Friends of Family Farmers has always been by and for small and midsize farmers and we have hosted a lot of community meetings and discussion about Agritourism with the people we serve. The first thing we want to acknowledge is that our base does not always agree on the right way forward. Many folks want no regulation at all on the way they welcome the public onto their farm, and many others want to restrict these activities to make sure farm production remains the primary use of our EFU zoned lands. But we do all agree that we want to give small farms a way to thrive in Oregon, we want to help community members form a connection to their farmers and teach the public about food production, and we want farms to adapt to the realities of the changing marketplace.
FoFF participated in the rulemaking advisory committee (RAC) at DLCD regarding the changes to farm stands that were spurred on by a legislative working group related to HB 3133 which would have made sweeping changes in the 2025 legislative session. Things are on hold right now as the Governor put a pause on any rule making changes and they are reassessing next steps.
This process and outcry from concerned farms has outlined the difference between what is considered legal and standard practice at DLCD and what is being implemented through county level permitting processes. We want to close the gap between what is commonplace in our communities on working farms, and what is currently technically allowed by law, and afford all farmers in all counties the same responsible opportunities to diversify their farm income while maintaining the integrity of our working lands.
READ MORE ON PROPOSED DLCD CHANGES TO DRAFT RULES TO FARM STAND OPERATIONS (currently paused)
Through all of our conversations we realized we needed to start at the beginning and level set when it comes to current rules and regulations for farm stands and agritourism permits. Watch our Agritourism Primer recorded in the fall of 2025 to learn about what are current rules and regulations.
We know this conversation is far from over and we want to hear from you! We would love your feedback about the permitting process, types of activities you would like to utilize on your farm, push back you are receiving and/or anything else you would be willing to share. Thank you for helping clarify and provide insight into what the small and midsized farmers in Oregon need in order for our local food system to be sustainable and profitable.
FILL OUT THE AGRITOURISM FEEDBACK FORM