There’s no doubt that agritourism is a growing segment of Northeast agriculture. Throughout New England, New York and New Jersey, thousands of travelers visit farms and rural communities to escape the hustle and bustle of the cities and enjoy the scenic countryside.  

Agritourists spend money, too — at roadside farm stands, pick-your-own operations, winery tours, hay rides and even farm stays.

While the economic advantages of agritourism are vital to many operations, on-farm visits deliver other benefits, too. They provide urban and suburban travelers with a new look at Northeast agriculture.  

Visitors can see firsthand how agriculture works and interact face-to- face with farm families. And they return home with a newfound understanding of the care and hard work involved in the production of the food we all eat. These upclose looks at our region’s farms also create a deeper appreciation of Northeast farmers as stewards of our rural landscape and priceless environmental heritage.  

Overview  

Rural America has always been a popular destination for travelers, a tradition that continues in the 21st century. According to a study by the Travel Industry Association of America, 87 million people (nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States) have taken a trip to a rural destination within the past three years.

Americans embark on these excursions to fulfill a variety of needs. Some have a specific purpose, such as cutting a Christmas tree or buying apples, cider, maple syrup or cheese directly from the source. (They’ll pay a premium price, too.) Others simply stop on impulse to try their luck at a corn maze or to tour a maple sugar operation.  

At the moment, there are no comprehensive statistics on agritourism across the Northeast, but selected state findings provide a sampling of how agritourism activities help improve the long-term economic viability of farms and rural communities. Take Vermont, for example. According to the most recent survey by the New England Agricultural Statistics Service:

• The total annual income from agritourism increased 86 percent to $19.5 million between 2000 and 2002 (or about 4 percent of the state’s total gross farm income generated in 2002).

• Approximately 2,300 Vermont farms (about one-third of the state’s total) were engaged in agritourism, and the average annual agritourism-generated income per farm was nearly $8,900. (Farms with 500 acres or more produce an average of $15,300.)

• In addition, the Vermont Farms! Association Web site lists 20 farms that offer overnight stays with home-cooked meals. One of the leading agritourism farms, Liberty Hill Farm in Rochester, charges roughly $250 per night for a family to stay on the farm — and some guests even ask to help (a little) with farm chores!

Economic survival

For some farmers, the influx of visitors who willingly pay premium prices for farm products and services is necessary for economic survival. With encroaching development and increased operating costs, many farmers have turned to agritourism to help preserve their way of life.

With this trend, some farmers are asking: Do on-farm attractions take away from the core business of agriculture? “Opening a farm to visitors certainly takes time and resources away from the heart of any farm business, which is food and fiber production,” says Lisa Chase, natural resources specialist with the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension. “But even in cases where a farm focuses exclusively on agritainment, that farm is keeping the land from being paved over and becoming a strip mall or industrial park. And any time in the future, that farmland can revert to food and fiber production.”

According to Beth Kennett, co-owner of Vermont’s Liberty Hill Farm (www.LibertyHillFarm.com) and chair of the Vermont Farms! Association, “Farmers are doing their best to creatively respond to the economic challenges facing them.” When Beth and her husband, Bob, first started milking cows in the White River Valley, there were 11 other working farms in the area. Now there is just one: Liberty Hill Farm.

The Kennetts launched their bed-and-breakfast in the 1980s after a neighbor suggested that the family open its 10-bedroom, 150-year-old farmhouse to the public. “At the time, milk prices were down substantially, and we needed to diversify our income,” said Beth. Today, the B&B hosts about 1,000 guests each year and generates about one-third of the farm’s annual net income.

“At first, I thought we’d be just another B&B,” says Beth, “but I quickly learned that people come here for an authentic experience. They may be nostalgic or seek a sense of place. This gives us a great opportunity to be advocates for agriculture, which is probably the most important thing we do.”

Educational value

UVM’s Dr. Lisa Chase emphasizes the educational value of agritourism. “Agritourism puts a face on farming. When consumers know farmers and their families, they understand a little more about the food and fiber system. Cover Story  

They learn that agriculturalists are focused on land stewardship, and being sustainable for the long term. Agritourism helps the public develop a personal respect for agriculture.”

Spending time on a farm can provide visitors with knowledge of exactly what it takes to produce healthy, safe, high-quality food. Knowledgeable consumers, in turn, become quality-conscious customers and often support public policy initiatives that help sustain the Northeast’s rural heritage.

“Our guests report that when controversial ag topics arise in the media, they immediately think of us,” Beth Kennett says. “After visiting our farm, they appreciate that we protect their food supply and ensure that their milk is safe. When they visit their local grocery store, they remember their farm experience. One guest told us that when she discovered that her store’s ‘fresh corn’ came from New Zealand, she didn’t buy it. Instead, she waited until native New Jersey corn was in season to support local farmers.”

Growth trend

Stu Nunnery, executive director of Rhode Island Center for Ag Promotion and Education, notes that agritourism is expected to increase by 30 percent over the next decade, a trend which is clearly visible across the Northeast. For example:

• Massachusetts: The number of farms that take overnight guests has roughly doubled in a decade to a dozen, and the Massachusetts State Department of Agricultural Resources publishes a map of farms that welcomes tourists.

• New York: New York agriculture is the largest industry in the state, with more than 32,000 farms selling produce valued at more than $18 billion annually. Agritourism combines this industry with tourism, its second largest industry. New York has estimated its agritourism-related income at $210 million and growing.

• Rhode Island: According to Kenneth Ayars, the chief of Rhode Island’s Division of Agriculture, “Rhode Island is ranked second nationally on per farm marketing sales, based on recent USDA figures. This demonstrates the public’s interest in purchasing local farm products directly from the farm, and how we believe it can further Rhode Island agriculture.”

It’s also worth noting that visitors are often more likely to purchase local farm products when they return home (a phenomenon called “placebased” purchasing). These consumers pay a little more for the products, too, because they have an emotional connection to their creation.

Liberty Hill’s Beth Kennett says, “When our guests learn that we are members of the Cabot Cooperative, they buy Cabot Cheese in their local markets, which helps all 1,400 farmers in the cooperative. They drink more milk or buy more cheese because they met one cow in Vermont.”

UVM’s Lisa Chase agrees, “Agritourism has become a key to sustaining agriculture in the Northeast. Increasing competition from national and worldwide commodity markets means that growth in ag revenues will benefit from making the local connection and selling place-based products on the farm or even over the Internet.”

Impact on communities

Agritourism extends beyond the farm gate to communities in rural areas. As farms prosper, so do nearby towns. Consider that visitors to agricultural attractions eat at nearby restaurants, stay at motels and campgrounds and attend county fairs.

“Agritourism is also about sustaining rural communities, and those economies are fragile,” says Roger Clap, of Vermont’s Institute for Sustainable Development. “We all play a significant role in maintaining those economies.”

Beth Kennett adds, “People learn amazing facts when they visit a farm. They learn that agriculture is an important part of our community and its benefits go beyond local fresh products. At Liberty Hill, we use what we have to diversify our farm income and to do that best, we invite the public to see what we do. Our work trickles down to all of agriculture because to the public, we represent farmers and they learn that farmers care about food safety, animals, land and water.”

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If you are interested in exploring agritourism possibilities for your business, a good starting point is the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Web site, www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/RESS/altenterprise. For advice on business planning and financing, contact your local Farm Credit office. s

Contact us at info@firstpioneer.com for more information today!

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