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Sheridan County Zoning Amendment Helps Farmers

Melodie Edwards

Last week, Sheridan County commissioners approved an amendment to planning and zoning rules that will give local farmers an edge on more direct sales to their customers. It will now be easier for them to put up farm stands and greenhouses on their property, as well as sell jams, salsas and other products made from their produce. Such activities either weren't allowed or required special permits in the past. Director Bill Benzel with Powder River Resource Council worked on the amendment.

“The land use zoning regulations for Sheridan County will be amended accordingly,” Bentel says. “People now do not have to worry about selling ag retail right off their place. It’s season long, year long, they can have greenhouses. It’s a real boost to entrepreneurs who want to get into the business.”

The announcement of the zoning change came at the same time as a conference in Sheridan on sustainable agriculture called “Living and Working on the Land,” put together by the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Business Council and others. Organizers say Sheridan County is becoming more interested in proactively supporting small-production farming in the area.

Melodie Edwards is the host and producer of WPM's award-winning podcast The Modern West. Her Ghost Town(ing) series looks at rural despair and resilience through the lens of her hometown of Walden, Colorado. She has been a radio reporter at WPM since 2013, covering topics from wildlife to Native American issues to agriculture.
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