YouTube Playlists, Conference Sessions
Poster List
Agritourism in the Teton foodshed
The Greater Yellowstone-Teton region is known for its rugged and diverse public lands, wildlife, recreation, and agricultural roots. With tourism and the service industry serving as large economic drivers in Teton Counties, Idaho and Wyoming, development pressure has converted substantial agricultural land. However, a new crop of agriculture is thriving—small and diversified farms and ranches. With limited availability of agricultural and private land, less favorable climatic and soil conditions, and some of the highest land values in the nation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Teton Valley, on the western side of the Tetons hosts much of the farming community. Increasing interest in locally produced food makes Teton Valley’s agricultural heritage an important economic force. Despite an abundance of recreational tourism, little information about agritourism has been aggregated or promoted by regional travel and business development organizations. The shift to a lifestyle amenity-based and tourism economy continues to create pressure on farmers and rural landowners to sell and convert agricultural lands to commercial and residential uses. Agritourism can help farmers in the “Teton Foodshed” diversify their farm enterprises and help sustain the profitability of working farms. The University of Idaho Extension, Teton County identified a need and spearheaded this project to highlight agritourism activities in the “Teton foodshed” region, primarily in Teton Valley, Idaho/Wyoming. This poster highlights results from online surveys conducted in 2020 and 2021 that gauged local food purchasing behaviors of consumers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as consumer interest in leveraging agritourism activities.
Presenter: Jennifer Werlin, University of Idaho Extension, Teton County, Extension Educator
Biosecurity training of New England swine farmers concerning visitors: Changing perceptions and behavior
Carol Delaney, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Animal Health Division
Farmers allowing visitors as regular customers, wandering tourists or for planned agritourism events may not understand that this could be one of their most risky behaviors on their farms in terms of animal health. Swine farmers in New Hampshire and Maine volunteered to participate in a larger study funded by Northeast SARE on swine disease surveillance and farm biosecurity practices. The objectives were to collect and summarize swine management practices common in the New England area, provide a surveillance service to assess the presence or status of common swine diseases, and to provide good management and biosecurity training and an evaluation of biosecurity measures utilized practiced on the farms. The progression of activities was a pre-survey, followed by education and training, on-farm visits for disease surveillance and biosecurity evaluation ending with a final survey to collect changes in knowledge and behavior. Among the interesting observations at the beginning f the study was the prevalence of allowing visitors on the farm and, by the end of the project, the change in understanding proper protocol for disease prevention, the change is perception of barriers to implementing biosecurity, and their own assessment of their strength and weakness in biosecurity. Results indicated that farmers were interested in continuing learning and implementing measures to help maintain herd health and implement a biosecurity plan with outside input from professionals. Presenter will share materials and methods implemented and insights learned from farmer trainings, unexpected outcomes from the farm visits and how to creatively support farmers in the future progress towards meeting their on-farm biosecurity goals in light of growing local, national and international travel with destinations to rural areas and visitation of farms.
Presenter: Carol Delaney, Animal Health Program, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Livestock Specialist
Content marketing: Capturing attention through resource sharing
Mary Godnick, Adirondack Harvest, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County
Learn how Adirondack Harvest uses its network of farmers, agricultural producers, and partners to create content that amplifies the efforts of the region. See examples of our successful collective marketing approach that utilizes social media, email marketing, advertising, press outreach, content writing, events and more. Explore what unique questions can agritourism professionals answer, and formats that best serve visitors. Visit AdirondackHarvest.com to learn more, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter. See this work in action at the 2022 Open Farm Weekend - September 2-5 along the Boquet Valley Cuisine Trail in Keeseville and Essex, NY.
Presenter: Mary Godnick (she/her), Adirondack Harvest, Cornell Cooperative Extension Essex County, Digital Editor
Defining and regulating agritourism: A 50 state analysis
Sophia Kruszewski, Vermont Law School; Esther Akwii, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic
This presentation provides an overview of the research and analysis that form the basis of Defining and Regulating Agritourism: Trends in State Legislation 2019-2020, a report released by Vermont Law School's Center for Agriculture and Food Systems in April 2021. The poster will use graphics to depict variations across the states in agritourism regulations, focusing in particular on state definitions of agritourism. It will also identify trends in recent state agritourism legislation, and highlight best practices and recommendations for legislative drafters.
