Bill of right to farm?

[Horseychicken]

i live in st.clair michigan znd the city said we cant have chickens. bjt my dad knew about a bill of right to farm that says we can have a few chickens. plus my friend had 2 chickens and didnt get in trouglr. when inwas in 2nd grade, i raised 2 chicks in my basement ( but had to give them aaway. they were cocoaand peepers. lol) and was never in trouble. i really want to raise chickens.... shiuld i just do it?

 

[J-Sanders]

Nope, you should get together with your friends and make the city change its laws and ordinances to allow small flocks.

Jim

 

[NYREDS]

There are Right To Farm laws in certain areas but they are not universal. They have been passed in rural areas where city dwellers have bought vacation homes & have attempted to shut down those noisey, smelly farms.

 

[Chambertin]

Michigan Right to Farm Act or 1981 (MFRA)
http://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Act-93-of-1981.pdf
That's probably what they are talking about.
There's a good thread on here about it too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/182280/michigan-right-to-farm-law-what-does-it-mean
You can also do a search, lots of people are asking about it lately.

That one is a long read but it really gets into great details about what to do and what you can do.
I'd follow these steps:

1. Register a Doing Business As (DBA) with the county. Looks like they call it Sole Proprietorship in St. Clair County.
http://www.stclaircounty.org/offices/clerk/

A. Get an EIN if you want to write off the expenses of chickens on your taxes
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Employer-ID-Numbers-(EINs)

2. Make something promoting selling chickens or Eggs and have it ready when you can sell either. The right to farm act only covers people who want to sell the products of their farm, not people who want pets. So you have to show a valid attempt to farm for profit, even if you dont sell a thing you have to give a valid try, hence step 1 & 2.

**I'd make a big sign, some business cards and take out a for sale ad in the local paper, or craigslist. Write the expenses off on your taxes. Something really cool if you love chickens, is go to a sign shop and put something on your car. Now your car expenses are tax deductable as advertising expenses (havent tried it myself, but a friend does this).

3. Notify the county, city, whoever you think you'll have trouble with your chikens in an official letter notifying them of your intent to farm and your use of the "Michigan Right to Farm Act" as reason and rite to do so.
You can even include a copy of the act if you wish. It seems many City Managers and staff are woefully unaware of Michigan Law.

**Home Owners Associations (HOA) are contracts between individuals and therefore are not affected by the MRFA, you enter into the HOA contract knowing it will supersede your rights under state law. So if this is the problem then you have to solve it with them. The HOA will win if you dont get permission or exemption prior to getting your chickens.

4. Have fun with your chickens.

Now it seems you really only have to do step 2, but I'd do everything and be completely prepared if the city or county wants to test the law. That way you are obviously trying your best to make a business, not just make some eggs.
Plus you can deduct any cost of raising chickens ANY cost, even your computer and internet fees. After all you need the internet to learn about chickens, communicate with customers and advertise your chickens.

Good luck!

EDIT: Spelling etc.