Sponsors (17)
The bill promises expanded USDA support for agritourism to boost rural incomes, tourism, and farm diversification, but its impact may be limited without new funding and could impose administrative, environmental, safety, and community-change costs on small farms and rural areas.
Rural communities and small/family farms gain increased tourism spending and diversified farm income from expanded agritourism activities.
Small farm and agritourism business owners receive centralized technical assistance and improved business planning, marketing, and financial literacy support to help grow or adapt their enterprises.
Federal, state, and local programs gain a coordinating point to streamline agritourism support, reduce duplication, and better align resources for providers and communities.
Small farms and rural communities may see limited benefits because the bill provides no dedicated funding, so implementation depends on new appropriations or redirected resources.
USDA and other agencies could face increased administrative burdens and divert staff/time from existing programs to implement agritourism activities.
Rural communities may experience more traffic, noise, waste, and other local environmental pressures as agritourism events and lodging increase.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a USDA Agritourism Advisor to promote and coordinate agritourism activities, outreach, and resource access across states, territories, and Tribal lands.
Official title: Direct the Secretary of Agriculture to designate an Agritourism Advisor, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 9, 2025 by Ronald Lee Wyden · Last progress December 9, 2025
Creates a senior Agritourism Advisor position inside USDA's Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development to promote agritourism across states, territories, and Tribal lands. The Advisor will coordinate Department programs, provide outreach and technical assistance, consolidate federal resources for agritourism businesses, and advise the Secretary on best practices for farm-based education, recreation, events, direct sales, accommodations, and related activities. Also makes minor organizational cleanups in existing USDA statutes to preserve Secretary authority and to redesignate an existing Food Access Liaison provision; the bill does not authorize new funding or impose penalties.