A bill in the Georgia General Assembly known as “The Freedom to Farm” bill passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Thursday of last week.

House Bill 1150 has the support of most of the farm organizations in the state and is seen as an update to a 1989 law that governs nuisance law suits concerning farming practices.  The new bill would limit the time neighbors to large livestock operations could sue farmers for things like foul odors and environmental issues to one year.

While the bill has the support of the ag industry in Georgia, it seems not all farmers and rural landowners are in favor.  Some feel that the bill protects large corporate operations at the expense of the quality of life of smaller farmers and rural land owners.

The bill must clear the Georgia Senate before it becomes law.