Governor Seeks Faster Resolution in Tyson Case
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt recently expressed more differences with Attorney General Gentner Drummond and did so in the long-running federal court case against Tyson Foods over the poultry waste pollution in eastern Oklahoma.
Balancing Environmental and Economic Concerns
It’s no secret the two are at odds over issues but this time, the governor made a filing in Tulsa Federal Court asking the court to expedite discussions in the case. He wants a process to protect the environment while at the same time, protecting agricultural and food businesses and allowing them to continue operating efficiently.
Details of the filing were reported this week in the McCarville Report:
Governor Kevin Stitt has asked a federal court to expedite discussions in State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc., saying the years-long legal battle threatens the state’s agricultural economy and business climate.
Stitt filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma requesting an accelerated process to resolve the impasse between the State and Tyson Foods. He said a swift decision is needed to give clarity to landowners and employers throughout the state’s protein supply chain.
“Oklahoma families deserve better than endless litigation that rewards activists and trial lawyers,” Stitt said. “We’re going to restore certainty, defend Oklahoma jobs, and secure a reliable, American food supply at a time of food inflation and global instability.”
The Governor said the witnesses presented by the Attorney General’s office earlier this year proposed measures that would “upend farming and ranching in Eastern Oklahoma,” and called instead for a “commonsense path that respects landowners, reestablishes business certainty, and preserves our way of life for the next generation.”
The filing notes that both sides submitted proposed final judgments earlier this year but have not reached agreement. Stitt is asking the court to establish a process that protects the environment while allowing agricultural and food businesses to continue operating efficiently.
Stitt has repeatedly defended Oklahoma’s agricultural producers and business-friendly policies throughout the case, saying his involvement aims to secure a balanced outcome that safeguards both the state’s natural resources and its economic competitiveness.
Source: McCarville Report