Defining the Bounds of Booming Agritourism

Authors: Jessica Guarino, Renata Endres, Tyler Swanson, & Bryan Endres

Location: FarmDoc Daily

Published: February 14th, 2022

Snippet:

Traditions of seasonally visiting pumpkin patches, harvest-your-own operations, and other on-farm activities are well worn into our cultural practices. Beyond the communal and educational elements these operations evoke by providing the public a hands-on connection to food and agriculture, the agritourism industry has grown substantially over the past decade in response to economic pressures on both farmer and consumer as well as growing interest in locally produced food.[1] Agritourism operations offer income diversification opportunities to farmers while simultaneously providing community members with recreational, educational, and entertainment prospects. Because the nexus between agriculture and tourism presents the public with unique opportunities, many states have or are considering efforts to encourage the industry’s development via various types of legislation. Legislation limiting liability for certain activities intrinsic to agritourism is among the most common. To provide liability exemptions to agritourism operations, though, scoping and defining the bounds of agritourism is necessary.