Agritourism enterprises can allow farmers and ranchers to earn higher profits by replacing or supplementing traditional farm operations with innovative on-farm or on-ranch ventures. Alternative enterprises can take many forms. They can produce food and fiber or have little to do with agriculture. They can produce new or unique crops or livestock or add value to traditional agricultural products. They can produce fun, recreation, nature-based, or educational products. They can rely on traditional farm practices or use alternative methods, such as organic systems. They can be labor and resource intensive or require few inputs. They can operate seasonally, or year-round. But they all have a common theme: Farmers and ranchers can rely on the natural resources on their land - the soil, water, air, plants and crops, wildlife, and scenery - to keep their family on the farm and the farm in their family.
Diane Kuehn, Duncan Hilchey, Douglas Ververs, Kara Lynn Dunn, Paul Lehman, Cornell University, 1998
This publication is designed for community leaders, rural economic development and tourism professionals, and agritourism entrepreneurs. It focuses on the three main components of agritourism development: Small businesses, Agricultural Events, and Regional Agritourism Initiatives. Considerations for each of these components are discussed. The excellent case studies included in this publication expand on these considerations.
This ATTRA publication offers an in-depth discussion of agri-entertainment as a highly consumer-focused type of agriculture, which may offer additional options for diversification and help add stability to small farm incomes. Farmers have invented a wide variety of entertainment farming and agritourism enterprises. This publication divides them by category as Things to See, Things to Do and Things to Buy, and also discusses considerations of liability and accessibility.
This
guide is designed to help farm and ranch operators and other individuals
who grow or process food products market their products and services
directly to the consumer. Agritourism issues and topics are dealt with in depth.
