Right to Farm County Ordinance to be Drafted

Montesano, WA - A "Right to Farm" ordinance could again be on the radar of the Grays Harbor County Commissioners. During their meeting this week, the commissioners read a letter from Planning and Building Director Lee Napier asking for direction regarding a request from the Grays Harbor and Pacific County Farm Bureau for the ordinance.

The commissioners directed Napier to move forward with the development of working documents, supporting consideration of a right to farm ordinance.

The Daily World reported in February of this year that "Local Farm Bureau members have been pushing for a county farming ordinance to protect agriculture and forestry activities for the better part of seven years. The basic concept of the ordinance is to protect farmers from lawsuits and nuisance complaints when normal farm activity happens — everything from laying down manure, spraying fields kill flies or even just chopping down trees."