How ya gonna keep 'em away from the farm?

Excerpt

Farmers and ranchers in every part of the nation are plagued by conflict between agricultural and residential uses of land (2), most notably on the urban fringe (1). This conflict arises from agricultural odors, noise, dust, and chemical spraying and from indiscriminate refuse disposal, traffic congestion, and an increased incidence of trespass, theft, and vandalism of farm machinery, crops, and livestock. At times the conflict clearly costs farmers money. It also reduces agricultural efficiency and sometimes lands farmers in court. Ultimately, conflict on the urban fringe threatens farmers' security by increasing the possibility that they prematurely will be forced off their land and out of business.

Zoning for protection

Land use conflict is nothing new, of course. But most such conflict has thus far been limited to urban areas.

In the 1900s, after the industrial revolution had reached its maturity, most U.S. cities found it necessary to separate the use of land by industry, with its by-products of noise and pollution, from growing residential areas. This was to protect the health, safety, and property values of landowners. The concept of zoning, born in New York City in 1916, is now a standard feature of nearly every urban …