Agri-Tourism

*Each resource in the Four Corners region will be marked with an asterisk

See also:

Four Corners Marketing Programs & Services listings of regional resources applicable to a variety of topics.
Direct Marketing to Consumers for more marketing resources for selling directly to customers.

Arizona Resources

*Tourism Trends and Rural Economic Impacts
This article examines various trends in the US tourism industry that can help provide insight for agri-tourism strategies.
http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/TourismTrends.pdf

Colorado Resources

*Colorado Department of Agriculture: Agri-Tourism Page
This website has information about how to locate agri-tourism activities in the entire state. Also listed are special events and workshops related to agri-tourism business development.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout&cid=1167928163450&p=1167928163450&pagename=CDAGWrapper

Organizations and Web Resource Lists

University of California: Small Farms Center Agri-Tourism Webpage
This website contains useful information about agri-tourism. Topics include publications and research about agri-tourism as well as fact sheets making the case for agri-tourism enterprises.
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/

Beginning An Agri-Tourism Venture

Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism: Farming for Profitability and Sustainability Resource Manual
This online manual, published by the Natural Resource Conservation Service, contains 2,300 pages of reference material. It is divided into 20 chapters. Subjects covered include rural tourism, agritourism, nature tourism, heritage tourism, business planning, liability insurance, marketing, funding programs and resources. The manual is also available in CD or in a paper copy.
http://www.economics.nrcs.usda.gov/altenterprise/resmanual.html

Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism
This ATTRA publication cover the three -tourism basics: have something for visitors to see, something for them to do, and something for them to buy. The guide covers various ways to develop your agri-tourism business.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/entertainment.html

Getting Started with Direct Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism

This is the introduction to the publication, “Western Profiles of Innovative Agricultural Marketing: Examples from Direct Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism Enterprises.” The introduction does a fine job of setting the stage for all the important things to consider when beginning an agri-tourism business venture.

http://cals.arizona.edu/AREC/wemc/westernprofiles/1%20Introduction.pdf

Nature-Based Tourism & Agri-Tourism Trends: Unlimited Opportunities
This article makes the case for why agri-tourism is a viable option to bring prosperity to small scale farms. The article discusses several agri-tourism models and resources to help you get started.
http://www.kerrcenter.com/publications/2002_proceedings/agritourism.pdf

Planning and Managing Agri-Tourism and Nature Tourism Enterprises: A Handbook
This is an updated version of the Primer on Agritourism and Ecotourism Start-Ups and Management, a how-to manual for farmers, ranchers, and the professionals who work with them. Useful as a train-the-trainer tool, the publication walks readers through starting and maintaining an ag or nature tourism enterprise.
http://sfc.ucdavis.edu/docs/publications.asp?view=12

Taking the First Step: Farm & Ranch Alternative Enterprise & Agri-Tourism Resource Guide
This guide is designed to help technical staff and rural leaders assist farmers and ranchers in taking the first step in identifying alternative enterprises and agritourism opportunities. This guide will help you inventory and understand your farm or ranch resources, think openly, think creatively, think of the unusual, but most importantly, think outside the box as you explore your options for alternative enterprises and agritourism.
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/Economics/AltEnterprise/FirstSteps.pdf

*Tourism Trends and Rural Economic Impacts
This article examines various trends in the US tourism industry that can help provide insight for agri-tourism strategies.
http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/TourismTrends.pdf

*Western Profiles of Innovative Agricultural Marketing: Examples from Direct Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism Enterprises

This publication is intended to help producers identify avenues for providing more value to consumers at the farm or ranch level. There are several stories about successful agri-tourism enterprises.
http://cals.arizona.edu/AREC/wemc/westernprofiles.html

Agri-Tourism Business Planning Tools

Agricultural Business Planning Templates and Resources
This resource list contains sources of business planning templates and further resources for agricultural enterprises. These resources include Internet and print resources as well as training courses and workshops.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/agriculture_planning.pdf

Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism: Farming for Profitability and Sustainability Resource Manual
This online manual, published by the Natural Resource Conservation Service, contains 2,300 pages of reference material. It is divided into 20 chapters. Subjects covered include rural tourism, agritourism, nature tourism, heritage tourism, business planning, liability insurance, marketing, funding programs and resources. The manual is also available in CD or in a paper copy.
http://www.economics.nrcs.usda.gov/altenterprise/resmanual.html

*Tourism Trends and Rural Economic Impacts
This article examines various trends in the US tourism industry that can help provide insight for agri-tourism strategies.
http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/TourismTrends.pdf

Marketing an Agri-Tourism Venture

Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism
This ATTRA publication cover the three -tourism basics: have something for visitors to see, something for them to do, and something for them to buy. The guide covers various ways to develop your agri-tourism business.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/entertainment.html

Marketing Local Food: Agri-Tourism (p.33)
This publication introduces the basics of different marketing systems, suggests resources and includes profiles of farmers who are selling farm products directly to consumers. There is a comprehensive section on agri-tourism.
http://www.misa.umn.edu/vd/publications/marketing_local_food.pdf

Safety and Liability Considerations for Agri-Tourism Ventures

Liability for Visitors to Farm Property
This article clearly defines the rules of legal liability that apply when there is an injury to a farm visitor.
http://ces.ca.uky.edu/cesrc-files/west/Liability_for_Visitors_to_Farm_Property.pdf

Safety and Risk Management
This is a web resource page from the University of California’s Small Farm Center. The website covers aspects safety and liability issues associated with agri-tourism to help create the safest atmosphere possible for farm visitors.
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/factsheet3.html

Agri-Tourism Success Stories

*Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook
A publication put out by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. This guide covers production tips, legal considerations, consumer profiles, and case studies as they relate to direct marketing.
http://cals.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/dmkt.html

*Schenpf Farms: The Southwest’s Premier Family Entertainment Farm
The Schnepfs have learned to be innovative and flexible. Although commercial crops sustained them for over 30 years, changes in the farm economy forced them to switch to direct marketing to keep their farm. They evolved from selling excess garden produce, to their country store, and to today’s focus on family entertainment and agricultural education.
http://cals.arizona.edu/AREC/wemc/westernprofiles/911%20schnepf%20farms.pdf

Funding Resources

Please see:

Financing for general resources to help fund agricultural marketing ventures.