Farmers aiming to boost farm income and support their families through agritourism received needed legislative support this session. Agritourism, which blends tourism with agriculture, includes activities like corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and educational tours.
With the passage of HB 31, sponsored by Representative Carl Albrecht, these agritourism activities are now more viable. For example, farmers now may not be liable for:
- The behavior of insects or wildlife not owned or kept by the farmer.
- Mere exposure to pathogens from animals, animal feed, and animal waste.
- Injury, illness, death, or personal property damage due to the inherent risk of the activity, provided proper notice is posted.
With these clarifications, it should be easier for farmers to obtain any necessary insurance. The bill also specified that land in an agricultural protection area can contain agritourism activities and clarified definitions.
As pointed out by Rep. Albrecht, by helping farmers with agritourism, the rest of the community benefits as they now have more opportunities to enjoy agritourism activities. We applaud the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee for agreeing and unanimously recommending the bill. Furthermore, we applaud the Senate and House of Representatives for passing the bill unanimously.
Local Government Policy Analyst
Lee is the Local Government Policy Analyst at Libertas Institute. He has had a lifelong passion for research, writing, entrepreneurship, local government, and building relationships with people from all walks of life.