Northwest Lawmakers Show Support For Agritourism Sector

Oregon senator Ron Wyden says he wants to see agritourism grow and develop.  In response, Wyden teamed up with Republican senator Ted Budd from North Carolina, to introduce the bipartisan Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces Act.  [AGRITOURISM Act]

The two say the legislation will designate a senior official at USDA as the federal agritourism advisor.  This role would coordinate with stakeholders and other federal agencies to promote the growth of family-owned farms and advise the Secretary of Agriculture on this essential industry, such as loans, grants, broadband and educational programs.

The Government Needs To Step Up And Support Family Farmers

“Small family farmers are the backbone of our country’s agricultural sector,” Wyden said. “There’s no question that the federal government needs to step up and support family farmers at a time when most are operating on a shoestring budget and barely making ends meet. Our bipartisan legislation would give family farmers much-needed resources to not only survive, but grow and thrive.”

“Agritourism is essential to keeping working farms afloat, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters. Without it, many of North Carolina’s farms would have been forced to cease operations following Hurricane Helene. I’m proud to lead this legislation alongside Senator Wyden to streamline federal resources for North Carolina’s booming agritourism industry,” Budd said. 

Agritourism is one of the fastest growing industries that serves as a critical lifeline for rural economies nationwide by allowing family farms to offer outdoor recreational services like beer tasting, berry picking, seasonal festivities, bed-and-breakfast accommodations, and event venues. 

Oregon State University found that each Oregon county has at least one farm participating in agritourism. In North Carolina alone, agritourism is nearly a $1 billion industry. 

Legislation Has Broad Bipartisan Support

In addition to Wyden and Budd, the AGRITOURISM Act is cosponsored by Senators:
Patty Murray from Washington
Jeff Merkley from Oregon
Kirsten Gillibrand from New York
Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin
Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming
Thom Tillis from North Carolina
Martin Heinrich from New Mexico
Michael Bennet from Colorado
Jacky Rosen from Nevada
Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia
Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Washington's Dan Newhouse and Virginia's Suhas Subramanyam.

Industry Reaction:

“The Brewers Association supports the AGRITOURISM Act, which recognizes craft breweries as vital contributors to America’s agricultural and rural tourism economies," said Bart Watson, President and CEO of the Brewers Association.  "This legislation will strengthen local supply chains, expand opportunities for small and independent brewers, and help communities thrive."

“We applaud Sen. Wyden, a longtime and critical advocate for our industry, for the introduction of the AGRITOURISM Act! Our craft distilling industry, a vibrant sector within the broader US agricultural industry, relies heavily on local farmers for spirit production," said Margie Lehrman, CEO of the American Craft Spirits Association.  "Likewise, our community of distilleries - whose numbers are sadly in decline, rely heavily on agritourism as an important revenue stream. Particularly in rural areas, this tourism in turn stimulates these local economies while also creating local jobs."

“Agritourism is essential to the survival of the wine industry and no one knows this better than Senator Wyden," noted Michael Kaiser, Executive Vice President of WineAmerica.  "Wineries need visitors to survive, and we are thrilled that Senator Wyden is leading this bill. He understands what our industry needs and continues to be a steadfast supporter of not only the Oregon wine industry, but the entire American industry,” 

Click Here to read the AGRITOURISM Act in its entirety.

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