1958 John Deere 630 owned by Kyle Bower of Elizabethville, Dauphin Co. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the 2015 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.
Retrieved from http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/EventPhotos2015.aspx?AID=1237 on 1/15/2015.

It’s that time of year again ladies and gentlemen. The Farm Show is here. One of the finest experiences Pennsylvania has to offer is right in our backyard.

For all of the LAGOs wishing to attend, you may have wondered whether you will be permitted to carry at the Farm Show.

In short, the answer is yes. The Farm Complex does not fall into the category of any prohibited location under Pennsylvania or Federal law.

Unfortunately, earlier this morning a concerned citizen called us with some bad news. Having planned to attend the farm show, she wanted to know if there were any particular firearms prohibitions in place. Like a true LAGO, she called the complex ahead of time to ask whether there were any laws or policies prohibiting a licensee from enjoying the show while armed. After being forwarded to the “security department,” a man stated that the carry of firearms is illegal at the farm show, whether licensed or not, because the complex is a “state building.” The man who provided this information wouldn’t provide any further information and remains unidentified.

This was a bit confusing, because simply put, there’s no such prohibition against carrying in a “state building.” The Pennsylvania Administrative Code, in reference to the Department of State, provides that “[t]he possession of firearms or other prohibited offensive weapons as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 908(c) (relating to prohibited offense weapons), while on the leased premises of the Department with the exception of State or Federal officers, in connection with the performance of an official duty, is prohibited.” 49 Pa.Code § 61.3.

This regulation certainly cannot apply to the Farm Show Complex, because it is owned and controlled by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, not the Department of State. Even if it were, however, there is an argument to be made that this provision is unenforceable. Recall the Attorney General’s opinion regarding the Gaming Commission’s efforts to prohibit firearms in casinos. Under state law, an agency is not permitted to make firearms regulations inconsistent with 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109. It would seem this regulation would run into similar issues, and may not pass muster under scrutiny.

Retrieved from http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/eventphotos2013.aspx?AID=881 on 1/15/2015.

But that’s neither here nor there. The LAGOs want to know whether they can carry at the Farm Show, not whether they’d win the long, drawn out legal battle that ensued over prosecution under an illegally enacted regulation. Right?

We were curious as to which law this security officer was referring to, so we placed a few calls.

Our first call went to Pennsylvania State Police. PCL Campbell was extremely polite, professional and helpful. He directed me to the Farm Show Command Post telephone number that is also listed on PSP’s Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe at the PA Farm Show. Unfortunately, approximately ten calls were placed, and none were answered. We can give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were responding to an emergency at the Farm Show at the time.

The Celebrity Cow Milking Contest was held Friday, Jan. 14 at the 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding carried his team to victory as the last team member to milk. Retrieved from http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/eventphotos2011.aspx?AID=603 on 1/15/2015.

Next, we went directly back to the Farm Show telephone number that our concerned citizen called. Get the information “straight from the horse’s mouth” so to speak. First, we were greeted by a worker who was immediately able to reference the Farm Show policy materials. She read straight from the materials that state and federal law would apply the same as they would anywhere else, and that no additional policies or restrictions exist. She further read a sentence which stated something to the effect of “while firearms are prohibited in certain locations under state and federal law, the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center is not one of these prohibited locations.” She was very polite, helpful and responsive to our question, so we asked for her name and title. While she didn’t feel comfortable providing that information, she offered to connect us with Heidi Svonavec, the Acting Executive Director of both the Farm Show and the Farm Show Complex. We gladly accepted.

She too, was very helpful. She confirmed that there are no firearm restrictions at either the show or the complex itself beyond relevant state and federal laws. She confirmed that firearms are permitted by those complying with the state and federal laws.

When informed about the “security department” conversation earlier, Ms. Svonavec seemed aware of the issue, and it appears she had been taking steps to rectify the same. Specifically, she said that she had been making efforts to ensure that all of the workers were aware of the policy and the laws, and that she would continue to do so in light of the faulty conveyance of information. Can we ask for any more than that? It sounds like she is looking out for you, LAGOs.

Quick caveat. If you’re going to carry, be careful where you park. I have heard of the Farm Show temporarily utilizing Post Office parking lots, which as we know, is a hot zone. Use caution and do not park in any parking lots if they belong to a facility that prohibits firearms under state or federal law. For some examples of places off limits, see our previous post Hot Zones: Where a Pennsylvania LAGO Can and Cannot Carry.

As we suspected, LAGOs are more than welcome to carry at the Farm Show. Be safe, be responsible and have some fun.