MERCER TWP — Mercer Township’s Board of Supervisors used their meeting on March 16 to discuss revisiting and updating their Agriculture Security Council in an effort to protect residents’ right to farm.

The supervisors emphasized that the council is not a new concept. Instead, their effort is an attempt to bring back the initiative that the board members hope will maintain and even boost the productive use of farmland for agriculture.

One supervisor, three farmers, and one other resident, who is not a farmer, are to be appointed for the Agriculture Security Council.

“It’s an already existing ag. program that just hasn’t been updated,“ supervisor John Bennett. ”As we have areas in the township that are developing, we want to protect the farmers.”

It was time to revisit the notion and ensure a council was active and available for the township.

The AgSecurity Council could be called into action if a farmer spreads manure — something he’s done for years and needs to do for his farm — and someone raises a complaint, Bennett explained.

The council would oversee Agriculture Security Area, which could include land of at least 250 acres. That land does not have to be contiguous or under the same farmer’s ownership the whole way, but the land’s soil must be within farming regulations to be considered good for agricultural use.

Residents interested in a volunteer position on the Agriculture Security Council can find more information about applying on Mercer Township’s website, in their newsletter or by contacting the township.