“Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Sounds easy enough, right? What about when the property next to yours is sold to someone not used to living on a farm?
“Farmers are busy with their work and often fail to realize that most people are so far removed from agriculture today that they do not understand what it takes to put food on the table. Because they do not understand the demands of farming, people are often intolerant and unwilling to accept the occasional noise, odor, and so forth that farming practices generate.”
Like any successful relationship, communication is the key to avoiding and dealing with conflict. Take the time to get to know your neighbors and help them to understand the activity on your farm. Even though odor is unavoidable on a chicken farm, there are ways to help minimize it. Spread litter and burn dead birds during the day, as opposed to early morning or evening, when the humidity is lowest. Secure carcass immediately so other animals do not drag them to others’ properties.
The information in this article was taken from “Poultry Farming and Neighbors: The Little Things Are Important,” published by the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Click the link above to read the article in its entirety.
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