What is Agritourism?
Agricultural tourism (or agritourism) refers to activities conducted on private agricultural land, which might include fee hunting and fishing, overnight stays, educational activities, farm and produce stands, garden and crop tours, and a host of other farm and ranch related activities.
In Oregon, Agritourism is defined as “a commercial enterprise at a working farm or woodland, ranch, or agricultural plant conducted for the enjoyment of visitors that generates supplemental income for the owner. Certain off-the-farm direct sales of product and experiences may also be considered agritourism."
Agri-tourism enterprises might include:
• Outdoor recreation (bird-watching, fishing, hunting, wildlife photography, horseback riding).
• Educational experiences (farm and cannery tours, cooking classes, wine tasting, cattle drives, or help work the ranch).
• Entertainment (harvest festivals, blossom festivals,corn mazes).
• Hospitality services (farm and ranch stays, guided tours or outfitter services).
• On-farm direct sales (u-pick operations, live plant sales or roadside stands).
• Off-the-farm direct sales (farmers’ markets, county and state fairs, special events).
Agritourism is a subset of a larger industry called rural tourism that includes resorts, nonprofit agricultural tours, and other leisure and hospitality businesses that attract visitors to the rural areas of Oregon.
Rural tourism differs from Agritourism in that rural tourism enterprises do not necessarily occur on farms or ranches, and if they do occur on a farm or ranch they do not generate supplemental income for the agricultural enterprise.
