Florida Statute 823.14, the Florida Right to Farm Act, protects established bona fide farm operations from nuisance suits and local ordinances that would inhibit standard agricultural practices conducted in good faith.
Section 823.14, Florida Statutes, declares that established agricultural production conducted on a bona fide farm is presumed reasonable and not a nuisance once it has been in operation for one year or more, provided it complies with generally accepted agricultural practices and laws. The statute also bars local governments from adopting ordinances that prohibit, restrict, regulate, or otherwise limit a bona fide farm operation on land classified as agricultural under Section 193.461. The 2021 amendments (SB 88) tightened the rules for suing farms: plaintiffs must be within a half mile of the source, prove their claims by clear and convincing evidence, and sue within a year of the challenged activity beginning or changing.
Nuisance suits and local ordinances inconsistent with FS 823.14 may be dismissed or invalidated, with prevailing farms entitled to attorney fees in some cases.
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