Oregon Lawmakers Pass Bill to Protect Farm Stands and Agritourism as Struggling Farmers Call It a Lifeline
Legislation that could help Oregon farmers keep their doors open was passed by lawmakers on Friday.
HB 4153 Protects Farm Stands and Agritourism but Excludes Accommodation
Spearheaded by the Oregon Property Owners Association, House Bill 4153 aims to protect farm stands and agritourism, an industry that contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the state’s economy each year.
Although the bill specifically excludes farmers from offering accommodation, it allows for the inclusion of farm-to-table dinners, crop mazes, and petting zoos.
House Bill 4153 applies to farm stores of up to 10,000 square feet, which are now permitted to sell food and beverages for immediate consumption, as well as farm-produced products or locally generated products by agriculturalists.
| HB 4153 allows | HB 4153 still limits or bars |
|---|---|
| Farm stores on qualifying farm and mixed farm and forest land | No lodging or dwelling use in a farm store |
| Up to 10,000 square feet of enclosed farm store structures | Retail items must stay within 25% of enclosed floor area |
| Prepared food and beverages for immediate consumption | Kitchen use cannot function as a cafe or drive through dining establishment |
| Agritourism like farm tours, crop mazes, petting exhibits, hayrides, and farm to table meals | Counties can still set rules on parking, traffic, noise, hours, and sanitation |
| Temporary structures and mobile vending units tied to agritourism | More intensive event permits still face separate county limits and review rules |
The Legislation Offers a Lifeline to Oregon Farmers
The bill has been heralded as a ‘lifeline’ and ‘an important economic development for rural Oregon’ at a time when farmers are facing economic challenges, according to Samantha Bayer, general counsel for the Oregon Property Owners Association.
“This legislation will give many family farms the lifeline they need to keep their doors open,” says Bayer in a news release.
Currently, the problem facing family farm owners is the interpretation of state law by the counties in which their land is located. According to 1993 legislation, apart from farming, the law includes about 60 other avenues that farmers can exploit to generate income, including farm stands.
County Interpretation of State Law Resulted in Conflicting Restrictions
However, county interpretation of state law resulted in some farms having few restrictions, while others were given strict limits on what products and quantities could be sold.
The new legislation heading to the desk of Governor Tina Kotek for signature is vastly different from what was originally proposed by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development in 2025.
Those proposals limited farm stand activities to such an extent that they threatened the continued survival of small farms.
The governor quickly put the brakes on that rule-making process, and HB 4153 is the outcome of that decision.
Agritourism in the Willamette Valley Generates Nearly $1 Billion Annually
Oregon farmers attribute about 50% of their revenue to agritourism.
Researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) have found that agritourism in the Willamette Valley generates nearly $1 billion annually.
Source: Oregon State University Extension agritourism economic impact study
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This highlights that Oregon agriculture is no longer dependent solely on crop sales, but is increasingly supported by on-farm retail and public visits.
OSU research reveals that direct sales exceed $985 million, and that value-added exceeds $572 million.
OSU and its College of Agricultural Sciences have measured the impact of farm visits and on-farm sales, demonstrating how these activities support growers, create jobs, and strengthen local communities.