Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) recently hosted a press conference in support of House Bill 1348, a bill providing protections for farms conducting agritourism activities.
Agritourism activities include pick-your-own produce, hayrides, and corn mazes.
The bill would protect these farms from lawsuits that arise from circumstances beyond their control. Farms would be required to warn visitors of potential risks.
“Without limits on civil liability for agritourism, farms are risking their futures when they invite the public onto their property,” PFB President Rick Ebert said at the press conference at Paulus Mt. Airy Orchards in York County. “In addition, farms engaged in agritourism often have difficulty finding insurance coverage and pay exceptionally high premiums because of the legal risks involved. Some farms have cut back their agritourism offerings, and other have been deterred from starting these types of activities because they are concerned about liability. We are calling on members of the General Assembly to adopt these commonsense reforms that will help Pennsylvania farmers be able to continue connect with their communities and grow Pennsylvania’s economy.”
The bill was advanced by the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and may be considered by the full chamber this month.