Mattapoisett has been a farming community since it was part of Old Rochester, and on Tuesday Town Meeting voters made it official.

Although, only nine of the 250 registered voters at the meeting were against the Right to Farm bylaw proposed by the Agricultural Commission, there was almost an hour of discussion on the scope of the bylaw.

The purpose of the bylaw is to “enhance awareness of farming” in town and protect farmers. The bylaw also provides a framework to deal with disputes between farmers and their neighbors, but does not affect zoning or supersede state agricultural laws and public health laws.

If and when disputes arise, the Agricultural Commission would be the mediating agent.

Resident Dave Park, who lives near a pig farm in the Aucoot area, said he often smells the pig farm nearby, and believes the odor is more than a healthy farm should be.

“I don’t see minimum standards being met,” said Park. “There’s nothing in the bylaw that addresses that.”

Another personal example came from Roland Letendre, who owns property adjacent to Wyandotte Farm on Route 6. Letendre purchased the property next to the small, two-acre farm, after it was licensed. The owners later received permits to slaughter chickens on their property.

Letendre was concerned that anyone who wanted to start a farm only needs two acres to do so, regardless of abutters.

“The bylaw says, “I want an exclusion from fairness,” he said. “They can bring down the value of your house by thousands of dollars.”

He also said having the Agricultural Commission mediate was like letting the “fox in the chicken house.”

Town Administrator Mike Gagne responded that state and Board of Health permits are required to establish a farm.

“The Agricultural Commission in the dispute resolution is only a recommending entity,” he said. “They’re not the deciding factor. They’re a recommending agency.”

Bob Spooner, a member of the commission and a long-time farmer, agreed with Gagne, and asked the audience to support the bylaw.

“We’re mediators. We’re nothing else. All we’re asking you is to keep farming going in Mattapoisett,” Spooner said. “As far as state law goes, with two acres you can start a farm. It’s not something that we came up with in town.”

Ken Dawicki, who owns a horse ranch in town, said, “There aren’t going to be a million micro-farms."

Ray Andrews, a member of the Board of Assessors, pointed out that farms can result in lower property values for neighbors.

“The property owners have every right to come before the Board of Assessors asking for a devaluation of their property,” he said.

Farms of at least five acres can also apply to have their taxes reduced after two years of farming, but it's not as easy as growing some veggies.

“It’s a very stringent program in order to get your taxes reduced,” said Assessor Kathy Costello.

Selectman Jordan Collyer, whose wife is on the Agricultural Commission also spoke up. He grew up visiting Dawicki’s farm and said townspeople need to embrace the positives not the negatives of farms and farmers.

“They’re honest hardworking people, and they’re people who want to make a difference in the community," Collyer said. "Let’s just embrace what we have here.”

George Randall, a native of town, summed up his opinion like this: “Having a farm is like having a cell tower. Nobody wants a cell tower but everybody’s got one. Everybody’s got to eat.”

Now that the bylaw has been passed, the town will post right to farm signs at the town’s borders to give all visitors and newcomers notice.