Louisiana Agritourism: Agritourism-Section 22-Ag Census

Monday, January 7, 2013

Agritourism-Section 22-Ag Census

In completing your 2012 census it is very important to accurately report how your land is used. For this reason, it is important to understand the definition of “agritourism.” In Louisiana, we have chosen this definition, “Agritourism is a business operation on a working farm, ranch or other agricultural enterprise that offers educational and fun experiences for visitors while generating supplemental income for the owner.”

Using that definition, flip through the agricultural census to the agritourism section, section 22. Number four in section 22 asks for “agritourism” numbers. Number four, states: “Agritourism and recreational services, such as farm or winery tours, hay rides, hunting, fishing, etc.

The "etc" includes more operations than the few listed. Here is just a partical listing of other activities that you can include in this category: value-added products, on-farm produce sales, u-pick-em operations, garden/nursery tours, historical building tours, canoeing or paddling, camping, bird watching, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, orienteering, photography, nature walks, dog training, bed & breakfasts and skeet shooting.

Deadline for census completion is February 4, 2013.

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Agritourism Law Limits Liability

In 2008, the Louisiana Legislature expanded the limitation of liability found in La R.S. 9:2795 et seq to include certain agritourism activities. The legislation authored by Representative Andy Anders and Senators Francis Thompson and Mike Walsworth provides that the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Foresty (LDAF) will develop a set of rules and regulations and that the LSU AgCenter will define a “plan of operation” for an agritourism venture and review those plans.

More about this law can be found on the LSU AgCenter Web site: www.lsuagcenter.com/agritourism

2012 Agriculture Census Shows Increase in Farming

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2014 –There are now 3.2 million farmers operating 2.1 million farms on 914.5 million acres of farmland across the United States, according to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Once every five years, farmers, ranchers and growers have the unique opportunity to let the world know how U.S. agriculture is changing, what is staying the same, what’s working and what we can do differently,” said Dr. Cynthia Clark, the retiring head of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, which administered the survey.

Eighty-seven percent of all U.S. farms are operated by families or individuals.
Principal operators were on average 58.3 years old and were predominantly male; second operators were slightly younger and most likely to be female; and third operators were younger still.
In Louisiana agritourism grew from 170 farms in 2007 to 361 farms in 2012.
In Louisiana onfarm agritourism sales jumped from $2,486 to $8,996 in 2012.
In Louisiana the definition of agritourism is broader than the definition in the census; meaning that numbers are greater.