Presenter: Esther Akwii, Harvard Law School, Attorney and Clinical Fellow at the Food Law and Policy Clinic
Engaging volunteers on a u-pick orchard and flower farm
Phil Hallstedt, Hallstedt Homestead Cherries
Our U-pick cherry orchard and flower farm enables friends to assist us during the year as they desire, and several enjoyed the experience so much that they brought their friends. They came to receive new knowledge, a sense of accomplishment, an outdoor experience and a community of friends with similar interests…. plus some excellent perks of fresh produce, food and fellowship. Our cherry orchard is named Hallstedt Homestead, which we abbreviate as HH Cherries. We named our volunteers 'heroes' which stuck. Over time, as the group of volunteers grew, we found a number of elements which became a volunteer program called Hallstedt Homestead Heroes. They key elements includes an identity, a kickoff and post harvest celebration, an inventory of their likes and dislikes for engagement, training with two way feedback, invitations to special events, and regular communication of immediate needs and low expectations for involvement. Low expectations meaning that we call our place a “guilt free zone” and welcome any time people are willing to share. We find that if they are here, they come to learn and make a difference; they do not want to sit around and have their time wasted! As new volunteers have joined the pool, others have drifted off to new interests or withdrawn due to other obligations. Whatever the case, all are welcomed back for visits as they all have become brand ambassadors to the farm in their own social circles. The presentation will expound on the each of these elements and the focus on inclusion and engagement to make a volunteer program strong. The results from a volunteer survey will be shared and the plans for future planning provided for consideration.
Presenters: Phil Hallstedt, HH Cherries (and flowers!), Founder; Sarah Hallstedt, HH Cherries, Founder
Agritourism safety and liability: Updating best risk management practices for the COVID-19 pandemic
Kerry Daigle, University of Vermont; Lisa Chase, University of Vermont; Chadley Hollas, Kadupul / Cadence Creamery; Autumn Strom, University of Vermont; Claudia Schmidt, The Pennsylvania State University
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, liability and safety concerns were found to be among the top challenges facing producers with agritourism and on-farm direct sales. A national survey in 2019 found 81% of respondents concerned about liability issues, 73% concerned about managing visitor accessibility, 66% concerned about food safety, and 55% concerned about biosecurity. Since this time, the Covid-19 pandemic has heightened concerns about safety and sanitation on farms everywhere. Many farms were not able to open their farm stands and u-pick operations during the 2020 growing season, due to concerns about Covid-19 safety and liability, or an inability to adjust agritourism offerings to meet state and local guidelines. The purpose of this project is to support Northeastern US farms’ ability to adapt and respond to Covid-19 safety and liability concerns during the 2021 growing season. This 18-month long project began in April 2021. A multi-state team convened to plan and develop eight virtual workshops that provided training and resources on agritourism safety and liability. Workshops ran weekly in the spring and early summer of 2022 and covered topics such as getting ready for pick your own, crisis communication, liability insurance, checklists and self-assessments for farm safety, and farm-based education in a post-Covid world. This project also supported over 50 on-farm safety consultations to develop personalized plans for risk management practices, as well as the delivery of signs and handwashing stations to select farms. These project objectives will extend to the 2022 growing season.This presentation will be used to detail project steps, discuss published resources that support on-farm safety and liability, and present key questions from producers during virtual trainings and on-farm assessments. Materials and findings covered in this presentation can be adopted to help farms, and the organizations that support them, to address safety and liability concerns in other geographical contexts.
Presenter: Kerry Daigle, University of Vermont, Center for Rural Studies, Research Specialist
Regulatory navigation tools for agritourism enterprises in Vermont
Amelia Luke, University of Vermont; Lisa Chase, University of Vermont
Understanding regulations and legislation necessary for entering into agritourism can be challenging and time consuming for farmers starting agritourism enterprises. Information is often spread out across various websites, and can be difficult to put into the context of one's own business. In an effort to consolidate information and give individuals easy access to the information they need to be successful, the Regulatory Navigation Tools were created, with a focus on Vermont. The project consists of two tools: the Regulatory Navigation and Planning Tool for Agritourism Activities, which allows users to select which agritourism activity they are looking to pursue and receive specific information for that enterprise, and the Regulatory Navigation checklist, a pdf that that can be printed, and condenses information to a basic form, which can be applied to all agritourism activities. These tools seek to help those at any stage of opening or running an agritourism practice. After gathering information about Vermont’s regulations, the information was organized into four categories: land use regulations, permits, licenses, and additional resources. While the tool attempts to summarize information in a way that is easy to understand, users are encouraged to find the original source of the information by using the embedded links. After the tools were created, stakeholders from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets, Vermont Law, the Vermont Farm Bureau, the Department of Health and farmers who are engaged in agritourism reviewed the documents and provided their feedback. This feedback ensured that information presented is clear and accurate. Work is continuing to be done with local farmers, who are helping to develop scenarios to make information more accessible to other entrepreneurs.With agritourism being a popular way to increase revenue and engage with communities in meaningful ways, it is important that individuals have easy access to information that will help their businesses thrive. These tools are a way for farmers to understand what steps are necessary and keep track of their progress. While the tools were developed for Vermont farmers, they can serve as an example for other states and regions.
Presenter: Amelia Luke, University of Vermont Extension, Program Manager
Developing a conceptual framework for agritourism in the U.S.
