Agritourism Expanding as Farmers Seek Diversified Income

The field of agritourism is expanding, as farmers seek to diversify and supplement revenue streams and hold onto farmland. As interest in various types of agritourism grows, the University of Minnesota has assigned an extension educator to supporting agritourism operations and helping connect them to each other and to the business resources they need to succeed. Agritourism includes a variety of different operations, from once-a-year special events to u-pick fruit, farmstays, and wedding venues. A feature in DTN Progressive Farmer reports USDA data that says agritourism generated $1.26 billion in income for farms in 2022. USDA data also show that about 1.5% of U.S. farms reported agritourism income in 2022, earning on average $44,000 per operation.