# Is Agrotourism Really Eco-Friendly?

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/09/is-agrotourism-really-eco-friendly/
- Published: 2016-09-13T00:18:57-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

Courtesy of Kelly Pemberton, Ph.D., a mother and Owner of [Green and Prosperous](http://www.greenandprosperous.com)

Agritourism, or agrotourism, as it’s also known, is often described as the intersection
between agriculture and tourism. Broadly, it refers to the activity of visiting 
a working farm (or ranch). These days, it’s considered a form of eco-tourism because
it aims to be small-scale, environmentally low-impact, and involves educating paying
visitors in some way. Farm owners also aim to showcase their products and, in many
cases, invite visitors to harvest some of their produce. While agrotourism is an
increasingly popular activity around the world, it is not a new one. However, it
has changed a lot in recent years, especially in the US.

## The History of Agrotourism

Agrotourism originated in Italy as early as the 1950s. Italian farmers began exploring
agrotourism as an additional source of revenue following the economic decline of
most small-scale farming in that country. These days, agritourism has reached the
heights of sophistication, sometimes offering guests luxury accommodations, fine
wine, and high cuisine. Around the world, agrotourism has come to mean a wide variety
of things, from buying fresh goods at a farm or farm stand to do activities on a
farm (like navigating a corn maze or going on a hay ride) to staying in traveler
accommodations on a working farm to traveling to natural and/or endangered areas
with the express goal of raising awareness or helping the local environment.

In the US, agrotourism has evolved into one of the fastest-growing segments of eco-
tourism, one that is increasingly linked with the issue of sustainability.

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cc by 2 0 httpcreativecommons Orglicensesby2 0 via wikimedia commons⌉⌊The hayride
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the hayride attribution By Virginia State Parks staff NT Hayride Uploaded by AlbertHerring
CC BY 20 [httpcreativecommonsorglicensesby20](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
via Wikimedia Commons

If you like buying fresh produce or meats directly from farms or farmers’ markets,
if you are thinking about traveling to a working farm or ranch, if you are an environmentally
conscious person (or want to be), or if you’d like to do something to promote small-
scale farms, there are a few things that have changed about agritourism that you
should be aware of, five of which are discussed in this post.

## Crop Diversity

First, agrotourism farms tend to be more diverse than other kinds of farms. This
is a good thing for many reasons, but one reason is that it means that farms offering
agrotourism are providing a much-needed alternative to the monocropping that is 
prevalent on large [industrial farms](https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/08/industrial-agriculture-farm-impact-on-the-environment/).

Monocropping refers to the practice of planting the same crops in the same places
year after year. It’s the way that most corn, soy, and wheat are grown nowadays,
all in the interest of feeding market demand (pun intended).

Monocropping depletes the soil of nutrients, which means that the produce being 
grown in it also lacks the full range of nutrients it should have. All farmers agree
that monocropping is a harmful practice, but many still do it out of perceived necessity
or constraint. Obviously, the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century, the U.
S. Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and the ongoing collapse of bee colonies around the world,
all of which were brought on directly or indirectly by monocropping and its associated
practices, have not been enough to teach the hard lessons of history.

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Dane County Farmers Market Madison WI attribution By Kznf Own work Public Domain
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## Innovation in Farming

Second, agritourism farms tend to be more innovative and better integrated into 
the broader economy. According to the 2012 Agricultural Resource Management Survey(
ARMS), published by the US Department of Agriculture, agrotourism farms engage in
more niche products and activities than their non-agrotourism counterparts. For 
example, they produce “value-added products” like fruit jams, floral arrangements,
pasta sauce, or dried herbs; generate renewable energy or engage in machine hire
or work for other farms, and engage more with their local communities. The farmers
who run these operations are also more likely to have a college education, use the
internet for business, and pay for management advice.

## Rural Development

Third, agrotourism is increasingly seen as a useful tool for rural development. 
In Italy, the highly developed agritourism industry has come to symbolize pride 
in regional history and connects local food cultures and international communities.
Although there are challenges that rural farms in the US face that may not be faced
by their Italian counterparts, like being more isolated, developing agritourism 
could work, over time, to produce the same effects: linking locally grown foods 
to regional history and providing new opportunities to younger farmers (especially
those who might otherwise be inclined to abandon family farms). In some areas of
the US, agritourism could provide a much-needed revenue boost to smaller-scale farms.
As the industry further expands, it will make important and ongoing contributions
to rural development.

## Earnings

Fourth, agrotourism farms tend to earn more. However, they still don’t earn much.
For example, in the US, only 1 out of 7 farms earn over $25,000 annually from agrotourism
operations. Most earnings are under $5,000. The one exception to this general rule
seems to be with some hydroponic growers. [Hydroponics](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/01/how-to-set-up-your-own-hydroponics-system/)
is the art of growing without soil. Rather, you directly add nutrients to the water
or other growing medium. Indoor hydroponic growing operations are among the most
lucrative small-scale farming technologies. That’s because they offer the ability
to grow more produce in less space. Moreover, within a potentially shorter time 
frame, with less labor and virtually no crop loss to insect and weather damage. 
Currently, however, hydroponic farms only account for a small percentage of growing
operations.

As I noted in an earlier blog [post](http://www.greenandprosperous.com/blog/2014/5/11/the-importance-of-eating-local),
the majority of small-scale, local farmers put in a lot of hard work with little
financial reward and need your support. If the market for agritourism in the US 
continues to grow, it will likely spur incentives. For instance, the federal government
may offer incentives for farmers to participate in agritourism activities. The 2014
Farm Bill and the recently passed 2016 Ohio agritourism bill are two steps in the
right direction.

## Beware of Greenwashing

Last, and maybe most important, agritourism – like with the entire [green industry](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/05/bmw-i-invest-in-green-lithium-mangrove-technology/)–
has attracted its fair share of “greenwashing.” Greenwashing occurs when a manufacturer
or provider of services markets their business as more environmentally sound than
it really is.

If you are considering agritourism, it’s important to ask the right questions. Does
the farm practice low-impact, ecologically sound growing? Or does it engage in sustainable
practices, such as using renewable materials? Does it offer quality products? How
does the local community feel about the farm? Do the tourist facilities damage the
local ecosystem in unnecessary ways?

Greenwashing has affected the travel and tourism industry just as much as any other.
If you are considering a farm stay or other form of agritourism, ensure you are 
not contributing to the problem.

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
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