Bill > HB1149

This bill aims to protect and promote vegetable gardening in Arkansas by establishing legal protections for residential gardening. The bill defines a "vegetable garden" as a plot of ground or elevated soil bed on residential property used to cultivate vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, pollinator plants, leafy greens, or other edible plants. The legislation explicitly states that the General Assembly intends to encourage sustainable cultivation of vegetables and fruits at all levels of production, particularly on residential properties for personal consumption or noncommercial sharing. Importantly, the bill prevents counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions from creating local ordinances that specifically regulate vegetable gardens on residential properties, rendering any such existing regulations void and unenforceable. However, the bill does allow for general ordinances related to water use during drought conditions, fertilizer use, or invasive species control. The law permits individuals to cultivate vegetable gardens on their own private property or on another person's private property with the owner's permission, effectively protecting residents' rights to grow their own food across the state of Arkansas.