Update on Oregon Farm Rules: A Troubling Turn
We wanted to share an alarming update on the Oregon farmstand rules currently being rewritten by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD).
This rulemaking was supposed to help—clearing up confusion for farmers and local governments, and supporting small farms that depend on agritourism to survive. But instead, DLCD just released a proposed set of rules that would do the opposite. If passed, they would:
Make it harder for small farms to operate by introducing sweeping new restrictions that were never intended by the Legislature.
Jeopardize farm events like summer or fall harvest festivals, animal exhibits and cow-train rides by limiting or eliminating what they call “promotional events.”
Restrict farm-to-table dinners by capping them, even though these gatherings can make the difference between a farm surviving or closing its gates.
Ban or limit prepared foods including on-farm creations that use produce grown right on the farm. These items currently help farmers draw in customers and support their operations.
Impose new siting and enforcement powers—including the ability for local governments to charge farmers ongoing fees, and even revoke existing permits.
This feels like a betrayal. The state said it wanted to support small farms. Instead, these changes would benefit large, out-of-state corporate farms, and make it harder for real working farms to do what we do best: grow food, build community, and steward the land.
We’re not giving up, but we need your help writing the governor and your local, Oregon legislators (click here to contact them). This is the time to act if you want to support family farms in Oregon.
We’ll keep you updated—and we’ll keep fighting.
Jim & Kat
