Growing Agritourism in Pennsylvania

At the Penn State Agritourism Program, we see every day how farms across Pennsylvania create experiences for visitors. Agritourism helps farms connect visitors with agriculture, diversifies farm income, and contributes to our communities. That is why we are excited to share a new report focused on the experiences, regulatory challenges, and goals of Pennsylvania agritourism operators.

The report, Insights on Agritourism Among Pennsylvania Producers, was published by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. The report draws on responses from 201 Pennsylvania farms (9.4% of responses) that participated in the 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey.

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 821 Pennsylvania farms reported income from agritourism and recreational activities, an 8% increase from 2017. The census of agriculture does not report on the types of agricultural activities farmers engage in; however, survey results can provide more insights into the sector. The survey shows that Pennsylvania agritourism is diverse. Most respondents operated small- or medium-sized farms. About 55% produced animals or animal products, and 53% grew fruits or vegetables. Direct-to-consumer sales at the farm were the most common visitor activity, offered by 59% of respondents. Educational activities, such as farm tours and workshops, were offered by 52%.

Agritourism can create opportunities, but it is not always easy or immediately profitable. About 37% of respondents said their agritourism activities operated at a loss or broke even in 2023. Operators identified access to financial resources as a major challenge. They also raised concerns about civil liability, retail-site requirements, building codes, and zoning. Pennsylvania has an Agritourism Activity Protection Act that offers limited civil liability protection to qualifying operators who comply with its requirements, including posting required warning signs and providing written warnings to participants. However, nearly 70% were unsure whether Pennsylvania has an agritourism liability law.

One of the most encouraging findings is that Pennsylvania agritourism operators are looking ahead with optimism:

• 68% expect visitor numbers to increase during the next five years.
• 67% expect profitability to increase.
• 60% expect to add more agritourism activities.

How We Can Help

The survey also makes clear that operators need practical support. Financial assistance was the most requested resource, selected by 71% of respondents. Operators also expressed interest in legal information, policy advocacy, technical assistance, marketing support, and networking opportunities.

At the Penn State Agritourism Program, we are committed to listening to operators and turning research into useful education and resources. These results will help us focus our work on the issues that matter most to farms. We are grateful to every producer who participated in the survey. Their experiences help us better understand Pennsylvania agritourism and strengthen the support available to current and future operators.

Acknowledgment: This work is/was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture # 2020-68006-31683 and Hatch Appropriations under Project #PEN04950 and Accession #7006522.