2017 Agritourism Symposium

MACo's Agritourism Symposium

June 12, 2017
10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Baltimore County Ag Center
(1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, Maryland 21030)

The Maryland Association of Counties hosted a one-day symposium to discuss challenges and opportunities posed by agritourism and how embracing this growing industry can benefit your county.

Agritourism Example - Farm Area

Agriculture remains a key economic driver for the state of Maryland, but like all successful businesses, agriculture has had to change with the times. Agritourism now plays an increasingly important role in the long-term profitability of agriculture, especially for small- to mid-size farms. However, while most counties have attempted to embrace agritourism, its diverse and sometimes vague nature poses a variety of regulatory challenges – from zoning and building code requirements to health and sanitation issues. Even properly promoting agritourism activities can be a challenge. This symposium will identify the regulatory challenges posed by agritourism and seek to provide potential solutions to those challenges through a collaborative exchange with key stakeholders.

Session Topics

  • Identifying Agritourism Challenges
  • County Perspectives on Agritourism
  • Forum Discussions (covering land use and zoning, health and sanitation, building code compliance, advertising and promotion)