Will Proposed Agritourism Laws Affect Your Horticultural Operation?

Agritourism legislation was recently introduced in the Ohio Senate – and could affect your horticultural operation.  Many greenhouse operations hold events and operate according to the proposed definition of “agritourism” described below.  OSU Extension’s Peggy Kirk-Hall has summarized the proposed legislation on OSU Extension’s AgLaw Blog. For more information and a link to the Senate bill, please visit http://aglaw.osu.edu.

Kirk-Hall writes:

An important component of the bill is its definition of “agritourism,” but the bill raises as many questions as answers in its attempt to clarify the activities and operations that would be subject to the proposed legislation.  For purposes of the above provisions, the proposal defines “agritourism” as:

“An educational, entertainment, or recreational activity that takes place on a working farm or agricultural or horticultural operation and that allows or invites members of the general public to observe, participate in, or enjoy that activity.  “Agritourism” includes historic and cultural agriculture activities, self-pick farms or farmer’s markets when they are conducted in conjunction with farm operations.”