Sarah Sager is reporting for WHSV online that in these times of economic uncertainty, agritourism may be essential for farmers struggling the most. While farm land is disappearing from the Virginia landscape, officials in Augusta County are seeing a “boost” in available farm land,” which they attribute agritourism.Augusta County Board of Supervisors member, Nancy Sorrells, believes this is just the beginning for agritourism. Sorrells says, “"There's no doubt it's bringing in money but I just don't think it's reached its full potential.’ And the money agritourism is bringing to the county, may be worth just a little bit more. “"If I take a dollar and spend it in the community, that's just a dollar. But this community has to build roads that I use, has to build schools. But, if a visitor comes here and spends a dollar it's really worth five dollars because they go home,’ says Sorrells.”
As important as the land and agriculture community is to Virginia, the embrace of agritourism may be just the power source to keep the agriculture economy in Virginia chugging along in these tough times.
Some readers may wonder just what agritourism entails. Agritourism offers a variety of tourist activities for those who like being outdoors and are interested in food production. Agritourism could be going to a winery, a dairy, horseback riding, picking pumpkins, cutting down your own Christmas tree, purchasing products from road-side stand, hiking through a corn field, and so on. It is hard to define completely because it is an industry that lends itself to changing with the times.
One website describes agritourism as, “the practice of attracting visitors and travelers to agricultural areas, generally for educational and recreational purposes.”
To read the WHSV online story click here
To read more about agritourism click here
Posted: 12/17/09
