By james art 
Increasing costs, fluctuation of market prices, unpredictable time – farmers and Wyoming’s ranch faces many challenges every year that threatens to expel them from business. This has helped to encourage many to pursue alternative streams of revenue, and among the most popular is agroturism.
Not only does agroturism offer surgery a chance to generate more revenue, but it can also train the general public about agricultural practices, helping to abandon the misinformation of the parable gap.
But opening the doors to agroturism also opens the doors for considerable responsibility if someone is injured while in operation. This has led to about 38 states in America to officially recognize agroturism in their statutes, and to provide farmers with farmers and ranch at least some responsibility for liability for inherent risks.
However, Wyoming is not among them. The Senate file 108 will change this, adding a section for agroturuism to the existing Recreation Safety Act.
The sponsor of the bill is Senator Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, who said the bill comes from conversation with its local residents.
“(There is) an agricultural operation that is doing everything possible for diversification,” he told legislators in the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee in the Senate on Tuesday morning. “(They want) to make other people come to the place and buy their goods, proteins, meat and vegetables.”
The operation has added a greenhouse type system as well as a overnight camping and other elements that go with agroturism, Barlow said. But they are concerned that agroturism is not covered by the Recreation Safety Act.
Inherent risks
Agrotourism options vary greatly, ranging from pumpkin and corn mazing spots to agricultural tours, hawrids in wagons or sledges, stays and breakfasts, classes, to things like horseback riding or other outdoor experiences.
But agriculture and ranch is one of the most dangerous industries in the nation, according to Osha statistics, and this makes agroturism inherently dangerous.
“There are inherent risks of just being in this environment, just as you would be in a wrestling match, or on a football field, or you are on rafting and all these things,” Barlow said. “So this is the genesis of this bill.”
The bill will add a definition of agriculture and admit that there are inherent risks to be only on the spot.
“What he actually says is that if you are going to participate in these activities, you take some risk,” Barlow said.
Barlow’s bill does not protect landowners from negligence or intentional action, Barlow added, but this is “some level of protection for them when they offer some of these activities.”
The Wyoming Safety Act is applied to both individuals and government organizations.
“Whether it’s our state parks or a dude ranch, these things are applied,” he said. “It’s for a profit or not. If this is a free activity, it is also covered by it. This is not just payment activities. ”
Barlow also maintains the language of the agroturism supplement wide, so legislators should not worry so much about changing what is covered year after year.
“We could add rock climbing, but if we use” not limited to mountain climbing “, which could go with rock climbing, and the mountain climb is already in the account,” he explained.
Support from legislators
The Farm Bureau was among the groups testifying to support the bill.
“A good bill, love the definition that is important to my members,” said Wyoming Farm Bureau policy director Brett Molin.
Other legislators also expressed strong support for the bill.
“The only discussion I have is the only thing that is wrong with this bill is that my name is not on it,” said the chairman of the committee, the Senator Bill Landon, R-Casper. “This is a good account, I like this bill.”
Landon recalled a time when his college roommate decided that people could enjoy livestock moving for two or three days from the lowlands over Ranchester all the top of the Lodge Grass.
“I had the good fortune to cowboy several times and help it,” he said. “And you can’t imagine the thrill that people were coming from somewhere else and having the opportunity to do so.”
But it was also not an activity without significant risk, Landon added.
“Anyway, it happens and I’m glad we’re doing it,” he said.
Roll Call
A little additional discussion was needed about the bill, nor were there any changes.
The bill passed unanimously.
Commission members, in addition to President Landon, included: Senator Brian Bonner, R-Douglas; Senator Larry Hicks, R-Baggs; Senator Stacey Jones, R-Rock Springs; Senator Wendy Shuler, R-Evanston.
Renee Jean can be reached [email protected].