Craven County, NC Right to Farm: Farm Nuisance Protection (2026)

Craven County does not rely on a blanket local nuisance shield for farms; instead, the Board of Commissioners' Voluntary Agricultural District and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinance, first adopted January 5, 2009, builds farm protection through disclosure and district status. Appendix G, Article III states the ordinance's purpose is to promote agricultural values, increase identity and pride in the agricultural community, encourage the economic and financial health of agriculture, horticulture and forestry, create awareness of agricultural areas, inform non-farming neighbors and potential land purchasers of the presence of agricultural activities, give farmers a voice with the Board of Commissioners, and increase protection from non-farm development and other negative impacts on properly managed farms.

That protection is made concrete through a posting requirement in Article XV: a notice, posted at the Register of Deeds and other county offices the Advisory Board deems necessary, tells the public that Craven County has established agricultural districts to protect and preserve agricultural lands and activities, mapped by the county to inform property purchasers that agricultural and forestry activities, including pesticide spraying, manure spreading, machinery and truck operation, livestock operations, and sawing, may occur in these districts any time during the day or night.

The Register of Deeds also records notice on title for tracts within a half mile of a district under Article XIII, and the county cannot be held liable in damages for good-faith administration of the notice program, though there is no cause of action if a title researcher fails to flag the proximity.