- Author: Chris M. Webb
More good news from UC’s Small Farm Program.
The California Travel & Tourism Commission has released a report that predicts an increase in both domestic and international tourists visiting California over the next five years as the world economy recovers.
2009 was a hard year all round for most traveler-serving businesses, but the worst seems to be over. The report predicts 2010 will see positive growth in both domestic and international travel, with peak growth coming in 2011. Global economic recovery and a weaker dollar will aid the rebound in international travel, with increasing numbers of travelers to California coming from China and India.
For ideas about how to attract some of these visitors to your farm or ranch, contact your local city or county visitors bureau or staff at your closest California Welcome Center.
The travel outlook report comes from the California Travel & Tourism Commission's tourism industry website that provides a vast store of research and promotion resources.
Another great way to increase your agritourism presence…
The UC Small Farm Program hosts a searchable, online directory of California agricultural tourism operations, for use by visitors looking for a farm or ranch to visit. The directory is located at www.CalAgTour.org.
If you are a working farmer or rancher operating an agritourism business, you are invited to complete the application online so your business is included in the directory. If you're already listed, please check your listing, and update it if needed. You can use the sign-up/application form for updates. UC’s Small Farm Program is currently updating and planning new promotions for the directory and would love to include more California farms and ranches open to visitors.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
This great piece of news recently came in courtesy of UC’s Small Farm Program.
The search for liability insurance to cover agritourism activities may have just become a little easier. The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) has created a new product, now approved for California insurance companies to offer as an option for farmers and ranchers who expand their operations beyond producing crops.
Traditional farm commercial liability programs usually exclude coverage for educational and recreational activities undertaken for compensation, but the new Agribusiness Commercial General Liability (AgGL) program covers B&Bs, mazes, tours, hunting and fishing, farm parks, and other activities offered by agritourism operators.
AAIS Vice President Debi Summerlin explains that the new program gives the insurance company tools to be able to charge premiums for these activities by providing ratings for many classifications of tourist activities. Most exposures to risk for agritourism activities are rated based on receipts earned, so an operator can pay a lower premium when starting small.
If you are interested in this new program, ask your current insurance agent to investigate how AgGL might work for your business. Your agent might need to contact AAIS to find a company carrying this product.
To find a local farm or ranch to visit, check out this previous post!
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Preliminary results from the first statewide survey of California agritourism operators show revenue is generated by participating farmers and ranchers.
Agricultural tourism allows visitors (tourists) to experience a taste of agricultural lifestyles. According to the survey, California farmers and ranchers hosted more than 2.4 million agricultural tourists in 2008. Tourism offerings are varied throughout the state. Local, Ventura County agritourism ventures offer: farm and nursery tours; farm stands; petting zoos; picnic and play areas; u-pick produce; lectures and presentations; agriculture-related gifts and crafts; value-added food products; horseback riding and trail rides; camping; nature walks; special events; plants; and cut flowers.
Please see UC Small Farm Program's California Agritourism Database for places to visit. Farmers and ranchers offering agritourism venues can add themselves to the data base. Clicking on “Agritorism resources for operators” on the left-hand side of the screen will take you to a site to view the survey results and much more.
More about agritourism can be found on our previous blog posting, “Agritourism, is it right for you” and by contacting UC’s Small Farm Program at sfcenter@ucdavis.edu or (530) 752-8136.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
UC’s Small Farm Program offers a great deal of science-based information for small farmers. Much can be found on their website.
Once at the UC Small Farm Program page, you will find a lot of information to help your small farm operation. The topics include: specialty crops, food safety, marketing, agritourism and farm management.
In addition to the basic topics the site provides farm operators a quick way to keep track of upcoming events, related news, and more.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Agritourism has been gaining momentum as a way to increase revenue on farms and ranches. It is anticipated that agritourism will continue to grow as people continue to search for ways to connect with nature and learn more about our food systems.
The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Division (UC ANR) has some great resources to help navigate the process – and two of the three are free!
Read below for a description of the free publications:
Agritourism can be a great boon to the California grower, but you have to be aware of your legal responsibilities, get your permits, and follow the rules regarding land use, zoning, public health, and other areas. This gives you a brief overview. (8 pages)
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/FreePublications/8333.aspx
This publication gives you a game plan for navigating the maze of permits, plans, and approvals you will need to get in order before you launch a potentially profitable agritourism enterprise on your California farm or ranch. (6 pages)
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/FreePublications/8334.aspx
If after reviewing the free publications you are interested in finding out more, UC ANR has a priced publication, Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California, which provides more in depth information.
The chapters include:
- Evaluating Your Resources: Is Tourism for You?
- Creating Your Business Plan
- Navigating Legal Constraints
- Developing Your Risk-Management Plan
- Forming Your Marketing Strategy
- Resources for Success
- Planning Farm Visits for Children
To find out more about the book, please visit http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/SmallFarms/3484.aspx. By clicking on the “search in this book link”, provided by Google, you can get a feel if the publication is right for you and your operation before purchasing. The book can also be viewed and studied for free at your local University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) office. To be safe, call first and make sure it is available before driving to the office.
If you decide to purchase this great resource, purchase online and save 10%. Use promotion code PRVEN56 at check out to receive the discount. In addition to saving you money, a portion of the proceeds will benefit local programs!