Agritourism is defined as the connection of tourism and agriculture. The main goals of the travel industry are to increase visitation and extend overnight stays, which in turn expands revenue. According to Jane Eckert of Eckert AgriMarketing, agritourism takes those travel industry goals one step farther to increase revenue from on-farm activities, protect the farm from fluctuating markets, expand on-farm employment, provide off-season income, improve business sustainability, diversify farm operations and preserve land for future generations.

“The current U.S. travel industry trends are a natural tie to agritourism,” Eckert said. “People are taking an increased number of shorter trips, within driving distance and planning those trips at the last minute.”

“People are looking for new experiences - most people today are four generations removed from the farm,” Eckert said. “They want to capture family memories of picking their own produce, chasing chickens around the farm or petting baby animals. Agritourism allows producers to tap into that market.”

Eckert should know. In 2001, the North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA) honored her as the farm marketer of the year for her work with her family's apple orchard outside St. Louis, Mo. Eckert developed Eckert's Country Store and Farms in Belleville, Ill., into one of the most successful retail and entertainment farms in America. Today, it is a top attraction that draws more than 400,000 guests annually.

Passionate about saving family farms and ranches, Eckert left the family business in 2002 to offer her consulting, marketing services and workshops to assist other producers around the country.

According to Eckert, agritourism provides the enjoyment, adventure, relaxation and education that busy families are looking for today.

She maintains there are three levels of agritourism. Level I simply involves selling what you grow from a farm stand, tent or small store. A Level II operation creates an authentic farm experience that can be simple or involved and may include an expanded retail area in a permanent building and activities that offer a variety of options such as play areas, pick-your-own produce, corn mazes, workshops, petting zoos, concessions, etc. A Level III operation graduates to a large retail shopping destination/facility that is open year-round with a restaurant, permanent restrooms, paved parking and major special events.

Eckert advises that all producers considering agritourism as a side business must first start with their property and evaluate the size, buildings, geographic location and farm setting itself.

“Look at the physical assets you have and objectively evaluate how you could potentially turn those into dollars,” Eckert said.

Then, producers need to look at their family. Is there a desire for children to work on the farm? What are the skills and talents of each family member? What personalities of each family member would be good in what specific areas for a farm destination? What are the hobbies and interests of each family member? Is there a way to incorporate those?

Agritourism requires dealing with the public and some farm operators prefer a quieter operation without the traffic, customers and direct marketing. For those undaunted by the social aspects required for an agritourism operation, there are two major issues facing agritourism operations.

Agritourism is not a regulated farm business. When it comes to underwriting an operation for insurance purposes, each one is different and the policies and premiums vary state to state and operation to operation. “The best option for producers to find out how their rates compare is to call other operators in their state and see who they go to or even network with businesses out of state,” Eckert said.

Zoning issues are also a struggle in some states. According to Eckert, producers in some states are facing a tough battle in trying to educate county commissioners on the importance of the industry within the county. “New homes and new developments with asphalt do not revert back to farming operations,” Eckert said. "It's a tough battle of education and preservation over the gold mine of urban development."

Eckert dreams of a national standard and national policy for some of these crucial issues facing agritourism operators. “I don’t believe it should be such an individual battle,” Eckert said. “If we had group-based policies or really looked at the big picture and developed some national standards and marketing awareness, it would be fantastic.”

According to Eckert, agritourism operations need to target two distinct groups - those visitors traveling in cars and those in the group market, which include school buses and motor homes, as well as those traveling in the area for other reasons, such as the World Series.

The first step in marketing your farm is to take care of the basics. “Look and see your farm through your customers’ eyes,” Eckert said. “The customer will have an almost Norman Rockwell image of farming - no trash on the ground, clean, kept-up buildings, parking areas, landscaping and flowers are all important.”

Eckert advises creating a farm ambiance and paying attention to that first impression through signage to direct them to the farm, welcome signage at the farm with a country feel and continuous improvements to the grounds, facilities and offerings.

“This is a business that requires time, people, resources and creativity,” Eckert said. “You need a love for the land, the agricultural products you are producing and the communities you are serving. Reach out to all those that can be of assistance to you.”

For specific consulting questions on marketing agritourism, consult Jane Eckert at www.eckertagrimarketing.com. For more information on agritourism operations, business development assistance and agritourism examples, visit www.agmrc.org.