Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 50-1.1
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 50, § 50-1.1, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 50, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 50,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Agricultural activities as nuisance
Official statutory text
A. As used in this section:
1. "Agricultural activities" includes, but is not limited to,
the growing or raising of horticultural and viticultural crops,
berries, poultry, livestock, aquaculture, grain, mint, hay, dairy
products and forestry activities. "Agricultural activities" also
includes improvements or expansion to the activities provided for in
this paragraph including, but not limited to, new technology, pens,
barns, fences, and other improvements designed for the sheltering,
restriction, or feeding of animal or aquatic life, for storage of
produce or feed, or for storage or maintenance of implements. If
the expansion is part of the same operating facility, the expansion
need not be contiguous;
2. "Farmland" includes, but is not limited to, land devoted
primarily to production of livestock or agricultural commodities;
and
3. "Forestry activity" means any activity associated with the
reforesting, growing, managing, protecting and harvesting of timber,
wood and forest products including, but not limited to, forestry
buildings and structures.
B. Agricultural activities conducted on farm or ranch land, if
consistent with good agricultural practices and established prior to
nearby nonagricultural activities, are presumed to be reasonable and
do not constitute a nuisance unless the activity has a substantial
adverse effect on the public health and safety.
If that agricultural activity is undertaken in conformity with
federal, state and local laws and regulations, it is presumed to be
good agricultural practice and not adversely affecting the public
health and safety.
C. No action for nuisance shall be brought against agricultural
activities on farm or ranch land which has lawfully been in
operation for two (2) years or more prior to the date of bringing
the action. The established date of operation is the date on which
an agricultural activity on farm or ranch land commenced. The
established date of operation for each change is not a separately
and independently established date of operation and commencement of
the expanded activity does not divest the farm or ranch of a
previously established date of operation if:
1. The physical facilities of the farm or ranch are
subsequently expanded or new technology adopted;
2. The farming or ranching is interrupted for no more than
three (3) years; or
3. The farm or ranch participates in a government-sponsored
agricultural program.
D. In any action for nuisance brought against agricultural
activities on farm or ranch land pursuant to this section:
1. The court or jury shall determine the amount of noneconomic
damages separately from the amount of compensation for all other
damages; and
2. Noneconomic damages awarded to a plaintiff shall not exceed
three times the amount of compensatory damages or Two Hundred Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00), whichever amount is greater.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 50. Nuisances Page 2
E. In any action for nuisance in which agricultural activities
are alleged to be a nuisance, and which action is found to be
frivolous or malicious by the court, the defendant shall recover the
aggregate amount of costs and expenses determined by the court to
have been reasonably incurred in connection with defending the
action, together with reasonable attorney fees.
F. This section does not relieve agricultural activities of the
duty to abide by state and federal laws, including, but not limited
to, the Oklahoma Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Act and the
Oklahoma Registered Poultry Feeding Operations Act.
1. "Agricultural activities" includes, but is not limited to,
the growing or raising of horticultural and viticultural crops,
berries, poultry, livestock, aquaculture, grain, mint, hay, dairy
products and forestry activities. "Agricultural activities" also
includes improvements or expansion to the activities provided for in
this paragraph including, but not limited to, new technology, pens,
barns, fences, and other improvements designed for the sheltering,
restriction, or feeding of animal or aquatic life, for storage of
produce or feed, or for storage or maintenance of implements. If
the expansion is part of the same operating facility, the expansion
need not be contiguous;
2. "Farmland" includes, but is not limited to, land devoted
primarily to production of livestock or agricultural commodities;
and
3. "Forestry activity" means any activity associated with the
reforesting, growing, managing, protecting and harvesting of timber,
wood and forest products including, but not limited to, forestry
buildings and structures.
B. Agricultural activities conducted on farm or ranch land, if
consistent with good agricultural practices and established prior to
nearby nonagricultural activities, are presumed to be reasonable and
do not constitute a nuisance unless the activity has a substantial
adverse effect on the public health and safety.
If that agricultural activity is undertaken in conformity with
federal, state and local laws and regulations, it is presumed to be
good agricultural practice and not adversely affecting the public
health and safety.
C. No action for nuisance shall be brought against agricultural
activities on farm or ranch land which has lawfully been in
operation for two (2) years or more prior to the date of bringing
the action. The established date of operation is the date on which
an agricultural activity on farm or ranch land commenced. The
established date of operation for each change is not a separately
and independently established date of operation and commencement of
the expanded activity does not divest the farm or ranch of a
previously established date of operation if:
1. The physical facilities of the farm or ranch are
subsequently expanded or new technology adopted;
2. The farming or ranching is interrupted for no more than
three (3) years; or
3. The farm or ranch participates in a government-sponsored
agricultural program.
D. In any action for nuisance brought against agricultural
activities on farm or ranch land pursuant to this section:
1. The court or jury shall determine the amount of noneconomic
damages separately from the amount of compensation for all other
damages; and
2. Noneconomic damages awarded to a plaintiff shall not exceed
three times the amount of compensatory damages or Two Hundred Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00), whichever amount is greater.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 50. Nuisances Page 2
E. In any action for nuisance in which agricultural activities
are alleged to be a nuisance, and which action is found to be
frivolous or malicious by the court, the defendant shall recover the
aggregate amount of costs and expenses determined by the court to
have been reasonably incurred in connection with defending the
action, together with reasonable attorney fees.
F. This section does not relieve agricultural activities of the
duty to abide by state and federal laws, including, but not limited
to, the Oklahoma Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Act and the
Oklahoma Registered Poultry Feeding Operations Act.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Oklahoma?
Find a Oklahoma lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.