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Benefits and risks of adding agritourism to your farm or ranch

The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the #1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.*

Agritourism is a great way to capitalize on the natural draw of your landscape, connect non-farm families to agriculture and create new revenue streams for your operation. But these benefits are not without risk.

Finding the right agritourism for operation
Adding a new agritourism venture to your operation starts by answering a simple question: What will work best? Consider the following:

Your land, what you raise and any other resources that could contribute to a new attraction
The time and money you can invest in an agritourism venture
Potential hazards to visitors, the liability they create for you and how you’ll mitigate the risks and keep people safe

Agritourism examples to consider

Pumpkin patches and corn mazes. Fairly common around the country, they’re popular but can require a lot of time and labor.
Farm tours and hayrack rides. Also fairly common, opening your farm to the public for tours and offering services like hayrack rides provide up-close farm experience. They often vary widely on cost, supervision and risk exposure.
Bed & breakfasts. An unoccupied farm house or even a repurposed barn or other farm building offer farm guests distinctive overnight stays. Time and labor required are normally fairly high.
Experiences. Ranging from “U-Pick” farms and Christmas tree farms to barn rentals for events like weddings, these also can range widely in cost, supervision and risk exposure.
Classes. Weekly or monthly classes on things like jam- or bread-making can be an easy, low-cost option.

Minimizing the risks of agritourism
Before adding agritourism to your farm or ranch, think about the specific risks you and your visitors will face and how you’ll mitigate them. This includes simple things like trip and fall hazards all the way to specific risks around livestock, farm equipment and food safety. Conduct a thorough audit of these types of risks and start by taking steps to minimize the hazards they represent.

“Check with your state for any agritourism protective measures and talk to your insurance agent for guidance on mitigation measures and how you can expand your insurance coverage,” said Neal.

Talk with your insurance agent
Farmers who offer agritourism activities need to discuss their specific types of businesses with their insurance agent. Usually, the policy that provides liability for the farm business does not extend to liability from other profit-making activities, such as agritourism.

Your local Nationwide Farm Certified agent can help you identify risks, implement safe practices and confirm you have the right agritourism insurance in place. Nationwide offers liability coverages that can be written as a package, in conjunction with a farm policy, to cover your agritourism ventures.

KEEP THE FARM PROTECTED WITH INFLATION GUARD COVERAGE

Keep the farm protected with inflation guard coverage

The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the #1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.*

There’s a lot happening around the world that’s applying downward pressure to revenue prospects for farmers. Inflation, logistical hurdles, rising energy and crop input prices at home and conflict overseas could all continue to contribute to the erosion of farm revenue potential.

But maximizing farm revenue requires investment. That investment is likely to come with some sticker shock this spring and beyond. The right insurance coverage can help.

Staying on top of your insurance coverage can help keep unexpected expenses like rising replacement costs from cutting potential farm revenue. A close eye on your coverage and a call to your agent can help make sure these costs don’t add to the financial pressure caused by inflation and other factors at home and abroad.

“All of these issues have a big impact on farm operational costs. We’re seeing higher prices for energy, machinery and many other inputs,” said Nationwide Senior Economist Ben Ayers. “It puts a lot of pressure on revenues many farmers are facing.”

Connecting with your agent is key

During this time of uncertainty, Nationwide and your local Nationwide farm agent are working hard to help farmers maintain the right coverage levels without incurring too much additional cost. Now is time to talk with your agent.

“My immediate concern is making sure you have adequate coverage,” said Nationwide Associate Vice President for Agribusiness Regional Sales Nick McCleish. “We have to make sure the amount of insurance is keeping pace with rising costs.”

McCleish cites a recent example when a farmer had to replace a $75,000 grain cart. But at the time of replacement, the price for that grain cart had surged to $90,000. That meant the farmer paid the additional cost out-of-pocket. “Paying those types of increased costs become much more difficult if you don’t keep your policy updated,” McCleish said.

Adding inflation guard coverage can help

The optional inflation guard coverage can help prevent such revenue losses by increasing dwelling and structure coverage limits at policy renewal. Also known as Construction Cost Adjustment, it helps to account for inflation in replacement or construction costs based on appraisals.

But inflation guard doesn’t always cover all additional costs. It’s important to have a good idea of costs for things like building materials and equipment ahead of time. Then match coverage levels to potential unexpected replacement or repair needs.

“Your insurance should not be a ‘set-it-and-forget-it’ type of activity. Keep your agent up to speed on how your operation’s changing. Make sure you’re covered appropriately,” McCleish said. “Have an agent that understands your operation, and uniqueness of what you’re trying to do. Our Farm Certified agents serve that purpose.”

Visit AgInsightCenter.com for more expert tips and information from Nationwide.