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Announcements

NCR-SARE Funds Over 110 Midwestern Projects

The North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program has announced the projects funded through its annual grant programs. More than 110 projects examining sustainable agriculture in the Midwest were awarded in excess of $2.7 million through NCR-SARE’s competitive grant programs.

For the 2012 Farmer Rancher Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $545,000 to 53 projects ranging from $1,264 to $22,500. The Farmer Rancher Grant Program is a grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration and education projects.

For the 2012 Research and Education Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $1.5 million to nine projects ranging from $47,067 to $200,000. Research and Education projects include an outreach component and significant farmer/rancher involvement from inception of the idea through implementation of the project.

Earlier this year, NCR-SARE awarded more than $441,000 to six projects ranging from $42,472 to $75,000 for the 2011 Professional Development Grant Program. The Professional Development Grant Program addresses emerging issues in the farm community, using farmers as educators.

To access more information about the grants funded in your state, visit the NCR-SARE website, where you can view a funded grants list for every state.

Home » Markets & Industries

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.

Overview

According to the U.S. Travel Association, travel and tourism contributes $758 billion in expenditures to the U.S. economy and directly generates more than 7.4 million jobs. Travel and tourism generates $117.6 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments, with the restaurant industry accounting for the majority of this economic activity.

Travel and tourism is the nation's largest services export industry, the third-largest retail sales industry (following auto and food store sales) and one of the largest U.S. employers.

Top destinations for summer travel, according to a survey by the American Society of Travel Agents, include Florida, Nevada, California, New York and Hawaii. Top cities to visit are Orlando, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami and Los Angeles.

Market Trends

Active Outdoor Recreation Economy Report, Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2007 - An executive summary of key consumer findings on outdoor activities by the Outdoor Industry Foundation.
Aero-tourism. Landing on a Rural Opportunity, The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, 2001 - Aero-tourism describes getting pilots and passengers from a local airport to surrounding areas of interest. This study examined data on the number of airports, locations and airport transportation.
American Society of Travel Agents - This organization surveys the top domestic U.S. vacation locations.
Center for Hospitality Research, Cornell University - This university site offers research on hospitality issues.
Consumer Expenditures, Bureau of Labor Statistics - Spending for entertainment is included.
Discover America - Select a place to visit by state or activity.
ETurboNews, Global Travel Industry News
Fascinatin’ Factories, Farm Industry News, 2004 - A list of tours offered by U.S. farm equipment manufacturers.
Heritage Tourism and the Federal Government: Summit II - The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation hosted a meeting of Federal agencies in 2003 to discuss cultural heritage tourism activities.
Hospitality Trends - This Web site offers links on travel trends and related information.
Hotel Online - Where the hospitality industry meets online.
National Household Travel Survey, U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics - This survey, conducted in 2009 by the Federal Highway Administration, features data on long-distance and local travel by U.S. consumers.
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - This survey, last conducted in 2006, reports the amount of time and money people spend for fishing, hunting and wildlife watching.
National Tour Association - This trade organization represents those involved in the growth and development of the packaged travel industry.
North American Trade and Travel Trends, U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics - This document reports trends in U.S. international trade and passenger travel with Mexico and Canada.
Office of Travel & Tourism Industries - This is the U.S. government’s official site, which provides statistics on inbound and outbound travel to the United States.
Outdoor Recreation in America, American Recreation Coalition - This site offers research and statistics on U.S. recreation.
Recreation.gov, National Recreation Reservation Service - This is a one-stop government initiative for recreational activities.
Recreation, Tourism and Rural Well-Being, Economic Research Service, USDA, 2005.
Seventy-five Percent of Families Took a Vacation This Summer, PRWeb, 2009.
Tourism and Community Development, Resources and Applied Research Clearinghouse, University of Wisconsin.
Tourism Center, University of Minnesota.
Tourism Resources, National Agricultural Library, Rural Information Center, USDA.
Travel and Tourism Research Association - The international association of travel research and marketing professionals.
Travel Facts & Statistics, U.S. Travel Association.
United States Tour Operators Association
U.S. Travel Association - This association tracks travel indicators on a monthly basis and publishes reports on overall travel trends.
World Tourism Organization - This international organization annually publishes market demand and tourism highlights.

Industry Structure

Agricultural Tourism, University of California Small Farm Center - This site includes a review of agritourism in Great Britain and New England, and a database of agritourism operations.
Nature-based Tourism and Agri Tourism Trends: Unlimited Opportunities, NRCS, USDA - This site gives an overview of agritourism and a listing of possible enterprises.

Revised April 2012.

Agritourism

Partially Funded by USDA Rural Development
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