MELVILLE, La. — A judge has ruled in favor of Artell Brothers Farms in a legal dispute with St. Landry Parish government over whether a farm pump contributed to flooding concerns near Melville.
The parish sought to restrict pumping operations at the family-owned farm, arguing that water being pumped from agricultural fields into nearby drainage ditches contributed to flooding along Schexnayder Lane and posed a threat to nearby homes.
However, the court lifted a temporary restraining order against the farm after determining the parish failed to prove the pumping operations caused permanent harm or were responsible for the flooding complaints.
Artell Brothers Farms has operated in the Melville area for nearly a century.
“Pumping is just part of agriculture,” said Charles Cannatella . “It’s just part of the business we have. We know that when you have these historical rains, you have to get it off or you lose your crop.”
During the hearing, Cannatella, a farmer and longtime friend of the Artell family, testified that the pumps leave only a small amount of water in the fields and said he believes broader drainage issues are contributing to flooding in the area.
“I know the neighbors here are concerned about the water, but their biggest problem is backwater and floodwater,” Cannatella said.
Artell attorney Digger Earles argued that recent heavy rainfall, not farm pumping, caused the flooding residents experienced. He said water from southern Avoyelles Parish flowed into the area and overwhelmed available drainage systems.
“Because there was so much rainwater coming from southern Avoyelles Parish through minimal avenues available, that water started to back up,” Earles said.
Earles also cited Louisiana’s Right to Farm Act, which provides protections for long-standing agricultural operations engaged in normal farming practices.
“As long as it’s normal, ordinary agricultural practices, then they’re protected,” Earles said.
Despite the ruling, St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard said the matter is not over.
In a statement, Bellard said the parish plans to ask the St. Landry Parish Council to approve an evaluation of the pumps by engineering experts. The study would provide a technical analysis of whether the pumping operations are affecting drainage and flooding conditions in the area.
The dispute stems from concerns raised by residents following heavy rainfall events that left water on portions of Schexnayder Lane and nearby properties.
The parish has not announced whether it will pursue additional legal action pending the results of the proposed engineering evaluation.
