Carroll County's commissioners can begin working on the county's right-to-farm ordinance now that enabling legislation has been signed by the governor.

Gov. William Donald Schaefer signed the legislation into law during a ceremony Tuesday. House Bill 544 had easily won approval in the House of Delegates and the Senate.

Right-to-farm legislation, which has been passed by neighboring jurisdictions, protects farmers from nuisance suits when they follow generally accepted agricultural practices.

Robert A. "Max" Bair, executive assistant to the county commissioners, declined to comment on when the commissioners would begin holding hearings on the ordinance, saying he was unfamiliar with the enabling legislation.

The Harford County Council unanimously approved a right-to-farm ordinance last week, and Howard County has had similar legislation since 1989.

Carroll County officials, who based their draft ordinance on the Howard County version, had to get permission from the General Assembly for such a local ordinance because of the county's commissioner form of government.

Howard and Harford counties have charter governments, and local officials there are permitted to adopt most of their own ordinances.