Three agriculture bills, including two related to agritourism, authored by Sen. Ryan Aument (R-36th District) were approved by Pennsylvania Senate committees last week.
Farmers are increasingly using agritourism activities, such as farm tours, hayrides, and corn mazes, as an additional source of revenue. Under current law, each farmland preservation board creates its own rules for defining or allowing agritourism activity.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved Senate Bill 819, which would establish uniform standards to allow agritourism on farms protected under the state farmland preservation program.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 820, which would provide protections from civil liability for those who own and operate agritourism activities in cases in which no party is at fault. The law would preserve the right to sue if an owner is negligent, reckless or intentionally causes injury.
“More farmers are turning to agritourism as a way to supplement farm income and raise interest in Pennsylvania’s top industry, and these kind of events provide a mutual benefit to the community,” Aument said. “My bills are designed to provide uniformity and certainty about the laws governing these activities and protect farm owners who host these types of educational and entertaining events.”
The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee also approved Senate Resolution 382, which urges the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to disallow labeling non-dairy products as milk.
“The purpose of this measure is to be honest with consumers,” Aument said. “Milk provides a number of critical nutritional benefits that aren’t offered by plant-based alternatives. Allowing imitators to call their product milk is essentially false advertising that directly harms the hardworking men and women in the dairy industry.”