News

Trail director says no cattle producer issues

The director of the Missouri Rock Island Trail says having cattle producers along the section of the trail that is open has not been a problem for the producers or trail users. Greg Harris tells Brownfield Ag News there are over 23-thousand miles of Rail Trails nationwide, “We’re not aware of any concerns that have happened, anything that has happened that’s been a problem with biosecurity.”

Missouri Farm Bureau says it will fight expansion of the trail because of the biosecurity threat to livestock producers along the trail and the disruption to rural communities.

Harris says the State Parks division has installed gates on the 47 miles of trail now open to allow producers to move their cattle whenever they want and he’s heard of no producer complaints.

“This is a real opportunity for people that are from urban areas to see cattle operations and see how things really work and see where their meat comes from.”

In December, Missouri State Parks and Missouri Central Railroad (a subsidiary of Ameren) reached a rail-banking agreement for the full 144 miles of the trail.

This week, the Rails to Trails Conservancy gave a $20-thousand dollar grant to the Missouri Rock Island Trail, Harris says, “To work on the two bridges that are on the eastern-most 43 miles. They are the only two bridges near Rosebud and near Gerald that could allow 43 mile of trails to open up for hiking and mountain biking and horseback riding.”