential censure motion from Congressional Democrats for using racist language; and an examination into whether northeast Iowa contains a trove of valuable minerals thousands of feet underground.
