AGRITOURISM Act

The AGRITOURISM Act would create a new Office of Agritourism within the Department of Agriculture (USDA). A Director would be appointed to lead this office, whose mission is to promote and support agritourism activities across states. The bill lays out a broad set of duties for the Director, including coordinating USDA programs, advising the Secretary, updating agency programs to incorporate best agritourism practices, conducting outreach, building external partnerships, and helping agritourism businesses with mentorship and technical assistance. The act emphasizes the economic, educational, and social benefits of agritourism for rural communities and suggests Congress views agritourism as a comprehensive, integrated element of USDA’s work. Legally, the bill would insert new Sec. 217 into the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, and would make related conforming amendments.