This bill aims to enhance the legal protections for farmers under the Right to Farm Act by allowing them to recover reasonable costs and attorney fees when they successfully defend against bad faith complaints regarding their commercial agricultural operations, activities, or structures. Specifically, if a county agriculture development board or the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) determines that the farmer is entitled to the irrebuttable presumption established under the Right to Farm Act and finds that the complaint was brought in bad faith, the farmer can apply for an award of costs and fees.

The process requires the farmer to submit an application detailing the incurred costs and attorney fees to the relevant county board or committee. If the board or committee finds sufficient evidence supporting the claim of bad faith and assesses the costs and fees as reasonable, they will issue an order for the complainant to pay these amounts. This legislative change is designed to discourage frivolous complaints against farmers and reinforce their rights under existing agricultural laws.