Legal Considerations

Recreational activities on private lands have increased in recent years due to the inability of public lands to meet demand. The prospect of monetary grain and liability protection provided by state law for recreational activities on private land provide other incentives for the increase use of farm and ranch land for recreational activites. The key questions for those wishing to operate fee-based recreational activites on rural land are potential liability exposure to participants, the extent to which state law provides liability protectioin, and whether additional steps are necessary to insulate against liability claims.

• Associated Legal Issues and Concerns, National Agriculture Law Center Research Note, Roger A McEowen. April 2003.
• State of Iowa Recreational Statues, National Agriculture Law Center.