Brian Schilling, Rutgers Cooperative Extension; Lisa Chase, University of Vermont; Mary Stewart, Oregon State University Extension Service; Becky Smith, Mississippi State University; Michelle Walk, Mackinac State Historic Parks
Consumer demand for local food and experiences on farms has led to rapid increases in “agritourism” throughout the U.S. and the world. It has also led to myriad understandings of the concept of agritourism and estimates of its value. In the U.S. there is no standard definition of agritourism that is widely accepted, nor is there agreement on the boundaries of agritourism including the setting, types of experiences, meaning of authenticity, and importance of tourism. Some definitions require that agritourism must take place on a working farm while others include non-working farms as well as farmers markets and agricultural fairs. The connection to agriculture and the engagement of visitors is at issue, leading to controversies over whether to include activities on farms unrelated to agriculture, such as concerts and mountain biking. This disagreement over the boundaries of agritourism has hindered the ability of researchers and agricultural interests to fully understand the sector’s economic importance and develop programming to support its performance over time. A common understanding of the concept of agritourism is needed for clear communication, reliable and consistent measurement, informed policies, and effective programs that support farms and their communities. To address that need, the authors led a multi-state initiative to develop a conceptual framework for understanding agritourism. The framework that was created with input from colleagues in several states around the U.S. encompasses core and peripheral tiers. Activities that fall within the core tier take place on a working farm, are closely connected to agricultural production, and are generally accepted as agritourism. In contrast, activities within the peripheral tier may or may not be considered agritourism depending on the location and context. Regardless of whether an activity is core or peripheral, it can be classified into one or more of the five categories of agritourism: direct sales, education, hospitality, outdoor recreation, and entertainment. Some activities, such as dinner at a farm using local products, may encompass multiple categories including direct sales, education, hospitality, and entertainment. At this stage of development, the authors are soliciting feedback to improve the conceptual framework. The framework that will be presented at the International Workshop on Agritourism is not intended to be the final word. Rather, it is meant to stimulate discourse and progress toward the goal of a common understanding of agritourism.
Presenters: Brian Schilling, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Director; Lisa Chase, University of Vermont, Extension Professor
The making of an international culinary trail
David Gillespie, CANAMEX trail
A presentation was made at the First World Congress on Agritourism in Italy in 2018 on a conceptual international culinary trail between Canada and the USA. Since then, an international committee has taken it to its next step which is in its implementation. Using existing trails where possible, it will link them together and be promoted in this manner. The trail will encompass two states (Vermont, New York), two provinces (Quebec, Ontario) and two countries (USA, Canada) as well as the future participation of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. Its distance will surpass 1,500 km and be the longest and most integrated culinary trail worldwide. Promoting the trail as an international agritourism destination and a true cross-border collaborative effort by government agencies, organizations and institutions as well as the private sector can help preserve existing farms and value-added enterprises by means of sustainable methods and can supplement their farm income given variable highly volatile commodity prices in traditional agriculture. The trail also offers rural development opportunities to cross-border regions by demonstrating common geographical, agricultural, cultural and historical links all while promoting product diversity to a potentially much larger tourism base given its international scope. Furthermore, this dynamic blend of diversity and commonality on many levels will also be evaluated on the benefits and economic impacts of the trail to ensure continuity.
Presenter: David Gillespie, David Gillespie, Owner
Developing the North Carolina agritourism spotlight virtual tour
Ann Savage, Laura Lauffer, Becky Bowen, Greg Traywick, Lisa Gonzalez, Kenneth Sherin, Jackie Murphy Miller, and Noah Rannells - North Carolina Cooperative Extension
In 2020-21 team members of North Carolina (NC) Cooperative Extension Local Food Program Team developed 13 NC Agritourism Spotlights that served as informal case studies. These spotlights provide an in-depth look at agritourism operations including the agritourism development, challenges and opportunities. These spotlights were developed as a resource for those interested in adding agritourism ventures to their operations and to assist those supporting agritourism and farm development. Local Food Program Team members reached out to those either in their county, region, or that they have worked with in other projects to interview a variety of agritourism operations across the state. Each spotlight starts off with an enterprise overview, background information of the farm, the development process then moves into pricing, marketing and promotion information of the agritourism components to the farm. The spotlight wraps up with agritourism business concerns and important considerations when adding these activities to your farm business. Each spotlight also includes quotes and words of wisdom from the operators to convey the personality of the operators. Currently, each of the thirteen spotlights are in both front and back pdf form or tri-fold form for ease of distribution. Through the initial spotlight development, a more refined process for development has come about so interested county extension offices can create spotlights of agritourism operations in their area to expand the spotlights available and the geographic representation. The next phase of the project is finding a way to tie together the spotlights via several podcasts or virtual live events to take folks on a “road trip” to meet the farmers and learn more about the agritourism operations. An interactive listing of the spotlights.
