Ross County farmers want to toughen ATV legislation

Loren Genson

Ross County farmers are pleased legislation to license all-terrain vehicle use went into effect earlier this month.

The plates can help farmers identify ATVs who are trespassing on their property and report them to police.

But at a policy meeting Tuesday, county Farm Bureau members said they'd like to see even stricter rules enforced against ATV users who trample crops.

"I'd like to see one strike and you're out," Dwight Beery said. "If they run over your beans, you should be able to take their ATV."

Currently, in the state of Ohio, a trespasser has to be caught three times before their vehicle is taken away. Beery said it's hard enough to catch offenders just once.

"To catch them once is hard enough, but to catch them three times, it's going to be a while before their vehicle gets taken away," he said.

John Torres, who represents Fairfield, Hocking, Pickaway and Ross County Farm Bureaus, said the Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization and that suggestions from counties at policy meetings are passed on to state leaders. State concerns are then shared with the Farm Bureau organization at the federal level.

"It's truly grassroots in that the ideas come from the bottom up," Torres said. "All the legislative suggestions at the state level were generated here in meetings with farmers in the communities."

Other policy concerns discussed Tuesday included funding for local Soil and Water Conservation District offices. These offices work to prevent soil erosion and help with water management. They work closely with farmers through cooperative agreements and also sponsor informational and educational programs throughout Ohio.

State Sen. John Carey, R-Wellston, said rural counties sometimes struggle to keep their offices open.

"A lot of people don't understand what soil and water districts do, and with agriculture as our number one industry, we need to make it a priority in Ohio," Carey said.

Another concern was Ross County's future plan for growth. Rural communities often suffer from having no control over what development comes their way, said Economic Development Alliance of Southern Ohio CEO Chris Manegold.

"As pressure comes along for Chillicothe to grow, you want to make sure rural communities are in control and don't just have things happen to them," Manegold said.

Farm Bureau President Ray Wells said a land-use plan had been discussed in Ross County, but never was finalized and approved by the Ross County Commissioners. Wells said that while a land-use plan can protect farmlands and rural communities from unwanted development, it also can create a hardship for landowners.

"Sometimes it can make it harder for farmers who may want to sell parcels of their land to be able to do it," Wells said. "That was the argument against it last time."

Torres said the land-use plan in place in Fairfield County is working well for that community. Sometimes just having a plan can make it easier for counties to secure development grants, he said.

"Fairfield County is a wonderful example," Torres said. "If it's done right, it's certainly a benefit.

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Source: http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20100616/NEWS01/6160309

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