Creating an Inclusive Agritourism Experience

Introduction

Ensuring that visitors of all abilities can enjoy your farm not only increases their satisfaction but also helps to enhance your reputation as an inclusive and accessible business. This article will discuss strategies you can implement to accommodate visitors with disabilities on your farm. In general, operators have to ensure that visitors with disabilities have access to operations and events that are open to the public. The accommodations needed will depend on the operation and the activities offered. For more information, please see the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To learn more about this topic, check out a previous webinar on Accessibility in Rural Tourism and Agritourism with Rupa Valdez and Claire Wellbeloved-Stone from the Blue Trunk Foundation, which was part of the National Extension Tourism (NET) webinar series. This organization provides resources and information to make travel more accessible.

Understanding the Needs of Visitors

The first step towards making your agritourism farm accessible is understanding visitor needs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.75 million adults in Pennsylvania have a disability (1 in 4 adults, or 26%). This includes mobility restrictions (12%, "serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs"), cognitive disabilities (12%, "serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions"), hearing (7%, "deafness or serious difficulty hearing"), vision impairment (4%, "blind or serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses"), and others. Furthermore, about 1 million adults have been diagnosed with Asthma in Pennsylvania. In addition, about 16 million (6.2%) U.S. adults have food allergies (Ng and Boersma, 2023), and about 4 million (5.8%) U.S. children have food allergies (Zablotsky et al.,2023).  In addition, an estimated 15-20 % of the US population is neurodivergent. The U.S. population is also getting older. According to the 2020 Census, the number of people aged 65 and older in the U.S. increased at a rate nearly five times greater than the overall population from 1920 to 2020.

Helping Visitors Find Your Farm - Website and Social Media Accessibility

When creating content for your website and social media, it is essential to prioritize accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities. Using simple words and straightforward language can make your content more accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. It makes it easier for customers using assistive technology (e.g., screen and speech recognition software) to understand your content faster.

Regarding design elements, focus on easy-to-read fonts and color contrast. Your content should have high contrast between the text and background colors, and you should use legible fonts. Avoid using color combinations such as green and red and light colors with greys, which can be difficult for those with visual impairment to read or navigate websites. Verdana, Georgia, and Lucida Grande (Mac)/Lucida Sans (Win) are highly recommended fonts for web use. Other design elements include having a suggested 16-point font size and using a line spacing that is "at least 1.5 times the font size." A more extensive list of design elements can be found online.

When using hashtags, adopt the Pascal Case, which involves capitalizing the first letter of each word (for example, #EasterOnTheFarm), or Camel case, which consists of capitalizing each word after the first (#easterOnTheFarm). This makes them easier to read for everyone, not just those using screen readers. Limit using emojis as they can confuse people using screen readers, which describe emojis literally. Another important part is using alternative text (Alt text) for images. Alt text allows people to visualize a picture when they cannot see it. With Alt text, you can briefly describe the photo or graphic that assistive technologies can read to visually impaired users.  

An important step in making your content accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing users is to ensure your video content on social media or your website includes open or closed captioning. Captioning also helps users access your content in an environment where they must be quiet. Make sure you list all the accommodations you make, required and beyond, on your website so your visitors know what to expect.

Have multiple communication options available for your customers. Besides providing a telephone number on your website, allow your visitors to text or email you and check these communication channels regularly when you offer them to ensure that messages are delivered. Additionally, having a website contact form that allows visitors to ask a question or provide a comment, and then click submit, further reduces the burden for consumers to reach you. "Call for store hours" is a barrier for hearing-impaired customers.

Providing Accessible Facilities and Amenities

Accessible facilities such as wheelchair ramps, designated parking spots for visitors with disabilities, and accessible restrooms and seating areas are required. Make sure to provide information on your website and your property on where to find these facilities. The Blue Trunk Foundation suggests putting up a sign that lets customers know they are welcome and can ask for assistance. You may offer guides in large printed font if you have them. A good way to check the accessibility of your farm is to rent or borrow a wheelchair and navigate through the property. We often receive inquiries about service animals. To learn more, please read our article, Service Animals on Agritourism Operations.

