South Dakota bill could encourage agritourism

A bill passed by the South Dakota Senate could make agritourism enterprises less risky for farmers and ranchers.
A bill passed by the South Dakota Senate could make agritourism enterprises less risky for farmers and ranchers.
Recently, the South Dakota Senate passed a bill that could help those who use farm equipment develop another source of income.

According to the Rapid City Journal, the bill proposes a reduction in the amount of liability farm and ranch operators would face if they run tourism businesses connected to agriculture. Nathan Sanderson, who is with the state's Department of Agriculture, said that the new rule would prevent producers from losing their property if a tourist injured themselves during a visit.

"We're really excited about it," Sanderson told the paper. "It's a win-win for everybody in agriculture."

Sanderson said that the hope is for insurance rates for such operations to go down as a result of the reduced liability, which could make it less expensive to run an agritourism business.

When it comes to tourism, there are a number of options farmers may consider. One popular option is corn mazes, which often make an appearance in the fall.

According to its website, the MAiZE is the largest corn maze consulting company in the world. Its founder, Brett Herbst, built his first maze in Utah in 1996, and has designed more than 1,500 ever since.
ADNFCR-2034-ID-19640921-ADNFCR