§3603.  Right to Farm

A.  The legislature hereby declares that persons who are engaged in agricultural operations in accordance with generally accepted agricultural practices or traditional farm practices should be protected from legal actions brought by persons who subsequently acquire an interest in any land in the vicinity of the agricultural operation and from any nuisance action, public or private, against the agricultural production of an agricultural product or an agricultural operation including but not limited to, agricultural processing, and any agricultural activity involved, directly or indirectly, in the production of food for human consumption or for animal food.

B.  No agricultural operation shall be deemed to be a nuisance in any action brought under the provisions of Civil Code Article 669, R.S. 33:361, R.S. 40:14, or any other grant of authority authorizing the suppression or regulation of public or private nuisances if the agricultural operation is conducted in accordance with generally accepted agricultural practices or traditional farm practices, and any one of the following applies:

(1)  The person bringing the action acquired the interest in the land or improvements alleged to be affected by the nuisance after the date on which an agricultural operation was in existence.

(2)  The agricultural operation was established prior to any change in the character of the property in the vicinity of the agricultural operation.

(3)  The agricultural operation has existed for one year or more and the conditions or circumstances alleged to constitute a nuisance have existed substantially unchanged since the established date of operation.

C.  When an agricultural operation has been established, the protection from nuisance actions provided by this Section shall include the protection of similar agricultural operations engaged in as a result of the normal rotation of crops, or livestock, or both.

Added by Acts 1983, No. 95, §1; Acts 2008, No. 515, §1.