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Agriculture Column No. 2: The Right to Farm Law

The following is the second in a series of columns on Agriculture in the Southern Tier written by Chemung and Schuyler County Agriculture Advocate Alicia Dickinson.

WATKINS GLEN, May 17 -- Since 2004, the Chemung County Farm Bureau and Chemung County Soil and Water District have worked to have Right to Farm Laws passed in each local municipality. In 2009, the 11th and last township passed such a law.

The next step was to have the County Legislature pass a resolution supporting the decision of the 11 municipalities. Earlier this year, the Chemung County legislature adopted such a resolution. The Right to Farm Law protects the rights of agricultural operators and farmers located in Chemung County. According to Resolution No. 11-189, “Be it resolved, that the Chemung County Legislature enthusiastically and wholeheartedly supports and commends the towns within Chemung County for the passage of the right-to-farm local laws.”

As residents drive along most county roads heading toward Chemung County, they will probably notice the blue and white signs that say, “Right to Farm Law in Effect” -- and now the Right to Farm Law is in effect throughout Chemung County. This was done to inform folks that farming is occurring within each town and that as long as the farms are using sound agricultural practices, they are supported by the town.

Agriculture has been a crucial part of Chemung County for over 100 years, and if we protect it and support farming, it will be here for another 100 years.

“About 25% of New York State’s land area --7.5 million acres -- is farmland,” according to the New York State Farm Bureau. Farming stabilizes and preserves open space as well as keeping the rural scenery in Chemung County beautiful. “If we can keep farmers farming, it will not only protect our drinking water quality but it will also maintain open space,” said Mark Watts, District Manager of the Chemung County Soil and Water District as well as a local farmer.

Yes, the Right to Farm Law will help to connect today’s families with our agricultural heritage.

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Schuyler County, our neighbor to the north, has also adopted the Right to Farm Law. Schuyler County’s law was put into effect in December of 2004, and it worked closely with the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board. The County Legislature “recognizes that farming is an essential enterprise and an important industry, which enhances the economic base, protects the natural environment and quality of life, and demands minimal public services in the County of Schuyler,” says the Schuyler County Right to Farm Law.

“It is in everyone’s interest to keep farming viable. It makes good sense environmentally and economically,” said Ben Dickens, Farm Bureau member and chair of the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board.

It is a good sign that our local communities and counties are recognizing the importance of farming not only from an economic standpoint, but also in terms of how it affects their quality of living and source of food.

“It’s all about protecting the natural resources that our farm businesses depend on," said Ashur Terwilliger, President of the Chemung County Farm Bureau, "and about keeping clean water clean for our family and our neighbors. We thank and appreciate what the 11 towns and County of Chemung have done for us farmers with the passage of the Right to Farm Law and for helping to keep farming alive in Chemung County.”

Photo in text: The column author, Alicia Dickinson, who is the Chemung and Schuyler Agriculture Advocate.

(To see Alicia Dickinson's first column, click here.)