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Trying to find the middle ground between these two positions, all SO states have adopted right -to -farm laws. Right -to -farm laws recognize the unfairness that nuisance law can impose on farms when people unfamiliar with farming prac- tices move into traditionally agricultural areas. "The animals sure look peaceful, but boy do they smell. I have to hold my breath. when I go outside. I'm going to demand the town do something about this." "Who does she think she is? My family's been farming here for 60 years and she just waltz- es in and thinks she's going to impose her city ways on a s. She's got a lot of nerve!" R.iglit -to -farm laws generally override other laws on farm property usage. Here in New York, riglit -to -farm laws are very supportive of sound farming practice; more so, in fact, than in some other states. Parts of Iowa's ri(--Yht -to -farm law, for example, recently were deemed "an uncon- stitutional taking of property rights." The Iowa court was concerned. about the law's broad protections of farmers in the absence of clearly defined due process. By contrast, the New York law requires a case- by -ca.se determ.iifatioT7 of sound agricultural practices. The New York State Supreme Court- Appellate Division ruled in 1993 that the right -to -farm lave did not violate procedural due process. (Pure Air &, Water; Inc:. v. Davidsen, 246 A.D.Zd 786; 668 MYS,2d 248; 1998 MY App. Div, I.,EXIS 294; appeal denied 9.1 N.Y 2d 955; 694 N.E.2d 885; 671 MY.S.Zd 716; 1.998 MY LEXIS 97 5) Article XIV of the New York State constitution declares: "The policy of the state shall be to cons °erUe and protect its natural resources and scert.ic beauty and encourage the development and ilrIprove- rnent of its agricultural land for the productio71 of food and other agricultural products." In other words, the legislature is obligated to provide for the protection of agricultural lands. Even so, farm practices that are unsound, un- safe, unreasonable, or illegal are not protected by right -to -farm laws. 20 NEW YORK STATE Ac7RICULTURAL DIS'T`RIc -rs LAW' rMe Agricultural Districts Law, Article 25 -AA of the Agriculture and. Markets I...aw, is the cen- terpiece of state and. county attempts to preserve, protect, and encourage agriculture. The agricul- tural districts program is based on a combination of landowner incentives and protections designed to discourage the conversion of farmland to non - agricultural uses. County legislatures can set tip agricultural districts and lai-id.owners can enroll their farms in these districts. Eligible farmers make their own. decisions about participating. "Here we go again— another layer of govern- ment bureaucracy. Count me out." "You might want to reconsider. There are good reasoris to sign up." Ir:ideed there are. One way farmers benefit from. the Agricultural .Districts Law is through relief from property taxes. The law stipulates that