A National AgLaw Center Research Publication

Right-To-Farm: Typical Provisions

Compiled by:
National Agricultural Law Center Research Fellows
& 
Rusty Rumley, NALC Senior Staff Attorney
 
 

All fifty states have enacted right-to-farm laws that seek to protect qualifying farmers and ranchers from nuisance lawsuits filed by individuals who move into a rural area where normal farming operations exist, and who later use nuisance actions to attempt to stop those ongoing operations. While the overall statutory schemes might be similar, each state has noticeably different content in the specific details of the laws. This publication provides a categorization of typical and reoccurring provisions within right to farm laws that have been passed in various states.  The primary aim of this compilation is to provide the researcher with an way to recognize and distinguish specific provisions have been included in the statutory language among states.  To access a map with each states’ statutory language, click here.  This chart was last updated in June 2023.

Statute Triggering Event Change in the Operation Limitations on Protections Preemption of Local Gov’t Actions Attorneys Fees Awarded Damage Caps
Statute of Repose First in Time Area Zoned for Agriculture Compliance with State and Fed Laws Following Good Ag Practice Public Health and Safety
Alabama Ala. Code § 6-5-127 Ala. Code § 6-5-127(a) Ala. Code § 6-5-127(a) Ala. Code § 6-5-127(a) Ala. Code  § 6-5-127(c) 
Alaska Alaska Stat. § 09.45.235 Alaska Stat. § 09.45.235(a)
Arizona Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 3-111 to 3-112 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3-112(A) Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3-112(A)-(B)
Arkansas Ark. Code Ann. §§ 2-4-101 to 2-4-108 Ark. Code Ann. § 2-4-107(a) Ark. Code Ann. § 2-4-107(c)(1)(A)-(B) Ark. Code Ann. § 2-4-107(b)(2)(A)-(E)  Ark. Code Ann. § 2-4-107(b)(1) Ark. Code Ann. § 2-4-105 Ark. Code Ann. § 2-4-107(d)
California Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5 Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5(a)(2) Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5(a)(2) Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5(c)  Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5(a)(1) Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5(c)  Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5(d) 
Colorado Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 35-3.5-101 to 35-3.5-103 Colo. Rev. Stat. § 35-3.5-102(2)(a)(I)-(b) Colo. Rev. Stat. § 35-3.5-102(b)(I)-(V) Colo. Rev. Stat. § 35-3.5-102(b) Colo. Rev. Stat. § 35-3.5-102(5);
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 35-3.5-102(7)		 Colo. Rev. Stat. § 35-3.5-102(3)
Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-341 Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-341(a) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-341(a) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-341(a)
Delaware Del. Code Ann. Tit. 3, § 1401 Del. Code Ann. Tit. 3, § 1401 Del. Code Ann. Tit. 3, § 1401 Del. Code Ann. Tit. 3, § 1401 Del. Code Ann. Tit. 3, § 1401
Florida Fla. Stat. § 823.14 Fla. Stat. § 823.14(4)(a) Fla. Stat. § 823.14(3)(d);
Fla. Stat. § 823.14(4)(b)-(5)		 Fla. Stat. § 823.14(4)(a) Fla. Stat. § 823.14(6)
Georgia Ga. Code Ann. § 41-1-7 Ga. Code Ann. § 41-1-7(c)  Ga. Code Ann. § 41-1-7(c);
Ga. Code Ann. § 41-1-7(b)(4);
Ga. Code Ann. § 41-1-7(d)		 Ga. Code Ann. § 51-12-5.1
Hawaii Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 165-1 to 165-6 Haw. Rev. Stat. § 165-4
Idaho Idaho Code §§ 22-4501 to 22-4504 Idaho Code § 22-4503 Idaho Code § 22-4503 Idaho Code § 22-4505(1) Idaho Code § 22-4505(1) Idaho Code § 22-4504
Illinois 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 70/0.01 -70/5 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 70/3 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 70/4.5
Indiana Ind. Code §§ 32-30-6-1 to 32-30-6-1.5,
32-30-6-6 to 32-30-6-9.5, 32-30-6-11		 Ind. Code § 32-30-6-9(d) Ind. Code § 32-30-6-9(d)(1)-(3) Ind. Code § 32-30-6-7(d);
Ind. Code § 32-30-6-9.5
Iowa 352.1-352.13      *Note case law 352.11(1)(a)      *Note case law 352.11(1)(a)      *Note case law   172.D3  
657.1-657.11A 657.11 (3) (b) (2) 172D.2 172D.4 657.11 (2) (a)  *Note case law 657.11A(5) *Note case law 657.11A(3)
Kansas Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 2-3201 to 2-3205 Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3202(a) Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3202(c)  Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3202(b) Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3202(a)-(b) Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3202(a) Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3204 Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3205(a)-(d)
Kentucky Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.072 Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.072(2) Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.072(5) Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.072(7)
Louisiana La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 3:3601- 3:3624 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3603(B)(3) La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3603(B)(1) La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3603(B)(3) La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3606 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3604 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3607(A) La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3605;
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3610(E) 		 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 3:3610(D)-(F)
Maine Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, §§ 151-163 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, § 153(3) Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, § 154 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, § 155 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, § 158 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, § 154
Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-403 Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-403(c)  Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-403(b)(1)(iii) Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-403(b)(1)(i)-(ii) 
Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 243, § 6;
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 128, § 1A		 Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 243, § 6
 Mass Gen. Laws ch. 40A, § 3 Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 243, § 6
Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 286.471-286.474 Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.473(2) Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.473(3)(a)-(e)  Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.474(7) Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.473(1);
Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.474(8)-(9)		 Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.474(6) Mich. Comp. Laws § 286.473b
Minnessota Minn. Stat. § 561.19 Minn. Stat. § 561.19(2)(a) Minn. Stat. § 561.19(2)(a)(1) Minn. Stat. § 561.19(1)(b) Minn. Stat. § 561.19(2)(a)(2) Minn. Stat. § 561.19(2)(a)(3);
Minn. Stat. § 561.19(1)(c) 
Mississippi Miss. Code. Ann. § 95-3-29 Miss. Code. Ann. § 95-3-29(1) Miss. Code. Ann. § 95-3-29(1)
Missouri Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295 Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295(1)  Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295(1) Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295(1) Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295(1) Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295(5)
Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 27-30-101
Mont. Code Ann. § 45-8-111		 Mont. Code Ann. § 27-30-101 Mont. Code Ann. § 45-8-111(4)
Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 2-4401 to 2-4404 Neb. Rev. Stat. § 2-4403 Neb. Rev. Stat. § 2-4404
Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. § 40.140 Nev. Rev. Stat. § 40.140(2)(b) Nev. Rev. Stat. § 40.140(2)(a) Nev. Rev. Stat. § 40.140(2)(a)
New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 432:32-432.35 N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 432:33  N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 432:34
New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 4:1C-1 to 4:1C-10.4 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-9 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-9; N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-10 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-9;
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-10		 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-9;
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 4:1C-10
New Mexico N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 47-9-1 to 47-9-7 N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-9-3(A) N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-9-3(C)  N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-9-3(B) N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-9-7
New York N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. §§ 300 to 310 N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. § 303;
N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. § 306;
N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. § 308(3)		 N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. § 308(1)(a)-(b) N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. § 305-a(1)(a) N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. § 305-a(1)(a)
North Carolina N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 106-700 to 106-702 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(a)(1)-(3) N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(a)(3);
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(a1)(1)-(5)		 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(d) N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(f) N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-702(a)-(a1)
North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code §§ 42-04-01 to 42-04-05 N.D. Cent. Code § 42-04-02 N.D. Cent. Code § 42-04-04
Ohio Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 929.01 to 929.05;
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3767.13		 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §929.02(B) Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §929.02;
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §929.04(A)		 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 929.04(D) Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3767.13(D)
Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1  Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1(C)  Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1(B) Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1(C)(1)-(3)  Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1(E) Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1(B) Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 1.1(B)
Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 30.930-30.947 Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.937(3) Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.936;
Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.937(4)		 Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.934-30.935 Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.938
Pennsylvania 3 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 951-955 3 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 954(a) 3 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 954(a) 3 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 954(b) 3 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 953(a) 3 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 953(a)
Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 2-23-1 to 2-23-7 R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-6 R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-5(b)
South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. §§ 46-45-10 to 46-45-80 S.C. Code Ann. § 46-45-60(B) S.C. Code Ann. § 46-45-40;