Presenters: Ann Savage, North Carolina State University, Tourism Extension Associate; Laura Lauffer, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems, Project Director
Expanding the agritourism reach to coastal communities: The potential of oyster farming in regional tourism development
Whitney Knollenberg, North Carolina State University; Carla Barbieri, North Carolina State University; Emily Yeager, East Carolina University; Jane L. Harrison, North Carolina Sea Grant; Julie Leibach, North Carolina Sea Grant
Much of the existent agritourism-related work (practice, research, and outreach) focuses on activities surrounding the production of terrestrial crops (e.g., u-pick) or animals (e.g., petting zoos), with scarce attention to the cultivation of aquatic species such as fish and shellfish (i.e., aquaculture). We suggest to increase attention to the aquaculture farming sector given its steady growth in certain regions. Coastal communities of North Carolina (NC, USA), for example, are showing greater interest in establishing shellfish mariculture, specifically the farming of saltwater oysters and hardshell clams. Seeking to assess the expansion of agritourism to aquaculture settings, our team conducted a research-outreach project to support the expansion and sustainability of a regional mariculture-tourism effort, the North Carolina Oyster Trail (NCOT). We conducted a demand-and-supply investigation to gather intelligence on strategic resource allocation. Given that the integration of multiple stakeholders’ perspectives is critical to develop seafood-based regional tourism experiences, we are first facilitated Appreciative Inquiry workshops with oyster growers and community stakeholders in NC to create an inventory of existing assets that can contribute to the NCOT. Because responding to the interests of potential tourists is critical to the success of regional tourism efforts, we then surveyed residents from the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coastal regions (target market) to identify their preferences for and barriers to participation in oyster tourism experiences along the NCOT. Finally, we compared the inventory of existing assets and the survey results to identify strengths that will give the NCOT competitive advantage over similar regional opportunities and resource gaps that must be filled. This presentation will showcase the multi-modal methods we utilized to support the NCOT and key results. Deepening existing knowledge on agritourism development beyond traditional terrestrial farming operations —mariculture, in this case— will deliver evidence to further expand the economic, environmental, and social benefits that agritourism provides to society. A successful NCOT will not only create new revenue streams for oyster farmers, but may also support sustainable businesses (e.g., locally sourced restaurants) in coastal communities. Furthermore, shellfish mariculture improves water quality as oysters and clams filter water. Lastly, tourism in mariculture settings can also help to preserve traditional practices (e.g., artisanal oystering) and increase public awareness of the cultural significance of local foods.
Presenter: Carla Barbieri, North Carolina State University, Professor
Identifying popular agri-tourism practices in South Africa
Christelle Charlien Van Zyl, North-West University; Late Melville Saayman, North-West University
While the practice of agri-tourism has been around for many years, the term is still relatively new in South Africa. As there is no universal definition of agri-tourism around the world, several definitions were combined and this research defines agri-tourism as any activity or attraction that allows the tourist to visit a working or commercial farm for the purpose of education, enjoyment or to be actively involved in the day-to-day activities of the farm. Based on this definition, 47 different agri-tourism activities/attractions were identified and tested within a South African context. The aim of this research was to identify the different agri-tourism activities/attractions offered in South Africa and to list the most popular activities/attractions. A quantitative approach was used by distributing standardized questionnaires to South African farmers. Farmers from all nine provinces in the country were approached. Both online and in-person methods were used to distribute the questionnaires, in order to reach farmers around the country. A total of 557 usable questionnaires were received, of which 148 respondents (27%) indicated that they are currently offering some form of agri-tourism on their farm. It is important to note that these statistics were gathered pre-covid. Based on the 148 respondents around the country, farm stay/accommodation was by far the most offered agri-tourism activity (68%), followed by hunting (51%), hiking/nature trails (34%), wildlife view and photography (33%), farm tours (30%), and cycling (30%). When considering each province on its own, farm stay/accommodation is still the most popular activity. However, different activities can be seen in each province. Each of the 47 agri-tourism activities/attractions that were identified can be divided into five categories, namely outdoor recreation, educational experiences, entertainment, hospitality services, and on-farm direct sales. This research indicated that hospitality services are the most generally offered for agri-tourism on a South African farm. While not all farmers in South Africa are utilizing the opportunity that agri-tourism has to offer them, it is clear that many farmers have embraced that change from only agriculture on a farm, to offering agri-tourism activities/attractions on a farm. As research and knowledge are still limited within a South African context, it is important for farmers to educate themselves on exactly what agri-tourism is and how they can utilize it on their farms. It is only with knowledge that a farmer can make an informed decision on his/her farm’s future.
