On June 12, the Maryland Association of Counties will host a one-day symposium to discuss challenges and opportunities posed by agritourism and how embracing this growing industry can benefit your county.
MACo Agritourism Symposium
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)
Mark Your Calendar
Subject: MACo Agritourism Symposium
Date: Monday, June 12, 2017
Time: 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Location: Baltimore County Ag Center (1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, Maryland 21030)
FREE registration for this event is currently open for MACo members (Maryland county elected/appointed officials and county staff). Nonmembers may contact Allison Valliant to be added to the wait list for this event. Nonmembers may attend for a fee of $75, on a space-available basis – notification of availability will be made on June 5.
