Did you know that millions of people take trips to rural
destinations every year? They visit farms to pick apples, take hayrack rides,
watch cows give birth, and experience rural life.
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| Nebraska's Roca Berry Farm offers U-pick strawberries (Nebraska Tourism) |
That’s right; people want to pay to do the things farm
families do every day. It’s called agritourism and it is one of the fastest
growing niches in the travel industry.
Expanding beyond traditional ag operations to offer farm
experiences to visitors is also a way to supplement farm income and educate the
public about agriculture. You don’t need to create the next big thing. You just
need a little imagination and creativity, followed by some research and
planning.
If you are considering opening your farm to the public,
there is an abundance of resources to help you determine whether agritourism is
right for your operation and family.
The USDA National Agriculture Library website includes a
detailed guide on “Promoting
Tourism in Rural America” that includes more than 50 links to how-to
guides, manuals, and handbooks. The Rural Information Center’s Rural
Tourism page provides additional resources including success stories,
funding assistance programs, and links to even more information.
The Nebraska Tourism Commission has an excellent “Guide
to Agri-Tourism and Eco-Tourism Development” that outlines what it takes to
develop an agritourism business. It includes worksheets to evaluate your family’s
values and expectations, set goals, outline a financial plan, and more. Many
state tourism offices have agritourism consultants that can assist you as well.
 | Shannon Peterson Marketing Content Editor Shannon joined Valley Irrigation in 2013. She enjoys traveling with her family, particularly to national parks, and she occasionally writes about her travels for travel magazines. Shannon also likes reading, trying new restaurants, seeing movies, and watching Husker football and Creighton basketball. However, she and her husband spend most of their free time chauffeuring their teenage son to activities and chasing their baby daughter. |
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