What Is Wisconsin`s `Right-To-Farm` Law And Who Does It Protect?

Daily life for many Wisconsinites is permeated with the sights, sounds and smells of agriculture. But as a growing number of livestock farms in Wisconsin expand to massive sizes, sometimes housing thousands of animals in relatively close quarters, the sensations these farms arouse among their neighbors can lead to intense personal conflicts.

Rarely, however, do these impassioned disputes result in legal action. That`s in part thanks to a state statute that explicitly protects agricultural operators from all but the most serious nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors. This statute is known as Wisconsin`s "right-to-farm" law. Proponents say the law provides necessary protection to all farmers against frivolous lawsuits. Critics, meanwhile, say the law`s scope is overly expansive and can discourage legitimate nuisance claims....