Currently, there is a Bill in the House, HB 2, that was sponsored by Rep Bobby Franklin.
"The whole concept is no level of state government should ever tell a person that they are prohibited from feeding their family. Chickens for the eggs and the meat, rabbits for the meat, goats for the milk and you can feed your family, but as you know, Cobb County in its Soviet style central planning, has deemed that you have to have two acres just to have a chicken." Rep Franklin passed away before the bill could be made into law. Currently, Rep Tom McCall and Rep Terry England are polishing the language with the hopes of passing it this year. They need our help! Go to www.gafoodrights.org for more details on how you can support this worthy bill. It is insane that we are spending so much time fighting every city and county to get our rights back!
I lost my flock at the end of November because of a 40 year old zoning ordinance in Cobb County, GA. I started the Backyard Chickens Alliance (www.backyardchix.org) in an effort to change the Code in Cobb. The local commissioners wanted no part of it. I spoke to Rep Tom McCall, chairman of the GA House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. After 45 minutes, he told me that we need a state law to prevent such nonsense. He said Everybody needs a dozen chickens in their yard! He told me that he would get on it when the GA Assembly came back into session. There are back and he is holding up his end of the bargain. We need to let the legislators know that this bill needs to pass! Support this bill and help spread the word!
Thanks!
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House Bill 2
By: Representative Franklin of the 43rd
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 1 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to agriculture, so as to provide a short title; to preempt certain local ordinances relating to production of agricultural or farm products; to protect the right to grow food crops and raise small animals on private property so long as such crops and animals are used for human consumption by the occupants, gardeners, or raisers and their households and not for commercial purposes; to define a term; to provide for effect on certain private agreements and causes of action; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Right to Grow Act."
SECTION 2. Chapter 1 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to agriculture, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "2-1-7. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Crops' means fruits and products of all annual or perennial plants, trees, and shrubs. (2) 'Milk goat' means a doe kept for the purpose of producing milk and any unweaned kid goats.
(b) No county, municipality, consolidated government, or local government authority shall prohibit or require any permit for the growing or raising of food crops or chickens, rabbits, or milk goats in home gardens, coops, or pens on private residential property so long as such food crops or animals or the products thereof are used for human consumption by the occupant of such property and members of his or her household and not for commercial purposes.
(c) This Code section shall not prohibit or impair: (1) The authority of a local governmental entity to abate a public nuisance; (2) The authority of a local governmental entity to regulate or restrict the slaughter of goats; (3) Any cause of action brought by a private citizen to abate a private nuisance under Code Section 41-2-4; or (4) Any private covenant or other private agreement restricting the use of real property."
SECTION 3. This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
SECTION 4. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
"The whole concept is no level of state government should ever tell a person that they are prohibited from feeding their family. Chickens for the eggs and the meat, rabbits for the meat, goats for the milk and you can feed your family, but as you know, Cobb County in its Soviet style central planning, has deemed that you have to have two acres just to have a chicken." Rep Franklin passed away before the bill could be made into law. Currently, Rep Tom McCall and Rep Terry England are polishing the language with the hopes of passing it this year. They need our help! Go to www.gafoodrights.org for more details on how you can support this worthy bill. It is insane that we are spending so much time fighting every city and county to get our rights back!
I lost my flock at the end of November because of a 40 year old zoning ordinance in Cobb County, GA. I started the Backyard Chickens Alliance (www.backyardchix.org) in an effort to change the Code in Cobb. The local commissioners wanted no part of it. I spoke to Rep Tom McCall, chairman of the GA House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. After 45 minutes, he told me that we need a state law to prevent such nonsense. He said Everybody needs a dozen chickens in their yard! He told me that he would get on it when the GA Assembly came back into session. There are back and he is holding up his end of the bargain. We need to let the legislators know that this bill needs to pass! Support this bill and help spread the word!
Thanks!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Bill 2
By: Representative Franklin of the 43rd
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 1 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to agriculture, so as to provide a short title; to preempt certain local ordinances relating to production of agricultural or farm products; to protect the right to grow food crops and raise small animals on private property so long as such crops and animals are used for human consumption by the occupants, gardeners, or raisers and their households and not for commercial purposes; to define a term; to provide for effect on certain private agreements and causes of action; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Right to Grow Act."
SECTION 2. Chapter 1 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to agriculture, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "2-1-7. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Crops' means fruits and products of all annual or perennial plants, trees, and shrubs. (2) 'Milk goat' means a doe kept for the purpose of producing milk and any unweaned kid goats.
(b) No county, municipality, consolidated government, or local government authority shall prohibit or require any permit for the growing or raising of food crops or chickens, rabbits, or milk goats in home gardens, coops, or pens on private residential property so long as such food crops or animals or the products thereof are used for human consumption by the occupant of such property and members of his or her household and not for commercial purposes.
(c) This Code section shall not prohibit or impair: (1) The authority of a local governmental entity to abate a public nuisance; (2) The authority of a local governmental entity to regulate or restrict the slaughter of goats; (3) Any cause of action brought by a private citizen to abate a private nuisance under Code Section 41-2-4; or (4) Any private covenant or other private agreement restricting the use of real property."
SECTION 3. This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
SECTION 4. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
