Since the origination of Michigan ’s Right to Farm Act ( P.A. 93 ) in 1981 , it ’s serve as a exemplar to protect agrarian operations from nuisance suits and local ordinances in states across the country . This switch on April 28 , 2014 , when the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development made amendment that directly affect small - musical scale farmers in urban , suburban and rural configurations alike .
I ’d learn a newspaper headline about this matter , and then a “ News Hog ” reader in Casco , Mich. , left this comment for me : “ The Michigan Dept . of Agriculture of late rescinded the right wing to Farm law in Michigan , specifically cite minor farms with Goat , sheep , [ poulet ] and bees might be in conflict with non - farming neighbors . While this may be true in urban farming locations , it also touch those of us in rural area that keep minor stock , if our property has been zoned residential , which most of it is , unless it is a bombastic commercial farm prop . ”
So this clearly got my attention .
It turn out , the RTFA was not rescinded , rather the Michigan Ag Department revised the Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices under which they say farms should operate and now chuck out many Michigan residents . These practices are “ scientifically based ” ( according to MDARD ) guidelines in eight areas of farming :
accord to the Michigan Ag Department , “ By utilizing GAAMPs , farmers and Michigan residents bene?t : through environmental protection of natural resource ; sound management of farming inputs ; and sustaining a potent and stable agrarian industry . While adherence to the GAAMPs does not act as a terminated roadblock to complaints or case , it does provide an umbrella of protection from nuisance judicial proceeding . ”
A Category 4 site excerption was add to the Site Selection GAAMPs , sketch to be “ in the first place residential , as defined , are fix where there are more than 13 homes within 1/8 of a mile of the website or any home within 250 feet of the declare oneself facility . If the web site is determined to be primarily residential , and zoning does n’t allow agriculture as a use by rightfulness , then it fall into a Category 4 and is not considered an sphere acceptable as a livestock readiness . ”
The Category 4 site description was added despite a public comment period that yielded 100 of responses in opposite to any change that would limit small- and urban - farming opportunity in the state . For small - scale and backyard farmers with cranky or resent neighbors , this change means the end of protection from nuisance causa and other sound action . Whether to allow farming pursuits is now in the hands of individual municipalities rather than offer farmers umbrella shelter across the province as a whole . ( The legal language of many documents available through MDARD can be confusing , but an easy - to - understandFAQdocument clarifies thing a little . )
YourRight to FarmDo you cognize what your commonwealth ’s Right To Farm Act looks like ? Now ’s a undecomposed clock time to read it so you may understand the case of sound - action security your state offers to you . count on your land department of agriculture website , give the post a call if you ca n’t find it there , or search for it on the joint USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and American Farmland Trust Farmland Information Center WWW page .
Help out a farmer in Michigan , too . recount MDARD your view about this alteration to the Site Selection GAAMPs with a letter ( MDARD , P.O. Box 30017 , Lansing , MI 48909 ) or telephone call 517 - 373 - 9797 or 877 - 632 - 1783 .