Presenter: Christelle Van Zyl, North-West University / Noordwes-Universiteit, Doctoral Student
Farmer-to-farmer agritourism
Partners of the Americas (POA) has implemented the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer program for nearly 25 years. Currently, we work in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Myanmar, Guatemala, Guyana, and Colombia. We work in different areas surrounding agriculture production, diversification, and resilience. We send volunteers on two-to-three week assignments to our project countries. Our host beneficiaries are farmer co-ops, universities, government agencies, non-profits, and rural enterprises. We have trained 23,500 people in our cycle. Around 12 of our assignments since 2018 have focused on agritourism. We rigorously measure the impact of programing. A few indicators we report on are number of individuals trained, changes in host incomes, and clients. Our assignments shed light on sustainable development opportunities and limitations, environmental trade-offs of agritourism enterprise, and funding gaps for projects.
Presenters: Robert Maher, Partners of the Americas, Senior Program Officer; Rosa Almonte, Partners of the Americas, Farmer-to-Farmer Country Project Director DR; Marsha Johnson, Partners of the Americas, Farmer-to-Farmer Country Director Jamaica; Javiera Salinas, Partners of the Americas, Senior Program Officer; Quincy Scotland, Partners of the Americas, Farmer-to-Farmer Guyana Field Officer
Fostering a community of support for small-scale agritourism enterprises: Lessons learned from the development and deployment of the Ag + Art Tour across South Carolina
Ben Boyles, Clemson University Extension; Will Culler, Clemson University Extension; R. David Lamie, Clemson University
From a single York County tour in 2012, to twelve county tours throughout the Midlands and Upstate in 2019, to fourteen county tours stretching 3 regions of our State in 2020, the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour has become a model for agritourism product development. Clemson Extension has been instrumental in the tour every step of the way, from concept to development to program delivery. As tour developer and administrator, Clemson Agribusiness Agents have worked closely with farmers, governmental leaders, and local organizations to build the foundation for program development. Selected program impacts to date include the following: - 45,000 visitors since 2012. - Increased connections between consumer and producer resulting in an increase in farmer income. - The tour is the largest free farm tour in the nation. - Economic Development Impact: Direct local economic development impacts through tourist visitor expenditure. - Change in Local Food Demand Impact: Increase in purchases of locally grown food through new producer-consumer relationships. Tour participants are linked from the website to encourage consumer-producer interaction. - Risk Management Impact: The tour included farms that have not historically implemented agritourism strategies in their business plan. Utilizing this business opportunity will help to reduce some of the financial risk associated with ag-based businesses. Asset Mapping Impact: A product of the tour process is an asset map of agritourism assets that can be used to develop future marketing support programs. Community Development Impact: Establishing county-level planning teams and a regional leadership team will help to ensure the sustainability of the program while providing a venue for communication and interaction of the agritourism community within each county. Knowledge Transfer Impact: The toolkit for expansion will help other communities in the state and across the nation implement the Ag + Art concept.
Presenters: Ben Boyles, Clemson University Cooperative Extension, Agribusiness Extension Agent; Dave Lamie, Clemson University, Professor of Agricultural and Rural Development; Will Culler, Clemson Extension, Senior Extension Agent
Play with your food: Using play to create memorable agri-tourism experiences
Shannon Bence, Vancouver Island University
In British Columbia (BC), Canada (and beyond) the existing food systems are becoming less sustainable through the increased reliance on globalization. Places such as Vancouver Island are feeling the impacts of this globalization as a little as 4% of food is currently grown regionally. This a dynamic drop from 1950’s where that same number was around 85%. This matters as Vancouver Island, home to almost 900,000 residents, could only sustain itself in an emergency for a short 48 hours. While the statistics are bleak and concerns are at an all-time high, there certainly is hope. With the resurgence of the slow food movement, the support for farm fresh products is growing. And while farm gate and farmer’s market sales are at an all-time high in BC, it is important to continue to look for solutions that further support the creation of sustainable food systems. This presentation argues that agri-tourism can be one of these solutions. While the rule of thumb is typically ‘don’t play with your food,’ this presentation poses the question of “what if playing with our food and playing in the spaces it comes from, is actually a key element in the success of encouraging the creation and support for sustainable food systems?” Agri-tourism experiences provide the opportunity for urban dwellers and non-farm folks to explore, play and learn in a farm setting. This presentation is a conversation about how agri-tourism experiences matter because they allow people who are disconnected from where their food comes from, the opportunity to not only become familiar but also to genuinely care. This is an important outcome as it can increase the number of advocates that support the creation of sustainable food systems. While statistics are certainly important for context, they will be limited and used just to provide context in order to keep the presentation relatable to an international audience. This will allow for the main focus to be placed on how Play can be used to create high quality visitor experiences that better allow customers to feel connected to their food and to the farmers that grow it. This is important for farmers and agri-tourism operators to note, because establishing relationships with customers that feel connected to their farms, increases the retention of current customers and the attraction of new ones. Throughout the presentation, there will be examples of how farms are currently using play within their agri-tourism experiences to better connect and serve their customers. The workshop will include ‘playing’ to showcase the many meaningful and often time simple ways folks can incorporate ‘play’ into their experiences to make them meaningful and memorable for their customers.
