Indiana Agritourism Training Initiative

Indiana Agritourism Training Initiative

Summary

Sixty “Educators” and 115 producers participated in the pre-conference agri-tourism workshop to the 2005 Indiana Horticulture Congress. Forty- five “Educators” and 67 producers participated in five Workshops conducted at agri-tourism venues around the State. Partnering and collaboration is taking place between “Educators” and other “Educators” as well as Producers.

Nx Level classes (Business Planning class) are being coordinated around the State in order to accommodate clusters of “Educators” and producers who have shown an interest in participating in the program in order to start an agri-tourism venture. The agri-tourism resource guide is being developed by input via web template.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The short-term outcomes of this project will include an increased awareness of the agri-tourism potential by Educators across the state. 30 Educators will increase their knowledge of the resources and partners that can assist producers in starting agri-tourism ventures on their farms. 25 Educators and 25 producers will complete the Nx Level program. This will be broken down to five Educators and five Producers taking the program at five regional sites around the State. 25 Educators will increase their knowledge in the steps needed to build an agri-tourism venture, with 25 Educators gaining the skills to help producers write business plans, and 30 Educators will consider agri-tourism a viable endeavor for sustainability on the farm by attending the workshops around the state.

Medium outcomes include that 25 Educators will use skills learned to assist producers in building agri-tourism businesses on their farms, 20 Educators will facilitate the development of agri-tourism teams around the state, five Educators will conduct local workshops as a result of this training initiative, and 20 Educators will use the resource guide.

The long-term outcome will be that a statewide network will be established to foster agri-tourism enterprises that will contribute to farm and rural sustainability.

Accomplishments/Milestones

• 2005 Statewide Horticulture Congress Agri-tourism workshop completed

  Five of six Regional Agri-tourism Educational Workshops Completed

  2006 Statewide Horticulture Congress Agri-tourism workshop planned

  One more Regional Workshop planned for Jan. 13th

  Nx Level Workshops Business Planning Classes) are being planned

  Resource Guide input gathered and delivered via web, CD and Hard Copy

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Sixty “educators” and 115 producers attended and participated in the pre-conference workshop to the 2005 Indiana Horticulture Congress.

Forty five “educators” and 67 producers participated in five Workshops conducted at agri-tourism venues around the State. (goal was 30)

Partnering and collaboration is taking place between “Educators” and producers”. Nx Level classes are being coordinated around the State in order to accommodate clusters of “Educators” and producers who have shown an interest in the program. (21 Educators and 19 Entrepreneurs have asked to participate in the Nx Level Class –Business Planning Workshop)

The agri-tourism resource guide is being developed by input via a web template.

Collaborators: