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Fence Laws

L

loneranger

Well-Known Member
This is kinda off topic,,,but just had to vent. Not sure what the law was in Mich where I came from, but never heard of it up there. Someone should have told me of this law before I bought 40 acres in IA for hunting. People that owned 40 next to me were teachers with small kids when I bought it. Then house and land went up for sale, and got new neighbor who worked at hog plant, and he used his land for hunting like me.Farming kinda dwindling around me,,, many residential types. Wish hunter had kept the place but he sold, so last yr got new neighbor. He had few cows to start, then he got 25 this spring, put up fence to coral them,, then yesterday came down to say,,hey my cattle need more room. When you gonna put up your half of the property line fence.? I said,,,"Say What?!". I heard of this law and I can understand it when most of the country was farming, and one farmer next to another, but we are not all farmers now. He wants to be a weekend hobby farmer and I have to pay for part of his hobby. To the price of a couple thou! What do I get out of the deal? Some of his profits,,or a cow,,a steak? This is a crazy law,,and I am broke. Guess will have to see about a loan for another guy's fence. Crazy to me. Thanks for letting me vent on here.
 
Re: Fences.

Is he putting up a new fence or replacing one that was already there? I don't know what the rules are but I thought that one or the other landowner was responsible for the fence not both. But I don't really know.
If he's putting up a new fence you'd think that would be his responsiblity.
Either way I'm on your side sounds like a bad deal for you.
Might want to look into it a little more if you haven't just to be sure.
 
Re: Fences.

Far as I now that is how it goes, don't know if it is law or not. My dad has put fence on 3 sides of his 200 acres over the years and never had a cow. Even had to pay for some dozing to put some fence in a couple years ago.
 
Re: Fences.

I have looked into it with old time farmer neighbors an they say, it IS Iowa law. You are responsible for half of a fence,,not sure about the old or new, though,,this will be a new fence. He had our boundry surveyed to find where to put it. Other bad part is,,it's almost deer season and he wants to tear up my area with alot of disturbance. I am out a couple thou with nothing to show for it. I could use that for some things other than his cattle! I have heard you are only required to have square fencing with one barbed strand along the top. Which may be cheaper than five or six strands of barbed wire. Sorry to take up this sight with personal problems, but I am just a little steamed right now.
 
Re: Fences.

i have put a lot of fence in and barb wire is cheaper than hog wire. how much do you have to put in.
 
Re: Fences.

Barb wire is cheaper than woven wire fence, so if he really wants to get picky about it, have an estimate done.
 
Re: Fences.

I share a mile of fence with the neighbor who runs cattle on his side. I run extreme deer habitat on my side. I do a Spring fence repair every year for his cattle on my half of the fence.

My cows are on pasture for a new fence that is my responsibility.

It comes down to your relationship with you neighbor...

But yes, legally you are responsible for your 1/2 of the fence.

Good fence = Good neighbors.....

Trespass on me and you know you crossed a fence.....
 
Re: Fences.

Some townships/counties have fence trustees who moniter any fence disputes. In Davis county if you refuse to fix your 1/2 (generally unless it's in writing otherwise, it's your 1/2 to the right standing on your side facing the line fence) the trustees will have the fence replaced and add it to your taxes..so there is no escaping it.

In VB county we have big problems with neighbors cattle running all over the place because other landowners won't fix their fence so the cattle owners just shrug and say "hey...I fixed my half...so it's not my fault if they get out"

We have to pay the price of having cattle run thru our land and yard and we don't have any connection to any of the neighbors.

So...it is law but only if someone enforces it.... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

Depending on your local laws I believe you do have the option of putting up an electric fence with a solar powered fencer (your obligation is provide fencing to keep cattle in not provide a certain kind of fence)

It's even worse if you have a watergap (like me /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif ) that washes out all the time...I'm forever replacing that piece of fence.

Realtors may have no obligation to inform landowners but it's to bad they don't mention that fencing may be part of your responsibility when you purchase land.

Used to cost roughly $1.60 - 2.00 a foot but I'm not sure about current costs to have fence built?
 
Re: Fences.

Have not priced them lately but imagine that steel posts and wire are going up at least as fast as the price of scrap metal.
 
Re: Fences.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In VB county we have big problems with neighbors cattle running all over the place because other landowners won't fix their fence so the cattle owners just shrug and say "hey...I fixed my half...so it's not my fault if they get out"

We have to pay the price of having cattle run thru our land and yard and we don't have any connection to any of the neighbors.
</div></div>

I'd have a freezer full of beef steaks! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
Re: Fences.

I appreciate all the imput. I know it is the law, but maybe a law that needs changing with the changing landscape of Iowa. Just doesn't seem fair that someone can start up a business and make you pay for part of it, with no benefit to you. I could use 2,000$ for alot of things besides someone's smally cattle.
 
Re: Fences.

Check with your county's NRCS office. I recently recieved a flyer that indicated they provide cost sharing through EQIP for establishing fences. Sorry, but I don't know all the details.
 
Re: Fences.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AIRASSAULT</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In VB county we have big problems with neighbors cattle running all over the place because other landowners won't fix their fence so the cattle owners just shrug and say "hey...I fixed my half...so it's not my fault if they get out"

We have to pay the price of having cattle run thru our land and yard and we don't have any connection to any of the neighbors.
</div></div>

I'd have a freezer full of beef steaks! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif</div></div>

That's what I was thinking!!
 
Re: Fences.

DEFINATELY contact your NRCS office. they can tell you the law, and they can get you help financing your new fence, if any is available.
 
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Not that it means anything to you guys in Iowa but, its the same way up here in MN. MOST farmers up here fence thier pastures at thier own cost, unless adjoining property is a farmer and its going to benefit the both of them. Its farely rare to here about disputes over fencing.

Dean
 
Re: Fences.

I went through this when I bought land a few years back.I could find no laws saying I was responsible for putting up any fence PERIOD.What the Iowa law stated was that it is the each persons responibilty to keep their livestock in by fence.If you have no live stock to keep in,you are not responsible for any fence.It was a gentlemans agreement in the past to share half the fence cost with each neighbor since most had some sort of livestock.Long story short,I put up zero fence at zero cost to me.
 
Re: Fences.

Thanks vrod, Say that sounds different. Everyone is telling me I have no choice, but to put up a fence. I have no pasture to keep cows out of just brush and deer habitat. Neighbor has the pasture. I will look into what is required by Wapello county, and how long I have to put one up, and if there is financing. I want to be a good neighbor, not make enemies, but there was never a fence there. All the fencing is new just along our property line. I also have 16 acres of my land in the Forest Reserve program. That states that I cannot cut any trees. I am wondering if this could stop fence building? thanks for all the imput.
 
Re: Fences.

I agree with your frustrations. Very odd laws. Someone told me that the traddition is for the landowner to out the fence up to his south and east, So if the property line is to your north its his responsiblity. I too am not originally from Iowa but now live here. If everyone runs livestock it makes sense. Of course if in the future you get cattle you get to use FREE fence if he puts it up. Fencing on hunting land to me is a double edged sword. Keeps others off your land, which Iowans seem to respect more than others states. But I cant forget a nice 3 yr old I once rattled in he stopped at a fence 40yrds and would not cross! With all the fences in the woods here in Iowa, I have that recurring nightmare of it repeating itself!
 
Re: Fences.

Forest Reserve- You can cut trees, no question. Cannot put cattle in it, lease for hunting or have less than like 100-200 stems per acre.

Read through most of this above...
If you have 40 acres TOTAL, your portion OBVIOUSLY should be fencing the 20 acres- your RIGHT side- NO QUESTION, if this were me- I'd do this myself. It would save you a ton of money AND it's NOT HARD!!!!! Just time consuming. For the edge of 20 acres, I really think you could do this for $500-800 (or less) in my opinion. I'd be cutting some hedge possibly OR pulling up some decent metal rods. If you did your own rods (hedge or metal you pulled from somewhere) all you'd have is barbed wire AND you'd need say 10 spools for $40 a spool for example= $400, JUST A GUESS!!! I just fenced in 10 acres BUT all of it in a square for like $300-400 for wire, etc.
*I used to live in MI as well, Holland. This fence stuff sure is interesting! I have a 270 that has a neighbor with cows to the north with nice fence, thankfully I get out there to fix it when needed and I make sure it's a non-issue. I do have a another neighbor with a 50 year old fence that's FLAT and 1st year I owned it - some TSI fell on it, kinda funny, oops).
 
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I was told by my realtor friend that it is ome me to take care of my 1/2 of the fence even though I have no live stock.
man thats a lot of fence I thought and will add up real fast! like 10k worth?????
so I would figure that into any deal.
I always air on the side of not getting lawyers involved when one can.

talk to the neighbor and explain to him how you feel.everyone is not walking around ready to fork out money for someone else's stuff.
 
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