Conferences
Bridging Gaps in Agritourism Operators' Support
Claudia Schmidt and Jason Entsminger
Summary
This presentation focuses on how educators and service providers can effectively support agritourism operators in managing risk and building resilient businesses. Drawing on recent NIFA- and NERME-funded educational projects, it centers on what operators need from Extension and other support organizations. Using insights from national and regional engagement with agritourism operators and support organizations, the presentation highlights how financial, regulatory, infrastructure, and human-capital challenges show up in day-to-day decision making on farms. Examples will illustrate how gaps in business planning skills, understanding of local policies (zoning, building codes, agritourism designations), and limited complementary amenities (lodging, dining, nightlife) can increase risk and constrain agritourism growth. We find that a disconnect appears to exist between service providers and agritourism operators regarding the different risk categories. For example, market demand and basic customer access are generally considered adequate by agritourism support organizations, while producers perceive more issues with consumer interest and complementary destination amenities. Our insights from previous projects are further contextualized with an analysis of recent/ongoing agritourism projects, based on publicly available information, to highlight current gaps and emerging opportunities. The presentation will translate these insights into actionable strategies that service providers can readily apply in their work to build more resilient, sustainable agritourism systems.
Details
| Conference | 2026 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference |
| Presentation Type | 30-Minute Concurrent |