Presenter: Shannon Roberts, Vancouver Island University, Sessional Professor
The magic of experience: Agritourism as an experiential marketing model for Maine farm and fish products
Caroline Paras, University of Maine; Tracy Michaud, University of Southern Maine; Matthew Hoffman, University of Southern Maine
Over the last decade, the market value from Maine farms and fisheries has declined by 13%. When inflation is factored in, it is a drop of 20%. One bright spot, however, is agritourism. From 2012 to 2017, direct sales on Maine farms increased 53%, and from other agritourism activities, 268% (USDA Census of Agriculture). Can these experiences serve as powerful forces to accelerate the process of consumer branding and loyalty? First coined in 1998, “Experience Economy” describes the movement of businesses beyond the mere sale of goods and services to the design of memorable experiences, with the memory itself becoming the product. The emotions generated by the event translate into behavioral intentions to purchase a product, both in real time and long after the event. This project surveyed over 450 visitors participating in repeatable agritourism experiences on Maine oyster and wild blueberry farms, revealing the impact of agritourism on direct sales as well as the most powerful marketing themes that resonated with consumers in Maine, New England, and the Northeast. Visitor experiences were captured through audio recordings as part of 1) an online survey of the Maine Oyster Trail: and 2) a face-to-face intercept survey during Maine Wild Blueberry Weekend. Results show that 83% of respondents purchased wild blueberries, oysters, and/or value-added products in real time, and over 82% stated their intention to purchase these Maine products in the future. In addition, the research generated a new framework for evaluating agritourism experiences: Participation, Place, Product, and People. Of these four P’s, the strongest driver of memory was Participation, such as the opportunity to rake blueberries or kayak to an oyster farm.
Presenter: Caroline Paras, University of Southern Maine, Research Assistant
Virginia agritourism safety
Afton Preisser, Virginia Cooperative Extension
Safety is a concern for agritourism venues because an operating farm may expose visitors to many unfamiliar conditions, situations, and/or animals, which opens the farm operation to potential liability risks during these interactions. The purpose of this research was to review current safety protocols on Virginia agritourism operations and seek information that was needed to improve for the future. Based on a survey sent to Virginia operators, numerous areas were identified which would benefit from further education and risk management information. Insurance offerings tailored to agritourism operations are needed, in addition to improved employee screening and training for operations management. The survey found that 25.24% of responses do not do any type of pre-employment screening while over 7% do not participate in walkthroughs before events. The purpose of this research was to document specific protocols already in place, identify, and describe critical areas of improvement for Virginia agritourism event, venue, and visitor safety practices.
Presenter: Afton Preisser, Virginia Cooperative Extension - Isle of Wight County, Extension Agent
A Baseline Profile Study of Agritourism in Maryland
K. Ejiogu, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; E.N. Escobar, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; L. Peña-Lévano, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Agritourism is a consumer-focused agricultural operation. It is structured as an additional income-generating platform to augment the economic viability of a farm. Agritourism centers in Maryland include wineries, creameries, craft breweries, petting zoos, U-pick, horseback riding, corn maze, hayrides, farm festivals, and other activities. The Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 252 (March 19, 2018) to provide a framework for the characterization of agritourism in the state. The bill provides a model definition of agritourism as an activity conducted on a farm offered to the general public or guests for education, recreation, or active involvement in farm operations. Small- and medium-sized farmers in the state of Maryland are increasingly dependent on agritourism as a source of additional income to maintain their farm holdings. Approximately 28% of Maryland agritourism services are farm markets. 18% craft breweries, and wineries comprised 15% of the services. Creameries covered 6.8% of the services, and agricultural heritage festivals covered 6.2%. In the middle of the distribution were apiaries at 5.5%, farm stores at 3%, U-picks at 2.7%, corn mazes at 2.2%, pumpkin patches at 2%, and hayrides at 1.6%. On the lower end of the distribution are petting zoos, farm camps, and alpaca farms, comprising the lowest number of services at 0.4% each. This study provided a baseline information and guidance to UMES Extension specialists and educators offering formal education and training to agritourism farmers. Many farmers cannot solely decide, incorporate, and effectively manage farm recreational activities alongside their core farm production routine. The goal is to assist agritourism entrepreneurs in maximizing their social and economic capacities and thus contribute to local community welfare and development in counties within the state. Also, the study provided an overview of the typology and spatial distribution of agritourism services within the 24 counties in the state of Maryland. It evaluates the cost of access to transportation and explores the consumer characteristics of agritourism locations. The study collected data for 485 agritourism facilities through an internet search and direct inquiries. This process involved corroboration with academic publications, direct source information, federal and state government sources, private organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) databases. The descriptive methods adopted in the study involved spatial mapping and distance analysis. Following the study a webinar was organized for interested parties followed by surveys to agritourism operators. Results from the surveys are pending.
