July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
New rules a burden on farmers (12/6/04)
Editor's Mailbag
By To the editor-
Jay County farmers, why do we have meetings to discuss our concerns about special regulations proposed by Jay County?
Unless I was missing something, the feedback I heard from the Jay County farmers (in our meeting a few months ago) involved the need for more education, better enforcement of current regulations and neighborly behavior from everyone (not just the farmers).
We were asked by some of the members of the committee what we suggested. I still to not know how you can look for resolutions to a problem not clearly defined. I heard farmers were not following the rules. So the answer is more rules?
Based on the article I read in The Commercial Review, the only county official who heard the farmers was Jim Zimmerman; unfortunately it seems that he is being ignored.
I am amazed Jay County farmers are going to stand by and accept this, which is clearly an infringement on current federal and state laws (The Right to Farm Act). Farmland, zoned residential/agriculture, allows the farmers the right to farm it without nuisance regulations and harassment by neighbors or county officials.
By the way, a farmer from Ohio or Indiana should not make one bit of difference. These comments by the committee are serious and borders on biased motives, harassment and discrimination against a group of people.
It makes no difference where a farmer lives, where they are from or what they are willing to pay for land. These comments from the committee are clear evidence of the true intent and motives.
My husband and I are former Ohio residents. We have lived here in Jay County for more than 15 years; we pay taxes and have become a part of the county’s source of revenue. Ohio is only a neighboring state; it is not an enemy country. I do not appreciate the constant references to the Ohio farmers issue.
I have not heard one mention from the committee about how they will assure we are doing what is fair. All I have heard is let’s throw more rules at the farmers. This has turned into nothing more than a farmer witch hunt and we should not stand back and accept it.
People need to know that the current state and federal regulations are in place to protect the environment and the people in the community. They are based on foundational knowledge and experience collected by many regulatory agencies.
Please tell me, with what knowledge or education are we using to come up with ridiculous rules like a one-mile notice or longer setbacks? These are just feel-good actions without justification or rationalization, and they are clearly only the beginning for where Jay County intends to go.
Farmers can stand back and let this go on and be ignored, or we can do something about it.
Maybe we should contact the ACLU and ask for their help. Maybe we should contact the USDA.
Maybe we should ask Mitch Daniels what he thinks of these initiatives by Jay County.
Maybe we should all write Bill Davis and ask for his help and support, or start a petition to remove the county officials who want to take away our rights to farm.
We could do a lot of things, but one thing is sure: Farmers need to follow the current rules that exist and people who live in ag-zoned areas need to accept that these are zoned for farming. I know farmers do not like to cause trouble, but you have the right to farm your land without harassments and one-sided prejudiced regulations.
Rather than asking the farmers to move back farther and notify more people, maybe the committee should discuss other regulations like residential properties need to notify farmers within a mile.
Building a house, a pond or expanding a residential property could impact the farmer’s ability to comply with setbacks, and maybe the farmers want a chance to oppose.
Maybe we should propsose special requirements (like the ones in California) which require those residential people in ag-zoned areas to sign a statement acknowledging they understand the issues that come when living in those areas (i.e. odor, dust, noise).
Maybe the committee should do an assessment of those residential people in ag-zoned areas and determine if they meet all the zoning requirements for residence or maybe these ag-zoned areas need to be strictly ag.
Farmers cannot go into the city and build a hog house, but we allow residential non-farm homes in the country.
Farmers have never complained about this before, but maybe it is time to start. Being a farmer is not enough anymore.
We have to be farmers who will stand and defend our freedom to grow, farm and prosper. I will be at the public meeting in January and hope every single Jay County farmer will attend and be heard.
Vicky Lochtefeld
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
Unless I was missing something, the feedback I heard from the Jay County farmers (in our meeting a few months ago) involved the need for more education, better enforcement of current regulations and neighborly behavior from everyone (not just the farmers).
We were asked by some of the members of the committee what we suggested. I still to not know how you can look for resolutions to a problem not clearly defined. I heard farmers were not following the rules. So the answer is more rules?
Based on the article I read in The Commercial Review, the only county official who heard the farmers was Jim Zimmerman; unfortunately it seems that he is being ignored.
I am amazed Jay County farmers are going to stand by and accept this, which is clearly an infringement on current federal and state laws (The Right to Farm Act). Farmland, zoned residential/agriculture, allows the farmers the right to farm it without nuisance regulations and harassment by neighbors or county officials.
By the way, a farmer from Ohio or Indiana should not make one bit of difference. These comments by the committee are serious and borders on biased motives, harassment and discrimination against a group of people.
It makes no difference where a farmer lives, where they are from or what they are willing to pay for land. These comments from the committee are clear evidence of the true intent and motives.
My husband and I are former Ohio residents. We have lived here in Jay County for more than 15 years; we pay taxes and have become a part of the county’s source of revenue. Ohio is only a neighboring state; it is not an enemy country. I do not appreciate the constant references to the Ohio farmers issue.
I have not heard one mention from the committee about how they will assure we are doing what is fair. All I have heard is let’s throw more rules at the farmers. This has turned into nothing more than a farmer witch hunt and we should not stand back and accept it.
People need to know that the current state and federal regulations are in place to protect the environment and the people in the community. They are based on foundational knowledge and experience collected by many regulatory agencies.
Please tell me, with what knowledge or education are we using to come up with ridiculous rules like a one-mile notice or longer setbacks? These are just feel-good actions without justification or rationalization, and they are clearly only the beginning for where Jay County intends to go.
Farmers can stand back and let this go on and be ignored, or we can do something about it.
Maybe we should contact the ACLU and ask for their help. Maybe we should contact the USDA.
Maybe we should ask Mitch Daniels what he thinks of these initiatives by Jay County.
Maybe we should all write Bill Davis and ask for his help and support, or start a petition to remove the county officials who want to take away our rights to farm.
We could do a lot of things, but one thing is sure: Farmers need to follow the current rules that exist and people who live in ag-zoned areas need to accept that these are zoned for farming. I know farmers do not like to cause trouble, but you have the right to farm your land without harassments and one-sided prejudiced regulations.
Rather than asking the farmers to move back farther and notify more people, maybe the committee should discuss other regulations like residential properties need to notify farmers within a mile.
Building a house, a pond or expanding a residential property could impact the farmer’s ability to comply with setbacks, and maybe the farmers want a chance to oppose.
Maybe we should propsose special requirements (like the ones in California) which require those residential people in ag-zoned areas to sign a statement acknowledging they understand the issues that come when living in those areas (i.e. odor, dust, noise).
Maybe the committee should do an assessment of those residential people in ag-zoned areas and determine if they meet all the zoning requirements for residence or maybe these ag-zoned areas need to be strictly ag.
Farmers cannot go into the city and build a hog house, but we allow residential non-farm homes in the country.
Farmers have never complained about this before, but maybe it is time to start. Being a farmer is not enough anymore.
We have to be farmers who will stand and defend our freedom to grow, farm and prosper. I will be at the public meeting in January and hope every single Jay County farmer will attend and be heard.
Vicky Lochtefeld
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
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