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Agritourism

Agricultural tourism is a commercial enterprise at a working farm, ranch or agricultural plant conducted for the enjoyment or education of visitors, and that generates supplemental income for the owner.

Agritourism can include farm stands or shops, U-pick, farm stays, tours, on-farm classes, fairs, festivals, pumpkin patches, Christmas tree farms, winery weddings, orchard dinners, youth camps, barn dances, hunting or fishing, guest ranches, and more.

The UC Small Farm Program, working with county-based UC Cooperative Extension farm advisors, provides resources for agritourism operators and hosts California's statewide directory of agritourism operations.

On this page:

• Survey of agritourism operators 2009
• Business planning & management
• Marketing an agritourism operation
• Permits & regulations
• More information

Survey of agritourism operators 2009

Researchers from UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Small Farm Program conducted California's first statewide economic survey of agritourism operators in 2009. Early findings are now available.

• First statewide agritourism survey yields early results
  This article is an overview of preliminary findings from the 2009 survey, from Small Farm News vol. 2, 2009.
• Survey of California agritourism operators (1.96 MB)
  This presentation shares additional data and graphs, and was first presented at the 2009 National Extension Tourism Conference

Business planning & management

• Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California (2005)
  This 160-page workbook aims to assist farmers and ranchers in developing an agritourism enterprise.
• Planning and Managing Agritourism and Nature Tourism Enterprises: A Handbook (2006)
  This 44-page primer includes articles on topics related to starting an agritourism operation and has a chapter on creating a business plan.

• Factsheets and worksheets for getting started:
  • Assessing Your Assets
  • Assessing Your Preferences, Options and Goals
  • Adding Value and Personalizing Your Services
  • From A to Z: Potential Enterprises for Agricultural and Nature Tourism
  • Creating a Business Plan
  • Conducting Farm and Ranch Tours
  • Safety and Risk Management

Marketing an agritourism operation

• Survey of agritourism visitors: These research briefs (PDFs) from the Small Farm Center are based on a 2004-2005 survey of residents in Yolo and Sacramento Counties, to examine consumer trends and agritourism.
  • Information Channels Reaching Agricultural and On-Farm Nature Tourism Visitors (2007)
  • Consumer Demand for Agricultural and On-Farm Nature Tourism (2005)

• General California tourism information
  Statistics and information from the California Travel & Tourism Commission.

• Marketing factsheets:
• Why People Vacation
• On-Farm Customer Relations
• Marketing Equals the Four Ps
• Tips for Building Marketing and Community Partnerships
• Top Marketing Ideas for Agritourism Operations

Permits & regulations

• Planning for and Regulating Agritourism in California
  Resources and links with examples of regulatory language related to agritourism in California, intended primarily for use by county planners, agritourism advisory committees, regulators and other decision makers.
• Agritourism enterprises on your farm or ranch: Where to start (2008)
  Peer-reviewed, 6-page article (PDF) with step-by-step introduction to dealing with regulations, for agritourism operators.
• Agritourism enterprises on your farm or ranch: Understanding regulations (2008)
  Peer-reviewed, 8-page article (PDF) that explains categories of regulations affecting agritourism operators, including which rules fall under whose jurisdiction.
• Obstacles in the Agritourism Regulatory Process (2003)
  Brief (PDF) from the UC Agricultural Issues Center examines perspectives of agritourism operators and officials in 10 California counties.
• AB 2168: New farm stand regulations expand options
  This article from Small Farm News explains AB 2168, which took effect in 2009.
• AB 1258: California Agricultural Homestay Bill
  Text of the bill.

More information

• What is Agritourism?
  Defines various types of agritourism operations
• Agritourism case studies
  Articles and presentations by members of the UC Agricultural and Nature Tourism Workgroup
• Small Farm News Agritourism Farm Profiles
  Archived stories of individual agritourism operations in California and elsewhere.
• Additional Agritourism links