Menu

A new fact sheet published by the Ohio Livestock Coalition maintains that "It takes two to be a good neighbor."

The fact sheet gives tips to livestock farmers and rural residents on how to get along while living and working in Ohio’s rural areas.

"The fact sheet includes a brief introduction about Ohio agriculture, a side-by-side listing of good neighbor policies for livestock producers, rural residents and country dwellers, and a brief description of normal day-to-day operations of an active farm that can cause annoyances to neighbors who are not familiar or understand the business of farming," according to David White, OFBF director of commodity relations and executive director of the Ohio Livestock Coalition.

"Being a good neighbor means being responsible, courteous and respectful of others," White said. "Being respectful of private property and the need for farmers to safeguard their businesses will help preserve the rural landscape that everyone enjoys."

Some of the tips for farmers include:

• Don’t spread manure on Fridays, especially before holiday weekends.
• Explain why, at planting and harvest times, farmers much work late into the night and on weekends.
• Be helpful. For example, when it snows, dig out your neighbors if you have a snowplow.
• Share with neighbors that animals require attention and care 24 hours a day, regardless of holidays or weekends.

There are some tips for rural residents, too:

• Keep your pets and other domestic animals restricted to your property. The open land may be a temptation to let your animals run loose, which may cause damage and put livestock under stress.
• Don’t assume that farmland is open and available for your off-road vehicle or even for walking, any more than your own backyard is open for others to access without permission.

For more information about OLC’s fact sheet or other programs offered, call 614-246-8285 or visit the link to the organization’s Web site at www.ofbf.org