Draconian DLCD Regulations Could Crush Agritourism, Favoring Big Corporations
Small family farmers in Oregon face a dire threat from new Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) regulations, unveiled in July 2025, that cap festival and farm stand income, limit events like pumpkin patches, and impose costly permits, burdens skipped by large corporations.
Stemming from the stalled HB 3133 legislative effort, the DLCD’s draft rules, criticized by the Oregon Property Owners Association (OPOA), redefine farmstand uses under ORS 215, slashing agritourism viability.
Restrictions on retail items, prepared foods, and indoor events, plus a 17-dinner cap on farm-to-table meals, could devastate rural economies, where agritourism pumps $572 million annually.
Farmers argue this enforcement regime, set for a December vote, violates state law and ignores their pleas for clarity.
With 2,100 small farms lost in five years, this policy shift risks wiping out a cherished way of life, favoring corporate giants over the heartland’s backbone.
OPOA: DLCD’s Farmstand Rulemaking: A Critical Moment for Fate of Agritourism
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