Presenter: Enrique Escobar, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
(Virtual) Agritourism emergency preparedness: Documenting your emergency procedures in an easy-to-use flip chart
Christie Welch, OSU Direct Food & Agricultural Marketing; Eric Barrett, OSU Extension; Robert Leeds, Ohio State University Extension Delaware County
Ohio State University Extension developed Agritourism Ready; a curriculum for farm families in Ohio and across the nation. The curriculum focus is seven units, comprised of chapters specific to Risk Management and addressing potential emergencies. Chapters within each unit strive to educate the farm management team to develop their plan, including the details needed to print a detailed emergency preparedness plan for use in their business. Part of this plan will be a posted flip-chart for hands-on access to employees and others who will assist with the response to and mitigation of the emergency. An optimized website was developed for use by the management team in preparing the plan and to educate employees on how to deal with specific emergencies. It can also be used by educators to teach this curriculum.
Presenters: Christie Welch, The Ohio State University, Direct Agricultural Marketing Specialist; Rob Leeds, Ohio State University Extension, Extension Educator; Eric Barrett, OSU Extension, Associate Professor
Exploring farmer-visitor interactions in agritourism using an enhanced social situations analysis approach
Chimwemwe Chagunda, University of Glasgow
Agritourism is receiving increasing attention and has fuelled research efforts to understand its social benefits. The extended benefits include developing social connections, co-learning and exchanging experiences. Specifically, social interactions between farmers and visitors can enhance awareness of food production, conservation and may lead to behavioural change (Flanigan et al., 2015). However, there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate the social processes in the agritourism context. To understand and contextualise the processes of farmer-visitor social interactions within agritourism, with specific attention to on-farm accommodation. A purposive sampling approach and criterion technique was used to ensure the sampling units met set criteria. Data were collected through four agritourism farm visits and in-depth semi-structured interviews with twelve farmers providing visitor accommodation facilities on working farms. The social situations analysis framework of Argyle et al. (1981), which includes eight distinct, yet interconnected features was employed. In addition to the key features of the “Argyle” framework, social identity and social activities were used to contextualise the social spaces and to examine how encounters manifest and contribute to the visitors’ experience. The findings showed that none of the farmers explicitly used the term agritourism; they opt for ‘experience of a farm’ or ‘farm accommodation.’ While the relevance of a ‘working farm’ in agritourism cannot be underrated, not all visitors staying on farms were interested in agricultural activities. Furthermore, some farmers felt that health and safety regulations limit backstage experiences. Although fulfilling their economic gains was the principal goal for most farmers, integrating social dynamics plays a significant part when sharing rural farm life and educating the public about agricultural production. Host-farmers identify themselves first with farming in the community although they embrace entrepreneurial activities where more than 50% of the time is spent on managing agritourism business. Additional activities such as farm shops, farm trails, workshops extend agritourism experience and encourage close encounter with the farmer and agriculture. The study supports the notion that a definition and understanding of the agritourism concept will ultimately reduce confusion amongst farmers, overcome the barriers and increase the appeal to visitors. Enhanced social situation analysis is a useful framework for an in-depth understanding of social interactions within agritourism.
Presenter: Chimwemwe Chagunda, University of Glasgow | School of Interdisciplinary Studies, PhD Candidate
Guidance for agritourism operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Stephen Komar, Rutgers Cooperative Extension; William Bamka, Rutgers University; Michelle Infante-Casella, Rutgers; Meredith Melendez, Rutgers; Richard VanVranken, Rutgers Cooperative Extension - Atlantic County; Brian Schilling, Rutgers
During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, many industries were forced to pivot and conduct business in different ways to protect public health, employees, and employers. The farming industry faced many challenges in supplying the nation through shifting food distribution channels and helping to ensure the country was supplied with essential products. In addition to providing food and fiber, the agricultural industry in New Jersey has a strong offering for family-friendly activities, events, and educational opportunities through agritourism on farms. Agritourism activities like pick-your-own crops, hayrides, field mazes, and other on-the-farm recreation and education has helped the public understand and appreciate agriculture and the benefits of having farms in their communities. Continuing farm agritourism visits during the pandemic can be an attractive outdoor alternative for family leisure and recreation. Continued community transmission of COVID-19, and Federal and State efforts to slow the spread of the virus, present significant challenges to agritourism operators. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agritourism Working Group developed farm assessment checklists to assist growers who are contemplating whether and how to host recreational or educational activities and events on their farms. They are designed to help operators develop business operation strategies that comply with State executive orders and federal/state safety guidelines. Essential elements of agritourism checklists for COVID-19 guidance include: understanding and complying with the Governor’s executive orders issued to control COVID-19 transmission, including limits on public indoor and outdoor gatherings, face coverings and social distancing; abiding by safety guidelines issues by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State/local authorities; and evaluating the feasibility and practicality of implementing required or recommended practices to limit transmission of COVID-19. These COVID-19 resources are supplemental to the existing agritourism resources developed by Rutgers Cooperative Extension. These resources and other tools for agritourism operations are available online at: http://agritourism.rutgers.edu/training.
