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ENNIS, Mont. —(AP)— Madison County commissioners are proposing a ``right to farm and ranch'' policy that would warn newcomers to rural life that they shouldn't expect their farming and ranching neighbors to change their ways. The policy, slated for discussion later this month, would be made into a pamphlet that would be distributed through real estate agents and county offices. The proposed policy includes a list of agricultural practices that neighboring homeowners might find unpleasant or offensive, and warns them that complaining about it probably is not going to change the situation. ``Landowners, residents, and visitors must be prepared to accept the activities, sights, sounds and smells of the county's agricultural operations,'' the policy states. ``Those with an urban sensitivity may perceive such activities, sights, sounds and smells as an inconvenience, eyesore or nuisance.'' State law already includes a provision that guarantees the right to farm and ranch. But the county policy would give commissioners another tool to deal with disputes by giving them the authority to appoint a mediator to settle conflicts. Madison County Planner Doris Fischer said that in all fairness, many newcomers are unaware of Western policies, such as water rights or open range for cattle. The policy is one way to educate them and prevent problems. ``It's a lack of communication, a lack of understanding, which we hope the policy can address,'' she said. Like other counties in Montana and other Western states, Madison County earlier adopted a version of the ``Code of the New West,'' an effort to explain to newcomers what the county can and can't provide to rural residents. That statement contains a short section informing people of the rights of farmers and ranchers in the county. The idea of the new policy came from ranchers who have had neighbors complain about the noises and smells of agriculture. They wanted something on the books with more teeth that spells out exactly what newcomers should expect when living next to a ranch. ``People have got to realize when they move out and live in the country, agriculture is part of the country,'' said John Crumley, a McAllister rancher and president of the Madison Valley Ranch Lands Group board. Crumley recalled an incident several years ago, when he was still growing certified seed potatoes on his land near McAllister. Like most potato farmers, he said he disposed of the substandard spuds by burying them on his land. But when the culled potatoes rotted, a neighbor complained about the smell, Crumley said. ``When people come in and buy ground, they should be told what it's going to be like,'' Crumley said. |
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