2013 -- S 0405 | |
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LC01820 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- RIGHT TO FARM | |
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     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Doyle, and Lynch | |
     Date Introduced: February 26, 2013 | |
     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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     SECTION 1. Section 2-23-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 2-23 entitled "Right to |
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Farm" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
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     2-23-4. "Agricultural operations" defined. -- (a) As used in this chapter, "agricultural |
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operations" includes any commercial enterprise which has as its primary purpose horticulture, |
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viticulture, viniculture, floriculture, arboriculture, forestry, stabling of horses, dairy farming, or |
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aquaculture, or the raising of livestock, including for the production of fiber and wood mulch, |
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furbearing animals, poultry, or bees, and all such other operations, uses, and activities as the |
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director, in consultation with the chief of division of agriculture, may determine to be agriculture, |
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or an agricultural activity, use or operation. As to arboriculture and wood mulch, this definition |
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shall apply and be limited to those commercial enterprises that are licensed by the department of |
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environmental management as of (effective date of act). The mixed-use of farms and farmlands |
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for other forms of enterprise is hereby recognized as a valuable and viable means of contributing |
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to the preservation of agriculture. |
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      (b) Nothing herein shall be deemed to restrict, limit or prohibit nonagricultural |
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operations from being undertaken on a farm except as otherwise restricted, regulated, limited or |
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prohibited by law, regulation or ordinance or to affect the rights of persons to engage in other |
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lawful nonagricultural enterprises on farms, provided, however, that the protections and rights |
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established by this chapter shall not apply to such nonagricultural activities, uses or operations. |
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- RIGHT TO FARM | |
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     This act would include arboriculture and the production of wood mulch in the definition |
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of agriculture operations. |
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     This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC01820 | |
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