SHELBURNE, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont 57 years ago became the first state to ban roadside billboards, a law widely credited with helping maintain its rural vibe. Drivers headed down Route 7 and other highways have recently spotted hay wagons that appear to violate that landmark law.
From Ferrisburgh to Shelburne, the wagons have three advertisement banners zip-tied to them so you can see them if you’re going north or south.
I’m from Texas originally, I feel like there it wouldn’t be considered a billboard, but here it kind of is considered one,” said Allie.
Billboards, or signs like them, have been outlawed in vermont for decades.
“I feel like we’ve looked into it, and we feel like we’re in compliance,” said Raymond Rice.
Raymond Rice says he owns Rice Farm and Tires in New York, which is the business advertised.
“We’re a farm, we’re a tire business, we’re a small local business. I feel like we need to advertise,” Rice said.
Located in Westport, Rice says he serves the entire Champlain Valley. He tells me there are just under a dozen hay wagons like these in Vermont and New York, parked on private land of farms he works with at no cost.
“We don’t want to upset anybody. We just want to let people know that we’re here and open for business,” said Rice.
In 1968, Vermont became the first state in the U.S. to ban roadside billboards. Nearly 60 years later, the landmark law is credited with helping Vermont maintain its rural, natural scenery.
“It really has had a positive effect on how vermont feels and looks,” said Jon Brofman with the Vermont Natural Resources Council.
Brofman won’t speak specifically to these advertisements but describes the law like this.
“If you have a sign that’s visible from a right of way, which is basically any sort of state, local or highway or the interstate, that you can’t advertise on-premises if it’s visible from that vantage point,” said Brofman.
Rice says as a farmer, he loves the open land and rolling mountains and doesn’t want to do anything to disrupt it. He says by spring the wagons will be gone.
“Once spring comes, we’re going to go back to harvesting our hay like we do, and these things will go back to their intended hay wagon use,” said Rice.