Right to Farm in Benton County, OR (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Benton County, Oregon.
Verified from official government sources
Farm Nuisance Protection
Benton County Code Chapter 30, the Farm Practice Ordinance, channels nuisance complaints against generally accepted farm practices through a Peer Review Board instead of straight to code enforcement. A 5-member board of local farmers, chaired by an OSU Extension-linked Designee, decides whether the practice a neighbor is complaining about is protected under ORS 30.930-30.947.
Benton County Right-to-Farm Complaint Process
Light RestrictionsBenton County Code §§ 30.015, 30.030
(6)"Protected Farm Activity" means any current or future generally accepted farming practice or facility that is conducted or operated in compliance with applicable federal, state or local statutes, regulations or ordinances. The term "protected farm activity" does not include:(a)The growing of infested, infected, or diseases crops, poultry or livestock.(b)The physical condition of facilities t...
Agricultural Zoning Protection
Farming is the protected, primary use across most of unincorporated Benton County's resource land. BCC 55.005 sets the Exclusive Farm Use Zone's purpose as preserving land for commercial agricultural production and keeping it free from conflicting nonfarm uses and influences, and BCC 55.105(1) makes farm use the first permitted use in the zone outright, with nonfarm activity only allowed where the code separately provides for it.
Benton County Farm Use Zoning Protections
Some RestrictionsBenton County Code §§ 30.010, 30.020, 55.005(1), 55.105(1)
The purpose of this ordinance is to establish a procedure to address the issue of what is considered a generally accepted farm practice under ORS 30.930-30.947 when it may conflict with nonfarm or rural residential use. ... A Peer Review Board will be established by the Benton County Board of Commissioners to advise the County on whether a disputed farm activity is a generally accepted farming ...
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