Now there's a new twist in this on-going ag-battle. Yesterday Senate Bill 364 died on the floor. The bill would have turned control of regulating hog farms from local to state government.

For a town of 78 people the fear of five thousand hogs is very real. Neighbors here are leery of state lawmakers.

"I do not think 364 not going into effect this year or some form of it going into effect this year will have little or no effect on this barn here," said Bob Stith, Arrow Rock resident.

Stith says there's too much talk in Jefferson City and not enough action.

"Most of the senators and representatives are listening to the people who tell them about it," said Stith. "So they don't have first hand information."

Stith isn't alone in his opposition of having a hog farm in the back yard.

"I don't think a lot of people understand them, unless they live near them," said Kerr, Arrow Rock resident.

Stith and Kerr fear the town's tourism will disappear as noxious odors surface from the swine.

"They have fans that blow the exhaust, the gasses out of the barns and they operate twenty four hours a day seven days a week, and you can't always smell it but those pathogens are in the air," said Kerr

Now the proposed facility would go up in the field just under two miles from the town of Arrow Rock, and a quarter mile from the Stith farm. On a windy day like Friday that could mean some serious problems.

"We just think there are better places to put these operations, because they're really a heavy industry use rather than a residential use. And we just don't think they should be close to where people live or to towns like Arrow Rock and especially to a state parks which is a recreation area," said Day Kerr.

Even though everyone KOMU talked to is against this plan, the hog farmer says DNR gave him a permit and he is within his rights to build the farm.

Reported By: Joey Chambers