When designing pathways throughout your farm and to activities, ensure they are wide and that surfaces are flat and non-slip when wet so that visitors with mobility impairments can safely navigate them. Be sure to pretreat your drive and walkways before snowfall and remove snow and ice accumulating on these surfaces (Professional Grounds Management Society). In a previous article about walking trails, we provided an example of Shelburne Farms in Vermont, which took additional steps to address accessibility concerns. In addition to more strenuous hiking trials, they developed an accessible trail specifically designed to accommodate power chairs. They also strategically placed benches along trails for resting, providing further support for those with limited mobility. Shelburne Farms also offers an 'accessibility pass,' which permits visitors who have mobility limitations to use cars or other mobility aids to reach activities that would typically require walking. In addition, ensure a designated area is available to store wheelchairs, strollers, and other similar items.

Hearing Disabilities

Keep in mind that not all people with a hearing disability know sign language. Having signs that can be read is very important. Another option is live captioning on a screen during an event.  If you offer classes or sit-down events, the Blue Trunk Foundation recommends round tables, as opposed to long rectangular tables, as these provide more space for wheelchairs and also make it easier for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers to communicate with others at the table. 

Accommodations for Neurodiverse Visitors

The term neurodivergent is used as an umbrella descriptor for people with variations in their mental functions, which can include conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others. It is important to note that being neurodivergent is not the same thing as having a disability, although some people who are neurodivergent may need accommodations at work or school. In general, some grownups and kids prefer a quiet environment to reduce sensory overload.  The Blue Trunk Foundation recommends having quiet areas available so visitors can recover from sensory stimuli and having materials available in easy-to-understand language. Businesses also increasingly offer sensory-friendly times. These are designated periods where a quieter, more controlled environment can be offered. Actively seeking and incorporating feedback from neurodivergent visitors will also help in continuously improving the experience, ensuring that your farm remains an accessible and enjoyable destination for everyone.

Asthma and Allergies

Under the ADA, asthma and allergies are typically classified as disabilities. If you offer consignments or food at your farm store or events make sure you label allergens clearly and/or have a list of allergens posted or available on request. According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the nine major food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., almonds, pecans), soybeans, sesame, wheat, eggs, milk, fish, and crustacean shellfish. Seek out guidance about steps you and your employees need to take to ensure an allergy-safe venue, including training, and what to do if a customer should have a reaction. While strong smells from animals, food preparation, etc., cannot be avoided on a farm, be aware that strong fragrances, for example, candles, may be an issue for visitors with allergies and asthma.

Staff Training and Outreach

For your farm to be truly accessible, all employees must be trained and educated regarding the visitor’s needs and what accommodations and options are in place. It is essential to train your staff on how to interact and engage with visitors with disabilities, including how to provide assistance and communicate effectively. Partnering with local disability organizations can be a great way to expand your outreach and provide insights and knowledge on the requirements and technologies to be more accessible. Including representatives from these organizations in your design process can bring important insights to ensure all needs, including disability needs, are addressed.

In conclusion, making your agritourism farm accessible to all potential visitors is not only the right thing to do but it is also good for business. Understanding the specific needs of your visitors, providing accessible facilities and amenities, staff training, and accessible communication can create a welcoming and inclusive environment. Promote and showcase your accessible farm to make it known that anyone can enjoy agritourism.

References and Further Reading:

Erickson, W. Lee, C., & von Schrader, S. (2023). 2019 Disability Status Report: Pennsylvania. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability (YTI).

Ng, A.E. & Boersma, P. (2023). NCHS Data Brief, no 460: Diagnosed allergic conditions in adults: United States, 2021. National Center for Health Statistics.

Zablotsky, B., Black, L.I., & Akinbami, L.J.(2023). NCHS Data Brief, no 459: Diagnosed allergic conditions in children aged 0-17 years: United States, 2021. National Center for Health Statistics.

5 Food Allergy Guidelines to Follow in Your Restaurant

ADA-Compliant Snow and Ice Management Strategies

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

Best Color Combinations for Visually Impaired Web Users

Easy, Actionable Ways to Make Your Content More Inclusive

FDA resource on Food allergies

Is your content making the grade? Grade level is now a vital readability metric

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

*Excerpts of this article were previously published in the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable conference proceedings