AG Strategy: REGULATORY STREAMLINING

Key Points

Right-to-Farm Policy

Two of the six regional Counties have adopted Right-to-Farm (RTF) ordinances or policies within their zoning ordinances. RTF laws serve as a warning to developers of non-agricultural uses in agricultural districts about the inherent likelihood of activities and effects that may be disruptive to other users and protect agricultural operators from frivolous litigation or other remonstrations by limiting the circumstances under which farming may be deemed a nuisance and by allowing agricultural practices inherent to and necessary for the business of farming to be undertaken free of unreasonable and unwarranted interference or restriction. RTF laws should be adopted uniformly across the Region to protect and to promote agricultural growth and diversity.

Statement of Procedures for Permitting

Zoning and permitting processes are often difficult for many businesses in the agriculture and food-processing sectors to navigate. A coordinated regional approach to local permitting would allow for businesses to work through the process with assurances that it reflects best practices and an eye toward simplicity and consistency.

Import/Export Capabilities

Import/export regulations can be burdensome, especially for small businesses lacking the internal expertise and staff time necessary for navigating these processes. A concerted effort to educate operators on and to provide support through the import/export process would be beneficial to those companies just entering into foreign markets.

The Region is focusing on a coordinated approach to the process, in addition to promoting a Right-to-Farm policy in all eight counties.

Action Steps

Draft an RTF-policy template based on the existing laws in Pulaski and White Counties for the economic developers in the other four counties to present to their local planning staff, plan commissions, and board of commissioners. Provide support as needed to ensure that RTF becomes a regionwide policy.
Convene building, planning, and zoning staff; plan commissioners; county commissioners; and other key personnel from across the Region to share the KIRPC Ag Strategy and to discuss planning and permitting from an economic development perspective.
Work with building, planning, and zoning staff in each county to develop a uniform permitting process Statement of Procedures (SOP) that includes a flow chart illustrating each respective County’s approvals process. Maintain the SOP and flow chart on each County’s economic development and zoning websites/pages and consider a regional clearinghouse website.
Host a regional Food Export Midwest import/export workshop for those interested in learning how to enter the import/export markets and navigating the international permitting standards.