S.C. Code Ann. § 46-45-70

 S.C. Code Ann. § 46-45-60(A)-(B)
South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws §§ 21-10-25.1 to 21-10-25.10 S.D. Codified Laws § 21-10-25.2 S.D. Codified Laws § 21-10-25.2 S.D. Codified Laws § 21-10-25.2 S.D. Codified Laws § 21-10-25.6 S.D. Codified Laws § 21-10-25.7 to 21-10-25.8
Tennessee Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 43-26-101 to 43-26-104 Tenn. Code Ann. § 43-26-103(a)(2) Tenn. Code Ann. § 43-26-103(a)(1)
Texas Tex. Agric. Code Ann. §§ 251.001-251.006  Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.004 Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.003 Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.003 Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.004(a)-(C)  Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.004(a) Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.005(b)-(c)  Tex. Agric. Code Ann. § 251.004(c)
Utah Utah Code Ann. §§ 17-41-401 to 17-41-406 Utah Code Ann. § 17-41-402(2)-(6);

Utah Code Ann. § 17-41-403(2)(a)(i)

 Utah Code Ann. § 17-41-403(2)(a)(ii) Utah Code Ann. § 17-41-402(1) Utah Code Ann. § 17-41-402(1);

Utah Code Ann. § 17-41-403(1)
Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, §§ 5751-5754 Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 5753(a)(1)(C)  Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 5753(a)(1)(D) Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 5753(a)(1)(A) Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 5753(a)(1)(B) Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 5753(a)(1)(2)
Virginia Va. Code Ann. §§ 3.2-300 to 3.2-302 Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-302(A) Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-301 Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-302(A) Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-302(A) Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-301;

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-302(E) 

 Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-302(C)(1)-(2)
Washington Wash. Rev. Code §§ 7.48.300-7.48.320 Wash. Rev. Code § 7.48.305(2) Wash. Rev. Code § 7.48.305(1)-(2) Wash. Rev. Code § 7.48.305(2) Wash. Rev. Code § 7.48.315 Wash. Rev. Code § 7.48.315
West Virginia W. Va. Code §§ 19-19-1 to 19-19-8 W. Va. Code § 19-19-4(1) W. Va. Code § 19-19-3 W.Va. Code § 19-19-8(a) W. Va. Code § 19-19-8(b)  
Wisconsin Wis. Stat. § 823.08 Wis. Stat. § 823.08(3)(a)(1) Wis. Stat. § 823.08(3)(a)(2) Wis. Stat. § 823.08(4)(a)-(b) Wis. Stat. § 823.08(b)(1)-(3)
Wyoming Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 11-44-101 to 11-44-104 Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 11-44-103(a)(ii) Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 11-44-104(b) Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 11-44-103(a)(i);

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 11-44-104(c)