Resolved, that there shall be a special commission on agricultural tourism to study opportunities that support, expand and enhance agricultural tourism in the commonwealth. The commission shall review state and municipal laws and regulations relative to agricultural zoning, policies and grant programs offered by the department of agricultural resources, including the agricultural preservation restriction program, programs offered by the office of travel and tourism and national best practices to implement agricultural tourism.
The commission shall consist of: the commissioner of the department of agricultural resources or a designee, who shall serve as the chair; the executive director of the office of travel and tourism or a designee; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on tourism, arts and cultural development; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on the environment, natural resources and agriculture; the house minority leader or a designee; the senate minority leader or a designee; the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee; and 4 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, Incorporated; and 2 of whom shall be representatives from the agricultural tourism industry.
Commission Members
Chairman: John Lebeaux
Staff Liaison: Ashley Randle
The following individuals constitute the membership of the Agritourism Study Commission:
- Chair, Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources: John Lebeaux
- Executive Director of the MA Office of Travel and Tourism: Keiko Orrall
- Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development: Senator Edward Kennedy
- House Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development: Representative Carole Fiola
- Senate Chair, Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture: Senator Becca Rausch
- House Chair, Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture: Representative Carolyn Dykema
- House Minority Leader or a Designee: Awaiting Appointment
- Senate Minority Leader or a Designee: Awaiting Appointment
- Commissioner of the Department of Public Health or a Designee: Michael Moore
- Massachusetts Municipal Association: Nathan L’Etoile
- Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation: Brad Mitchell
- Agricultural Tourism Industry: Karen Schwalbe, SEMAP
- Agricultural Tourism Industry: Erin Williams, Bogside Acres
Meetings
Notice of Agritourism Study Commission Site Visit
Members of The Massachusetts Agritourism Study Commission will visit The Brewery at Four Star Farms, located at 508 Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, MA 01360 at 2PM on October 29, 2021 for the purposes of learning more about the process involved in opening a farm brewery and challenges faced relative to their experience in implementing agricultural tourism programming at their farm business. The Commission will discuss final report topics including, but not limited to, building code regulations, commercial kitchens/cottage food production, and legislation.