INTRODUCTION

TO
AGRITOURISM
 WHAT IS AGRITOURISM?

 Business of establishing farms as travel destinations for

educational and recreational purposes.

 Farming-related experiences enjoyed on a farm or other

agricultural setting for entertainment or educational
purposes.

Variety of terms & labels used interchangeably.

Recent research suggests ‘Farm Visit’ may be best
understood by stakeholder groups
This is NOT to suggest the term agritourism should not be used but
rather some additional education & communication may be required to
ensure the intended audience understands the term and expectations.
(Arroyo, Barbieri, & Rich, 2013)
 EXAMPLES OF AGRITOURISM
 Agritourism includes a wide range of activities:
 On-farm sales of agricultural products (direct-to-consumer)
 (E.g., farm markets, pick-your-own operations)
 Educational tourism
 (E.g., School tours, winery tours, farm work experiences)
 Entertainment
 (E.g., Hay rides, corn mazes, petting zoos, haunted barns)
 Accommodations
 (E.g., bed & breakfasts, farm picnics)
 Outdoor recreation
 (E.g., Horseback riding, hunting, fishing, bird watching)

From Schilling, et al. (2012) – The economic benefits of agritourism: The case of New Jersey.
 AGRITOURISM ENTERPRISE TYPES

 Supplementary enterprise
 Agritourism as a minor activity that supports other products on the
farm.
 Example: if the primary enterprise is livestock production, inviting school groups to
the farm several days out of the month to learn about animals and farming could
supplement income.

 Complementary enterprise
 Agritourism activities share equal footing with other enterprises in
the farm’s product mix.
 Example: an apple production enterprise on the farm. By selling half of the apples to
a wholesaler and the remainder to "pick -your-own" guests, the two enterprises
(wholesale & direct market) would be complementary.

 Primary enterprise
 Agritourism as the dominant/primary activity on the farm.
 Example: opening a winery on the farm and inviting guests to spend the day or
weekend tasting wine. The wine tasting package may include overnight lodging in a
cottage on the property. It may also involve producing grapes for the wine on the
farm to supplement the wine tasting activities.

From Rich, et al. (2010). Agritourism: Opportunities for farm diversification. North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
 THE CURRENT STATE OF
AGRITOURISM

FROM 2000 TO 2001, AN ESTIMATED

62 MILLION ADULTS VISITED FARMS AND
RANCHES ACROSS AMERICA
- U N I T E D S TAT E S D E PA R T M E N T O F A G R I C U LT U R E

IN 2008, ESTIMATED ANNUAL AGRITOURISM

INCOME IN THE U.S. VARIED FROM $800
MILLION TO $3 BILLION
-CARPIO, ET AL.
Defined by the Census as: Agri-tourism & recreational services, such as farm or winery tours, hay rides, hunting, fishing, etc.

These stats only tell part of the story!

Source: www.agcensus.usda.gov
 KEEP IN MIND…THESE STATS ONLY
TELL PART OF THE STORY
 Narrow definition of agritourism
 In 2002, began collected information on ‘recreational services’
 Hunting & fishing were the only examples given
 In 2007, expanded to ‘income from agri -tourism & recreational services’
 Examples included: Farm or winery tours, hay rides, corn maze fees, hunting, & fishing

 Self-identified
 Respondents self-identified with agritourism/recreational services
 Many were left out – even though considered agritourism by definition, respondents did
not realize/consider themselves as agritourism (consider it more as innovative marketing)

 Direct marketing calculations

 Value of farm products sold through direct marketing was calculated separately from
agritourism and recreation services

 Outdated
 Stats are from 2002 & 2007
 Know agritourism has continued to grow across the U.S.
 But does provide a good starting point to illustrate geographic distribution, growth, and
interest of agritourism!
From Schilling, et al. (2012) – The economic benefits of agritourism: The case of New Jersey.
 The importance of
direct marketing and
agritourism
From Schilling, et al. (2012) – The economic benefits of agritourism: The case of New Jersey.
 The importance of direct
marketing and agritourism

From Schilling, et al. (2012) – The economic benefits of agritourism: The case of New Jersey.
 EXAMPLE OF HOW TOURISM &
AGRITOURISM ARE BIG BUSINESS
Based on 2006 New Jersey study:
 More than 1/5 of NJ farms offer agritourism
 43% of NJ total farmland associated with agritourism
farms
 Income from agritourism = $57.53 Million
 Average agritourism income = $27,093 per farm
 36% earn 100% of total farm income from agritourism – generally
small farms

 Economic linkages:
Agritourism generates
$33.3 million across
other industries
From Schilling, et al. (2011) – The economic contributions of agritourism in New Jersey.
 WHY
AGRITOURISM?
 FARMER/PROVIDER PERSPECTIVE
 Generate additional/new income
 Often from underutilized resources
 Product line/market diversification
 Keep land in the family
 Employment for family members
 Interest/hobby
 Education of public and customers
 Build neighbor/community relations
 Tax incentives
 Companionship with guests/visitors
 VISITOR/USER PERSPECTIVE

 Amidst increasing urbanization, farms offer

 Connection to culture, farm heritage & food
 Access to fresh, locally-produced products
 A tie to the land
 Opportunity to enjoy the outdoors
 Family friendly
 Increase in weekend/local travel
 Want to support agriculture
ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVE
 Jobs, personal income, tax revenue
 Preservation of farm-based rural amenities
 Encourages visitation
 Revenue generated from outside visitors often stays within the
local economy (economic multiplier effects)
 Visitors can influence quality of life – e.g., helping to finance
community facilities

 Community events & attractions intended for tourists

also benefit & attract local residents
 Defined sense of place/local identity
 WORDS OF CAUTION

Agritourism has its downsides and is not for everyone

 Liability exposure
 Intrusion into one’s privacy (for most, the farm is also home)
 Concerns that agritourism “cheapens” the image of farming
 Possible tensions with neighbors and municipalities
 Regulatory/policy issues (e.g., zoning, right to farm
protection, deed of easement permissibility)
 New business model for many farmers
 Increased risk level for capital investments
 New skill sets required (e.g., hospitality, retail marketing, customer service)
 Most farmers do not have formal business or marketing plans
From Schilling (2008) – Agritourism Industry Development in New Jersey
AGRITOURISM IS NOT
FOR EVERYONE!
HELP FARMERS DETERMINE
IF AGRITOURISM IS RIGHT
FOR THEM & THEIR FARM.

Assess Assess Assess Assess

Personality Goals Resources Potential
INTRODUCTION TO
AGRITOURISM

QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS?
 FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Supported by a grant from the Northeast Sustainable

Agriculture Research and Education program

Award No. ENE11 -1 21 , “Development of Extension Programming to

Suppor t the Advancement of A gritourism in the Nor theast”
 PROJECT TEAM

Project Director
 Brian Schilling, Rutger s Univer sity
Co-Project Directors
 Lisa Chase, Univer sity of Vermont
 Stephen Komar, Rutger s Univer sity
 Lucas Mar xen, Rutger s Univer sity
Program Development Team
 William Bamka, Rutgers University
 Richard Brzozowski, Univer sity of Maine
 Michelle Infante -Casella, Rutger s Univer sity
 Meredith Melendez, Rutger s Univer sity
 Samantha Rozier-Rich, EnRiched Consulting
 Kevin Sullivan, Rutger s Univer sity
 Laurie Wolinksi, University of Delaware
 CONTACTS

Project Director
Brian Schilling
A s s i s t a n t E x te n s i o n S p e c i al i s t
Ru t g e r s C o o p e r a t i ve E x te n s i o n
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