agritourism

This week, Oregon's Ron Wyden teamed up with Republican senator Ted Budd from North Carolina, to introduce the bipartisan AGRITOURISM Act.

Governor Tina Kotek said last week she heard anxiety and frustration over the possibility of new rules for farmstands and agritourism in Oregon.

In 2023, small family farms sold $2.4 billion worth of food commodities directly to consumers, more than any other farm type, through outlets like farmers’ markets, farm stands, and community-supported agriculture.

More and more farmers are looking for alternative income streams and ways to bolster their farms’ bottom line. One way is through direct-to-consumer sales.

Agritourism and the economic and social opportunity it provides, the family farms and communities they serve, continues to expand.   “There are large, diverse opportunities there and it really depends on your situation, your farm, and what you produce,” noted Audrey Comerford of Oregon State University Extension.   The div...

Last week, central Washington’s Dan Newhouse and Virginia Representative Suhas Subramanyam introduced legislation creating an Office of Agritourism at USDA.  They say the bipartisan Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces Act, better known as the AGRITOURISM Act will represent the interests of agritourism busines

Not only is agritourism as an industry growing, so is data to better recognize and understand the sector and its trends.  Audrey Comerford of Oregon State University Extension broke down the data from the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture.   “1.9 m...

Washington State University Extension is working with foresters in the western part of the state to tap an emerging market.  Thanks to funding from the state Department of Agriculture, WSU Extension is supporting bigleaf maple syrup production.    ...

Willamette Valley counties see agritourism revenues over $985 million, with direct sales leading the way.

This legislation would create an Office of Agritourism at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to serve as a dedicated voice for agritourism businesses in the federal government and to consolidate federal resources to sustain agritourism businesses, such as loans, grants, and broadband connectivity programs.