(1) The general assembly hereby finds, declares, and determines that:
The direct marketing of agricultural products to the public through farm stands benefits the agricultural community and the consumer by, among other benefits, providing an alternative method for agricultural producers to sell their products while supplying quality agricultural products at reasonable prices;
The direct marketing of agricultural products benefits the agriculture industry by bringing producers of agricultural goods face-to-face with consumers;
The state has a compelling interest in maximizing the promotion of agricultural goods produced or grown in Colorado and in promoting access to a wide variety of Coloradoproduced agricultural products;
Farm stands allow farmers and other agricultural producers to sell fresh agriculturalproduce and other agricultural goods grown on the principal use site on which the farm stand is located as well as other food products made with ingredients produced on or near the principal use site; and
In many jurisdictions across the state, a farm stand is not permitted to operate iflocated on a principal use site that is smaller than a certain acreage size. These restrictions operate in this manner because, in many jurisdictions across the state, a principal use site cannot be classified as a farm that is able to conduct agricultural operations unless the site exceeds a certain minimum acreage requirement.
(2) By enacting this article 31 the general assembly intends to provide a uniform and consistent permission across the state for farm stands to undertake agricultural operations on principal use sites that are smaller than a certain acreage size. Such uniformity in the law prevents inconsistent application of the law, depending upon the political subdivision in which a farm stand may be operated, and assists with the state's efforts to support to the greatest extent possible the marketing of agricultural goods produced or grown in Colorado and the promotion of a wide variety of Colorado-produced agricultural products. Toward this end, the general assembly further declares that the matters addressed in this article 31 are matters of statewide concern.
Source: L. 2019: Entire article added, (HB 19-1191), ch. 106, p. 378, § 1, effective July 1.