Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
Practices
- Education and Training: extension, networking, workshop
- Farm Business Management: new enterprise development, marketing management, agricultural finance, value added, agritourism
- Sustainable Communities: employment opportunities, sustainability measures
Abstract:
The rise in the popularity of agritourism has brought a need for information specific to this industry. As a result, producers are looking to agricultural professionals for help in developing agritourism on their farms. This project provided training to over 100 professionals in Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina. The project included workshops in North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. In addition, educational materials were created. In addition, an agritourism association was created in Georgia, an agritourism faculty position was created at Tennessee Tech University, and zoning regulations have been formulated in Georgia. All of the materials are available online at NCState and UGA.
Project objectives:
The objectives for the agritourism training program are:
1. After participating in the agritourism training workshop, extension agents and other agricultural professionals will have the background to identify issues that are significant to agritourism. The agents and farmers will use the manual to evaluate the economic feasibility of potential agritourism operations. The manual will allow the agents and farmers to work through the various regulatory, legal, marketing and financial issues facing agritourism operations and enable them to more effectively evaluate the business opportunity.
2. One hundred extension agents will learn how evaluate the feasibility of a new agritourism enterprise, identify legal and regulatory issues, and develop a marketing strategy in two-day agritourism workshops in Georgia and North Carolina. Tennessee and South Carolina extension agents will be invited to attend.
3. Fifty extension agents who cannot attend the workshop will complete the agritourism training via a web based and CD-ROM training.
4. The one hundred training participants will utilize the training and resources in their county. Twenty-five extension agents will organize agritourism programs as a result of the training.
5. Twenty farm families will explore agritourism as an opportunity to diversify their operations by using the resources developed from training.
6. As a result of this training, Georgia and North Carolina will conduct an agritourism workshop. In addition agents will work with 10 farmers from each state.