Teaching & Supporting Agritourism

Farmers and ranchers often turn to UC Cooperative Extension advisors and other agricultural educators for help navigating agritourism challenges. Agritourism operators partner with tourism and hospitality professionals and are assisted by community and economic development people. This section provides resources for these supportive professionals.

Agendas, presentations, handouts and other resources

(from the "Teaching and Supporting Agritourism" professional development workshops offered Winter 2017-18 by UC SAREP)

Sample workshop agendas and workshop materials

• Agendas, materials & presentations from 2015-16 3-session "Agritourism Intensive" class for farmers and ranchers considering or expanding agritourism operations, held in Modesto, Redding and Quincy
• Agenda for example one-day agritourism workshop: Oceanside "Getting Started with Agritourism" workshop, 2017
• Agendas, presentations and notes from four 2017 Regional Agritourism Summits organized by UC Small Farm Program

Navigating permits and regulations (and the process of change)

• Presentation: Issues and Resources for Navigating Permitting and Regulations - Karen Giovannini, Agriculture Ombudsman, UCCE Sonoma County
  • Website resource: Regulatory requirement "fact sheets" for various value-added agricultural activities
• Presentation: El Dorado County Case Study - Designing Regulations to Promote Agritourism - Tom Purciel, Associate Planner, El Dorado County
  • El Dorado County wineries allowed uses matrix, adopted Dec.2015
  • El Dorado County ranch marketing uses in LA and PA zones adopted Dec. 2015

Teaching Business Planning

• Presentation: Training Farmers and Ranchers in Business Planning - Cindy Fake, UCCE Placer & Nevada Counties
  • Website resources: Foothill Farming: Farm Business Planning, created by UC Cooperative Extension Placer/Nevada, Cindy Fake, County Director and Small Farms Advisor
• Handout: Two Page Business Plan - Joseph Molina, Veterans Chamber of Commerce

Marketing Partners

• Presentation: Destination Marketing Organization - Kimberly Adams, Visit Temecula Valley

Resources for Agricultural Marketing Groups/Farm Trails

• Marketing Regional Farms and Wineries:  A Guide for California Agricultural Marketing Groups
• Building a Farm Trail Project: Examples of farm trail map development and resources for collaborative agritourism marketing.

Additional resources for teaching and supporting agritourism:

• Website: Extension Training for Agritourism Development, Created by Rutgers University Extension - Project Director Brian Schilling
• Website: Integrating Safety into Agritourism - walkthroughs, checklists and resources, created by the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
• Website: Agritourism Ready: Agritourism Emergency Preparedness - A one stop shop for preparing your emergency management plan, created by Ohio State University Extension