Presenters: Stephen Komar, Rutgers; Michelle Infante-Casella, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Agent/Professor
Malawi 2063: Challenges, opportunities, and limitations of agritourism in Malawi
Fidelis Chasukwa Mgowa, Mazizi Agritourism Farm; Yvonne Mwalwenje, Mazizi Agritourism Farm
Fast economic growth and poverty alleviation in Malawi will not be possible without strong 6 percent per annum growth in the agricultural sector. Malawi continues to have inequities in the distribution of national income with the Gini index (World Bank estimate) at 44.7 in 2021 suggesting towards perfect inequality. Youths in Malawi continue to be left behind in employment and unemployment. The unemployment rate among the youth aged 15-35 years is 23 percent using the International Labour Organisation broad definition. The country is characterized by the inability of the economy to generate employment opportunities commensurate with labor supplies. Given that agriculture is the bedrock of Malawi’s economy, it will likely remain so in the short to medium term. While the economy remains dependent on agriculture, is prone to natural shocks increasing vulnerability on rural populations, and preventing sustainable economic growth, there is a need for sustained growth in the economy. Malawi has demonstrated its political will and commitment to reducing income inequalities through the development of its Malawi 2063 (MW2063), a successor to Vision 2020; the latter’s deliverables have been highly a contested poverty reduction strategy among the policy stakeholders and communities within and outside the country. According to Malawi National Planning Commission (2020), the MW2063 agenda identifies three key strategic pillars namely Agriculture Productivity and Commercialization, Industrialization, and Urbanization. The MW2063 provides a normative framework to contribute to the operationalization of the global Sustainable Development goals. However, sustainable development will not happen without human capital. Malawi Population and Housing Census (2018) estimates the child population at 8.9 million representing 51% of the total population. Of these, 4.4 million are boys and 4.5 million are girls. This paper argues that partnerships in investing in strategic human capital focusing on demographic dividend in agritourism offers leverage to unemployment and underemployment of the youths Therefore, investing in human capital to favor the country's development cannot be done without considering youths that are representing more than half of the population. The median age of the population in Malawi is 17 years.
Presenter: Fidelis Chasukwa Mgowa, Catholic Relief Services, Partner Safeguarding Officer - CRS Malawi
SWOT analysis assessment of direct marketing and agritourism operations
Michelle Infante-Casella, Rutgers; William Bamka, Rutgers University; Stephen Komar, Rutgers Cooperative Extension; Brian Schilling, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis is a business planning tool that can be utilized by farmers to assess potential changes to their operations. The Rutgers Agritourism Group offers SWOT analysis to farmers via extension education programs and through a toolkit, “SWOT Analysis for On-Farm Direct Marketing Operations” found at http://sare.rutgers.edu/pdfs/SWOT_Toolkit.pdf. Internal factors of strengths and weaknesses are controlled by the farmer and must be looked at objectively to accomplish proposed goals. Components of the business like infrastructure, finances, skills, and risk assessment are some of the items discussed. Assessing opportunities and threats identifies external factors not controlled by the farmer. Opportunities such as high per-capita income or current market trends may positively influence the farm business. Examples of threats include weather, poor economy, or overburdening regulations. Farmer self-assessment using SWOT analysis has been well received and continues to be taught in extension educational to help improve farm management.
Presenters: Michelle Infante-Casella, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Agent/Professor; Stephen Komar, Rutgers
SWOT analysis assessment of direct marketing and agritourism operations
Michelle Infante-Casella, Rutgers; William Bamka, Rutgers University; Stephen Komar, Rutgers Cooperative Extension; Brian Schilling, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis is a business planning tool that can be utilized by farmers to assess potential changes to their operations. The Rutgers Agritourism Group offers SWOT analysis to farmers via extension education programs and through a toolkit, “SWOT Analysis for On-Farm Direct Marketing Operations” found at http://sare.rutgers.edu/pdfs/SWOT_Toolkit.pdf. Internal factors of strengths and weaknesses are controlled by the farmer and must be looked at objectively to accomplish proposed goals. Components of the business like infrastructure, finances, skills, and risk assessment are some of the items discussed. Assessing opportunities and threats identifies external factors not controlled by the farmer. Opportunities such as high per-capita income or current market trends may positively influence the farm business. Examples of threats include weather, poor economy, or overburdening regulations. Farmer self-assessment using SWOT analysis has been well received and continues to be taught in extension educational to help improve farm management.
Presenters: Michelle Infante-Casella, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Agent/Professor; Stephen Komar, Rutgers