Summary of S. 3392 – AGRITOURISM Act

Purpose

S. 3392, titled the Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces Act (the AGRITOURISM Act), would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to designate an Agritourism Advisor within the Department of Agriculture and to incorporate agritourism more comprehensively into federal programs. The bill emphasizes promoting agritourism as a multifaceted rural development tool—spanning education, recreation, entertainment, direct sales, accommodations, and dining on farms.

Key Provisions

• Designation of Agritourism Advisor (new Sec. 237, within the USDA Reorganization Act of 1994):

  • The Secretary must designate a senior official in the Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development to serve as the Agritourism Advisor.
  • The Advisor’s definition and role are established to focus on agritourism activities and businesses.

• Duties and Responsibilities of the Advisor:

  • Promote agritourism activities and related businesses in every state and on land under the jurisdiction of Indian Tribes.
  • Emphasize a broad range of agritourism activities, including:
  • Educational experiences (e.g., farm tours, winery/distillery tours, garden/nursery tours).
  • Outdoor recreation (e.g., river activities, biking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, rides, skiing).
  • Entertainment and special events (e.g., concerts, festivals, weddings).
  • Direct sales (on-farm sales, farm stands, U-pick operations, craft/gift sales, wineries, breweries, distilleries, etc.).
  • Accommodations (e.g., bed-and-breakfasts, farm vacations, yurts, guest ranches).
  • Dining on a farm.
  • Provide support to agritourism businesses, including education and outreach.

• Means of Achieving the Advisor’s Goals:

  • Coordinate with other USDA agencies and officials.
  • Advise the Secretary on agritourism issues.
  • Update USDA programs to reflect best agritourism practices.
  • Conduct stakeholder outreach and build external partnerships to share best practices, offer mentorship, and provide technical assistance.
  • Facilitate interagency coordination and develop tools to promote agritourism programs and resources.
  • Review and improve farm enterprise development programs (financial literacy, business planning, marketing) for agritourism.
  • Create and coordinate networks of agritourism businesses.
  • Consolidate access to federal resources to help agritourism players navigate programs.
  • Collaborate with other federal agencies as needed.

• Technical and Conforming Amendments:

  • A technical amendment re-designates a previous Food Access Liaison section (for internal organizational purposes).
  • A conforming amendment adds authority for USDA to carry out Section 237.

Who Would Be Affected

• Agritourism Entities: Farms, ranches, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and related agritourism businesses would receive enhanced federal outreach, guidance, and coordination.
• Rural Communities: Communities that rely on agritourism for economic diversification and preservation of agricultural heritage could benefit from increased access to federal resources and best practices.
• Federal Agencies: Various USDA agencies would coordinate more closely under the Advisor’s guidance, potentially aligning programs (education, financial literacy, marketing, and business development) with agritourism goals.
• ** Tribes and Jurisdictional Lands:** The Advisor’s duties explicitly include coordination on tribal lands, promoting agritourism opportunities there.

Timeline and Procedural Notes

• Introduced: January 27, 2025 (Senate).
• Current Status: Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (as of December 9, 2025).
• Actions Taken: Related committee actions include reporting and committing to internet and technology considerations per the record, with subsequent Senate referrals and discussions.

Sponsor and Related Information

• Sponsors: Primary – Andrew Gounardes; Co-sponsors – Luis R. Sepúlveda, Robert Jackson, Leroy Comrie (and others listed in the record).
• Related Bills: S. 9124 (prior-session).

Bottom Line

S. 3392 would create an official USDA Agritourism Advisor to spearhead federal efforts to grow agritourism across states and tribal lands. It lays out a broad set of duties to promote education, recreation, events, direct sales, accommodations, and food on farms, while improving coordination, access to federal resources, and best-practice sharing for agritourism businesses. If enacted, the bill could streamline federal support for rural tourism and diversify farm incomes through structured federal guidance and collaboration.