Chicken farm, poultry production, domestic animal feeding

The legal battle surrounding Rocking S. Farm LLC’s proposed chicken houses in Gore continues with another hearing scheduled for 9 AM on March 19th at the Chattooga County Courthouse. Superior Court Judge Don Thompson previously issued a preliminary order on February 26th, preventing Chattooga County from taking action against Dustin Smith, owner of Rocking S. Farm LLC, who seeks to construct four chicken houses on Gore-Subligna Road near Highway 27.

The core of the dispute now centers on the validity of Chattooga County’s poultry ordinance, which is being used to block the construction project. Smith’s attorney is challenging the legality of the ordinance, arguing it was improperly enacted. The history of the contested ordinance dates back to August 2015, when then-Commissioner Jason Winters initiated a 90-day moratorium on new chicken house construction. This temporary ban was intended to allow the drafting of a comprehensive poultry ordinance.

Attorneys for Rocking S. Farm contend that the moratorium expired in November 2015 and that despite the lack of public hearings to gather input from local farmers, Chattooga County proceeded to enact the poultry ordinance on January 5, 2016. This implementation, now under intense scrutiny, has become the focal point of the ongoing legal proceedings.

Attorneys for both sides are examining the ordinance’s legitimacy and its authority to prevent Dustin Smith from moving forward with his plans to build the poultry farm in the Gore community. The hearing will take place in Chattooga County Superior Court on Tuesday of next week.