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Maine Agritourism for Farmers
Agritourism helps people explore farming and agriculture. It takes many forms, from farm visits, tours, and local shopping, to cultural, recreational, and learning experiences. It generates additional farm income and enhances connections between agriculture and the broader community. For example, on-farm tours help visitors learn how farms grow crops and farm animals. Farm tours show how farm products are made.
Agritourism is a chance for people to understand the diversity and value of farms in their communities. We encourage visitors, farmers, and agricultural supporters to learn more!
On this Page:
For Farmers: Resource Library to Support Your Agritourism Endeavor
Agritourism Toolkit
Safety and Liability
- Liability in Maine Agritourism Statute - Review the State of Maine statute about agritourism liability.
- Maine Bureau of Insurance, Consumer Guide to Insuring Your Farm (PDF) - This covers the basics of property and liability coverage.
- Integrating Safety into Agritourism - These checklists are designed to help farms identify potential safety hazards, learn how to implement safety strategies, and address identified safety issues.
- Maine Agritourism Liability Sign, Print-ready, 24 x 30-inch (PDF) – Includes required language from liability statute. File may be used as an option to make a professionally printed sign, which can be displayed during agritourism activities.
- SAFE Mapp - Farmers can create a property map. This helps risk management planning, from visitor movement to biosecurity, and safety
- Safety Works Webpage – Trainings, assessments and other topics for businesses and their employees.
Safety and Health
- Farm Biosecurity Course – 30-45 minute short online course for farms
- Signs -Catalog of food safety, zoonotic disease, and hand-washing - Includes pre-made signs to help you share important messages about farm, animal, and people's health. To order or download for printing.
- Maine Farmstand FAQs
Promotions
- Open Farm Day
- Real Maine Media Toolbox (PDF) - Tips and tools for your farm marketing and promotions.
- Directional Signs, Print-ready, 8.5 x 11 (PDF) – A set of 13 signs to help farmers direct and instruct farm visitors about agritourism activities.
- Preparation Checklist (PDF) - Suggestions to get ready to host visitors
Online Learning
A list of courses, webinar recordings, and fact sheets covering a breadth of agritourism topics
- Farm-assessment tools - An educational videos series, an online enterprise budget tool, and fact sheets - Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- Risk Management Education for Farmers with On-Farm Visitors - Iowa State Cooperative Extension
- National Ag Law Center Agritourism Overview
Important Contacts
Subscribe to Agritourism Updates for Farmers
Maine Open Farm Day
- Email: dacfRealMaine@maine.gov
Maine Bureau of Insurance
- Phone: 207-624-8475
- Contact the Bureau of Insurance
Agritourism Promotional Events and Real Maine Promotions
- Agricultural Resource Development Division
- Email: DACFRealMaine@maine.gov
- Phone: 207-287-3491
- ARD Market Promotions Resources
Food Safety
- Quality Assurances & Regulations (support and applications for licenses and access to laboratory testing)
- Phone: 207-287-3841
- Permits and licenses from MDACF
- Maine DHHS, District Health Inspectors (Maine Food Code, eating places, camps, lodging, etc.):
- Phone: 207-287-5671
- Contact Health Inspection Staff
- Health Inspection Information for Businesses
- Access forms and applications
State Veterinarians/Animal Health Program
- Phone: 207-287-3491
- Contact Staff
- Biosecurity Resources
Emergency Preparedness & Public Safety
Why Important: Become familiar with safety and emergency planning between businesses and first responders at town, county, and state levels
Maine Dept. of Transportation
Why important: Maine road signs and placement, byways, traffic counts, driveway permitting, etc.
- Phone: 207-624-3332
- About Official Business Directional Signs (OBDS) reflectorized signs
- About Scenic Byways
- Driveway and entrance permitting
Maine Tourism Resources
Why important: Learn about state agency, visitor experience, training and data across Maine.
- WelcomeME Free Training for Hospitality and Customer Service
- Annual Plans and Reports
- Maine Office of Tourism Engagement Hub
Business Links from State Agencies
Why important: Commonly requested links from various state agencies
- Maine.gov Business Resources
- Maine.gov Business Laws Info
- Maine Dept. of Economic & Community Development Resource Navigator
Resources for Towns, Organizations, and Businesses
Maine's farms are unique, varied, and valuable. Farmers play a vital role in communities across the state. Farming is a livelihood that provides on-farm jobs. It also supports other local businesses. Farms can be a dual-purpose showcase for Maine's visitors. Farmland offers iconic scenery--rolling hillsides, open spaces, woodland, and habitats. These businesses offer quality farm products. The land is used to support the farm business and other opportunities for communities and visitors, too. Agritourism provides communities with interactive experiences, from shopping at the farm for quality farm products to seasonal recreational activities.
People can support agriculture in many ways. Here are some suggestions:
- Buying and using Maine farm products– the Real Maine promotional website and the wholesale website are places to start
- Connecting with and listening to farmers’ short- and long-term needs
- Volunteer for and promote community events
- Proactively collaborating and communicating for special event planning and directional signage for larger events
- Supporting educational efforts related to agricultural awareness. For example, programs such as Harvest of the Month, Maine Agriculture in the Classroom, Maine FFA, and Maine 4-H
There are many ways to provide more support to farmers that may be unique to your town and community. You can network, learn and share this information with others across the state who want to support Maine agriculture and our state’s working landscapes.
Email Us with your ideas and for more information about supporting Maine farms and agritourism!
Promotional Resources—for agricultural supporters and businesses
- Call us at 207-287-3491
- or visit our section on Market Promotion
Planners
The professionals who provide guidance, reference, and strategy on zoning, design, legal applications, use of resources in communities, etc.