Pillen, livestock groups shape legislation

At a February legislative hearing, a seemingly mundane bill reforming county zoning procedures drew testimony from a big name: Gov. Jim Pillen.

For those seeking to build projects such as livestock operations, Pillen said, applying for a permit from the county can be “extraordinarily frustrating.” The bill would “take some of the subjectiveness out of this process,” he told the legislative committee.

Before becoming governor, Pillen had gone before county boards seeking permission to build his hog farms as he grew a Nebraska pig empire.