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State Representative Jim Buchy
Agritourism is
a Growing Trend in Ohio
When the Ohio winter ends and the warmer months come, you see many
people moving outdoors for entertainment. A growing trend in Ohio is
for Ohioans to take part in agritourism. Over the last 15 or so years,
this industry has really taken off and we in the state legislature are
doing our part to help it continue to be successful.
Agritourism can be defined as the crossroads between agriculture and
tourism. It can consist of farmers and agriculture-based enterprises
opening attractions to the general public in an effort to educate,
entertain, and increase revenues. Activities like pumpkin patches, corn
mazes, hay rides, and winery and wine-tasting tours all fall under
agritourism.
The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is reporting that the number of farms
featuring an agritourism component has more than doubled to 650 farms
from 2002 to 2012. It is a great chance for our farmers to increase
their revenue while providing the general public with educational and
recreational opportunities that reconnect them to Ohio’s agricultural
roots.
As we continue to watch this trend, the House has taken action recently
to help farmers continue to take part in this industry. House Bill 80,
sponsored by my friend and colleague State Representative Tony Burkley,
seeks to help and protect agritourism in Ohio.
House Bill 80 would clarify that agritourism receive the same zoning
protections as agricultural land, would fall under the state’s Current
Agricultural Use Value, and would provide farm operators with immunity
from civil action liability if a participant is harmed as a result of a
defined risk inherent to an agritourism activity. Twenty eight other
states currently have legislation concerning agritourism, and this is a
big issue to the citizens of western Ohio due to our roots in this
industry and in agriculture in general.
The legislation would give operators of agritourism the freedom and
flexibility to run their business without fear, and promotes the
entrepreneurial spirit that makes this industry great. I hope to see
this bill move quickly through the legislative process, and I hope to
see Ohioans continue to enjoy agritourism in the future.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyaugust2015
.
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