By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the fall season comes visits to pumpkin patches, hayrides, corn mazes and petting zoos – but for owners of these attractions, risk and liability come along with visitors.
The National Ag Law Center's Oct. 16 webinar will discuss managing risk and liability in equine and agritourism operations. (Division of Agriculture photo)
“Agritourism is a huge industry, and continues to grow,” Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, said. “It can diversify a farm’s income, but there is risk and liability associated with it for business owners.”
The 2022 Census of Agriculture showed a rise in the income generated from agritourism and recreational services, jumping from $949 million in 2017 to almost $1.26 billion in 2022.
With a growing industry comes the potential for liability, whether due to injuries or illnesses experienced by patrons.
“States around the country have implemented specific statutes that outline the responsibilities and liabilities for business owners who are involved in agritourism and equine-related activities,” Rumley said. “It’s important that owners are aware of these statutes and the limitations inherent in them as well. However, further risk mitigation tools such as liability insurance and proper planning are also needed to limit potential risk.”
Equine Activity & Agritourism Statutes: Strategies for Risk Management, the next webinar hosted by the NALC, will focus on states’ statutes and the strategies business owners can take to mitigate risk. The webinar will be presented by Rumley and Tim Potter, equine and animal scientist with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, and owner of Potter Consulting, LLC.
“The NALC hears about unique legal situations involving equine and agritourism frequently,” Rumley said. “These businesses have a lot to offer for both the owners and the community, but there are key risks involved that must be accounted for before opening their doors to the general public.”
The webinar is available at no cost. Registration is available online at the NALC website.
During the presentation, Rumley and Potter will also provide real-life examples of risks associated with the equine and agritourism operations as well as practical solutions to address these concerns.
“It’s a fascinating area of agricultural law,” Potter said. “While the fruits of business owners’ labor is visible, there is so much that goes on behind the scenes to ensure these practices are safe from potential risk and liability.”
Rumley said Potter’s years of experience with horses will be a huge benefit to webinar attendees curious about equine liability.
“Dr. Potter has owned horses his entire life and has consulted with many over the years on these animals, ranging from topics on health issues, to behavior, safety issues and more,” Rumley said. “He’s an excellent addition to our webinar series.”
Agritourism survey opportunity
The University of Vermont, in partnership with the NALC, is hosting an online survey to understand how many U.S. agricultural operations welcome visitors for education, research, direct sales, hospitality and entertainment. Those who have a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business open to visitors are encouraged to participate in the brief survey.
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Subscribe online to receive NALC Communications, including webinar announcements, the NALC’s Quarterly Newsletter, and The Feed.
If you are involved in agriculture, the NALC wants to hear from you. Take the NALC’s brief stakeholder survey online to help inform how the center serves the nation’s ag community.