Pennsylvania Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Key Facts

Statute: 3 P.S. Sec. 951
Threshold: 10 acres or $10,000 income
ACRE law: Act 38 of 2005
Enforcer: PA Attorney General

Full Breakdown

Pennsylvania's Right to Farm Act (3 P.S. Sec. 951 et seq.) preempts local ordinances that would restrict normal agricultural operations on properties of at least ten acres or producing $10,000 in annual gross income. The Agricultural Area Security Law and the ACRE statute (Act 38 of 2005) allow the Attorney General to challenge unauthorized local ordinances regulating farm activities. Municipalities cannot ban livestock operations that comply with state law, though small backyard chicken keeping in residential zones remains a local matter.

Violations & Penalties

Municipalities passing unauthorized agricultural ordinances may face ACRE review and Attorney General enforcement actions to invalidate those rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pennsylvania preempt all chicken ordinances?

No. The Right to Farm Act protects qualifying agricultural operations, but municipalities still regulate backyard chickens in residential zones below the farm threshold.

What is ACRE in Pennsylvania?

ACRE (Agriculture, Communities, and Rural Environment) lets the Attorney General review local ordinances that may unlawfully restrict normal agricultural operations under state law.

Pennsylvania Right to Farm Act Livestock Protections

Key Facts

Full Breakdown

Violations & Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

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