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Clean Water and Factory Farms
Resources

Organize a Friendly Letter from the Neighbors

Sample:

[letterhead or return address]

[name and address of contract grower]
[name and address of corporation]

Dear ______and __________,

This is to inform you of the concerns and intentions of adjacent and neighboring landowners (see attached list) to a proposed Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation to be constructed on lands owned by you ______[name]_______ of rural ____[county or town]____,___[state}____. These lands are located in the ___ quadrant of Range___, Township___, of __________County, ____[state}_____.

We have previously contacted you to register our concerns regarding this proposed facility, and have further requested that such a facility not be constructed, to no avail. We have also registered our concerns with the __________ County Commission.

THEREFORE, PLEASE BE ADVISED AS FOLLOWS:

We, landowners within a ___ mile radius of the above-described lands, are currently having our real properties appraised by an independent, certified appraisal company to determine the current market values of such properties. Such lands will be re-appraised after your proposed facilities have been in operation for over10 months. If such re-appraisal determines that our properties have decreased in value as a result of proximity to your facilities, we will hold both the contract grower and the owners of the animals liable for such diminution of values. We [have retained] [will retain] an attorney to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for loss of property value and punitive damages to the maximum allowable under the [Agricultural Nuisance Act Ch.______ of the __[state]___ Statutes. (Chapter 537.295 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, for example)], and we will further ask the court to issue a "cease and desist" order. If further loss of property value occurs due to the nuisance of your facilities, a closur e order will be sought.

This letter will be filed with the Recorder of Deeds of __[county]___, ___[state]___, and made a part of the land title records of your property.

Sincerely,

[typed names and signatures of those sending this letter]

or

[name and signature of attorney representing the landowners, and names of those represented]
NOTE: if this letter is sent by an attorney representing the landowners, changes to the text above are necessary.


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