A bill that would expand protections for Nebraska farmers against public nuisance lawsuits has advanced in the Legislature despite objections that it could infringe on neighbors’ property rights.
Lawmakers gave the measure first-round approval Wednesday with a 31-7 vote.
Sen. Dan Hughes, a Venango farmer, says the bill would help farmers who want to install chicken houses or hog confinements. Farmers would have to comply with local zoning ordinances and use “reasonable techniques” to keep dust, noise, insects and odors to a minimum.
Opponents say the bill is vague and doesn’t do enough to protect neighbors who might find themselves next to a hog confinement. They say that some counties don’t have local ordinances to address those concerns.
Two more votes are needed before the bill goes to the governor.
Topics Lawsuits Agribusiness
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Trucking App Trucker Path Launches Retail Insurance Agency 
Suspects in Louvre Heist in Custody After Week-Long Manhunt 
AWS Outage a ‘Moderate Incident,’ Another Near Miss for Insurance Industry 
Catastrophe Bond Investors Told to Brace for Jamaica Payout 
