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Farmers in Minnesota campaign for changes in agritourism liability laws

Expanding public access to Minnesota farms is leading to increased awareness of agritourism regulations, as the number of farms welcoming visitors rises.

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Increasing farmer-led public access and awareness of policies fostering agritourism are gaining...
Increasing farmer-led public access and awareness of policies fostering agritourism are gaining significance in Minnesota.

Farmers in Minnesota campaign for changes in agritourism liability laws

Revised Article:

Hey there, pals! So, let me spill the beans on an incredible tale of change in Minnesota's farming scene, all thanks to the badass organizing done by the Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU), shout-out to Freya Thurman, our website educator, for filling us in!

In the ever-growing agritourism arena across the Land of 10,000 Lakes, many farmers are balancing the act of welcoming visitors with managing potential risks. One policy that's made this juggle a bit easier is Minnesota's 2015 agritourism limited liability law. Guess who's behind this win? Yep, you got it – MFU!

Claudine Arndt, Director of Membership and Minnesota Cooks at MFU, sat down for a chinwag and shed some light on the story behind this law. "This didn't just happen by luck," Claudine said. "It was farmers raising concerns about liability and wanting to protect the future of on-farm experiences in Minnesota."

Things were getting pretty hairy in the early 2010s. MFU members were getting antsy, as they were starting to worry about minor incidents – like someone tripping in a pumpkin patch or getting poked by a stick in an apple picking okra-doddle – leading to expensive lawsuits for farmers.

To get a better handle on the scenario, Claudine caught up with Thom Petersen, Minnesota's agricultural commissioner, who used to be MFU's Director of Government Relations from 2002 to 2019. "We were seeing problems where something would happen on a farm, and the farmer would get slapped with the bill afterwards," Thom reminisced. "Someone got clubbed in the eye by a cow's tail or slipped in a pumpkin patch, and then the farmer got the bill afterwards."

The wheels were set in motion at the grassroots level. In 2015, MFU member Brett Olson, Renewing the Countryside co-founder, introduced a resolution at a county meeting in Wabasha in favor of limited liability protections for agritourism. The resolution passed and became part of MFU's official policy platform.

With that policy in hand, MFU teamed up with allies like the Farmers' Legal Action Group to draft model legislation. After years of campaigning, the bill passed, giving limited immunity to farmers hosting agritourism events and following specified signage and safety requirements.

"This law doesn't replace the need for insurance," Thom reiterated. "But it took away frivolous lawsuits stemming from everyday happenings on the farm."

Since 2015, MFU hasn’t stopped championing agritourism. They offer free liability signs to members, host winter networking hootenannies to link up agritourism operators, and continue to lobby for policies that match the evolving needs of farms in the Heartland.

Author: Freya Thurmer, our website educator

Word on the street is that news media can republish our tidbits with credit to the University of Minnesota, and pictures too – just remember to check for specific photographer credits or restrictions in the images.

For the curious:- Agri-tourism laws in various states are frequently shaped by local advocacy efforts aimed at protecting farmers from legal liabilities associated with hosting agri-tourism activities.- Minnesota's agri-tourism laws, like those in many other states, were likely established to promote rural economic development while addressing liability concerns.- To discover more specifics about Minnesota's 2015 law and the MFU's role, it might be wise to leaf through Minnesota state legislative records or touch base with the Minnesota Farmers Union directly. Keep on reading, friends! #AgriTourism #MNfarming #MFUAdvocacy

  1. The Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) played a significant role in the policy-and-legislation associated with Minnesota's agri-tourism industry, including the successful passage of the 2015 agritourism limited liability law, a move that politics played a part in shaping.
  2. In the field of general-news, the story of MFU's advocacy for reasonable liability protections for agri-tourism operators in Minnesota is an impressive example of policy-and-legislation that aims to balance farm safety with rural economic development.

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