Agritourism as an "Ambassador" for Agriculture - Expanding Sustainable Agriculture and Farm Diversification Success

Project Overview

SNE24-014-WV
Project Type: PDP State Program
Funds awarded in 2024: $164,961.00
Projected End Date: 09/30/2027
Grant Recipient: West Virginia University
Region: Northeast
State: West Virginia
State Coordinator:
Dr. Doolarie Singh-Knights, Ph.D.
West Virginia University

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Farm Business Management: agritourism, budgets/cost and returns, business planning, community-supported agriculture, cooperatives, e-commerce, farm-to-institution, farm-to-restaurant, farmers' markets/farm stands, farm succession, feasibility study, financial management, grant making, labor/employment, market study, marketing management, new enterprise development, risk management, value added, whole farm planning
  • Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, community development, community planning, local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, partnerships, quality of life, sustainability measures, values-based supply chains

    Proposal abstract:

    This project will provide whole-farm planning and risk-management training and support to 25 agritourism service providers working with agritourism operations in WV, to empower them to help producers implement sustainable agritourism diversification strategies to complement viable agricultural operations, earn a livable wage, and address the opportunities and challenges of farming in the 21st century. To this end, this project will develop a “Holistic Agritourism Training Toolbox”, provide ATSPs professional development, and provide mentoring, community ‘clustering’ partnerships, and networking opportunities to support these ATSPs who collectively serve 100+ agritourism operators. This project will also support the strengthening and expansion of the newly formed WV Agritourism Association as a way to grow networking and partnerships within the WV agritourism ecosystem. Our efforts will help WV agritourism operators improve the viability and sustainability of their operations, and the development of the local agritourism sector through comprehensively addressing the following crucial interlinked issues - strengthening rural agribusiness productivity and creativity, building agribusiness and tourism entrepreneurial partnerships, promoting sustainable agriculture and tourism, and encouraging agribusiness and rural community.

    Performance targets from proposal:

    At the end of this project, 25 agricultural (agritourism) service providers (ATSPs) will gain practical knowledge and skills needed to design, develop and deliver agritourism training programs for their producers that are starting, expanding or modifying their agritourism operations. Ten (10) of these ATSPs will implement one (1) training event each, reaching at least eight (8) producers each (80 total producers reached). Ten (10) of these agricultural service providers will use this information, and work together to design, develop and deliver four (4) "regional agritourism clusters/trails" throughout WV, involving at least ten (10) producers per cluster/trail (40 total farms). 

    Forty (40) producers managing about 400 acres will adopt at least four (4) recommended actions in agritourism whole-farm planning and risk management, and report improvements to their new, expanded or modified agritourism operations. Examples of improvements include increased revenue from admission fees or sale of value-added products; improved cash flow; increased visitors; or new partnerships formed because of joining clusters/trails.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.