WORKSHOP 5: AGRICULTURAL & CULINARY TOURISM
WORKSHOP 5a:
AGRICULTURAL & CULINARY TOURISM
SKYKOMISH AND SNOHOMISH RIVER VALLEYS
RURAL TOURISM WORKSHOP SERIES
OVERVIEW
To truly be connected to a place is to understand the food and products that are produced there. The markets for both culinary tourism and agri-tourism are growing rapidly, and while the two are not synonymous, they are closely related due to their focus on food. Additionally, these two segments spread the benefits of the tourism economy further into the community - impacting farmers, restaurants, and craft producers. Farmers do not necessarily have a background in tourism, and tourism professionals do not necessarily have an understanding of farming or agriculture. This workshop addresses this gap and is designed to connect interested parties in the region, demonstrate successful agri-tourism models and clarify insurance and risk management issues unique to this segment. By connecting farms to value-added processors and chefs, and connecting visitors to farms, communities can showcase their unique specialties to enrich visitor experiences, and enhance local quality of life.
Participants will:
1. Develop familiarity with market trends related to culinary and agricultural tourism.
2. Build understanding of the variety of visitor experiences based on culinary and agritourism assets, as well as the types of visitors who seek such experiences.
3. Become familiar with existing state and regional efforts to develop and promote agricultural and culinary tourism.
4. Gain common understanding of the specific opportunities and challenges facing the region with respect to increasing culinary and agricultural tourism.
5. Identify the area’s assets that are best suited for culinary and agricultural tourism development, and ways in which these assets can be strengthened and connected for high quality visitor experiences and local economic benefit.
6. Identify and prioritize strategies for increased culinary and agricultural tourism development.
SUGGESTED RULES OF THE WORKSHOP SERIES· Be present and open-minded. No distractions (silence cell phones, please).
· Be respectful and courteous: be open to differing opinions.
· Switch seats and meet new people.
· Be prepared. Follow-up on actions you committed to.
· Be on time. Sessions and breaks will start and end on time.
· Have fun!
WORKSHOP 5: AGENDA
Tuesday, May 3, 2016 - 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
8:30 am Welcome & Registration
9:00 am Introduction and Welcome, Agenda overview
Participant Introductions
Review past workshops
Understanding the Culinary and Agritourism Industry
What is Agritourism and Culinary Tourism? Who is the Agri-tourist?
What does agritourism look like in your region?
Asset identification
Issues and Obstacles
Panel discussion:
· Keith Stocker – Stocker Farms
· Karmel Ackerman – Fibers of the World
· Sarah Dylan-Jensen – Snohomish Farmers Market
· John Postema – Marshland Orchards
· Ryan Hembree – Skip Rock Distillers
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Learning through case studies
Visioning a world-class agritourism sector here
Developing Innovative Agritourism Products
Harnessing your community story
Identify opportunities & challenges
Identifying Opportunities & Challenges
Wrap up and next steps
4:00 pm Adjourn!
UNDERSTANDING THE CULINARY AND AGRITOURISM INDUSTRY
What is Culinary and Agritourism?
Agritourism:
Business at a working farm or woodland, ranch or agricultural plant conducted for the enjoyment and education of visitors, while generating supplemental income for the owner. (Agricultural master Plan for Clackamas County)
Culinary Tourism:
The pursuit of unique and memorable food and drinking experiences. (Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance)
Overlap:
On-farm culinary events. Off-farm incorporation of locally grown foods
Culinary and Agritourism Trends
National data sources support the economic development potential of agritourism. Nearly two-thirds of all U.S. adults (87 million) took a trip to a rural destination from 2002 to 2005 (Geisler 2011), and more than 82 million people visited farms during a
one-year period in 2000 and 2001, including approximately 20 million youth and children under the age of 16 (U.S. Forest Service 2003).
The economic impact of agritourism has not been thoroughly researched, however, a variety of state surveys have indicated an importance to the local farm economy. In California, half the operators responding to a state survey reported less than $10,000 in revenues for 2008, while 21 percent (55) had Agritourism revenues of $100,000 or more; one-third of the operators had annual gross profits of between $10,000 and $99,000 (Rilla et al. 2011).
Regulatory Challenges
A key impediment to the growth of Agritourism in Washington State is that many Agritourism experiences that are successful in other destinations might be illegal in your area. Because Agritourism crosses many different regulatory bodies - food, farming, liquor, public spaces, lodging, etc - it may be difficult to know if the activity you want to offer is allowed in your area. Forming an Agritourism coalition with farmers, tourism professionals, county staff, and culinary purveyors could be a good way to tackle the issue together.
Success story in Oregon:
Senate Bill 341 - Agritourism Bill: “Recognizes that there are inherent risks for agritourism professionals when welcoming the public onto their working land - whether it be riding horseback, walking on uneven ground or using hand-tools. Its passage provides further protection for ranchers and farmers interested in adding value and revenue to their current operations by tapping into the growing agritourism market.”
RESOURCES FOR FUNDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Agricultural Product Development:
· Washington State Department of Agriculture: Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
o Under the Farm Bill, WSDA receives grant funding from USDA to enhance the competitiveness of Washington's specialty crops. WSDA conducts an annual competitive application process to award grant funds.
o Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. Eligible plants must be intensively cultivated and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops.
· USDA Rural Development: Value-Added Producer program
o The VAPG program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the goals of this program.
Agritourism Resources
· Linda Neunzig
o Coordinator of agricultural services within Snohomish County government and serves on the county’s economic development team. She works with farmers and other agricultural groups to promote the vitality and sustainability of agriculture in the county.
o
· Farmstay US: www.farmstayus.com
o Farm Stay U.S. is the website of the U.S. Farm Stay Association, a non-profit designed to connect guests with working farm and ranch stays throughout the United States
· Washington State University Agritourism: Cultivating Tourists on the Farm
o Publication on Agritourism
· Travel Oregon
o Lots of ideas and resources available on their website
o Industry.traveloregon.com/agritourism
· University of California
o http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/
WORKSHEET 1: SNAPSHOT ON CULINARY AND AGRITOURISM
What does Agritourism look like in your region? In small groups, answer the following questions:
· What assets do you currently have that are, or could be developed into, a world-class culinary / agritourism destination?
· Identify Opportunities and Challenges:
WORKSHEET 2: PANEL DISCUSSION
Capture any thoughts, ideas, things you want to remember about the examples presented. What has worked well? What has been key to success? Are these examples similar to yours? How?
1. Keith Stocker – Owner, Stocker Farms
2. Karmel Ackerman – Fibers of the World
3. Sarah Dylan-Jensen – Manager, Snohomish Farmers Market
4. John Postema – Owner, Marshland Orchards
5. Ryan Hembree – Co-Owner, Skip Rock Distillers
WORKSHEET 3: INNOVATIVE AGRITOURISM PRODUCTS
Capture any thoughts, ideas, things you want to remember about the examples presented. What has worked well? What has been key to success? Are these examples similar to yours? How?
WORKSHEET 4: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
In small groups, complete the following:
1. Brainstorm the elements which you will include in a NEW 3-4 day, “off-season” culinary or agritourism experience in Snohomish County
2. What are the primary activities that are included on this experience?
EXAMPLE: Wine tasting, Farm tours, U-Pick
WORKSHEET 4: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (continued)
3. What are the secondary components to the experience?
What is unique and distinctive about your offer and destination?
EXAMPLE: Riding a horse from each location, incorporating logging history, etc
4. “Wow” Elements
Include “must see” locations for first time visitors to the region, but include or package it with an activity or experience that only your guests have.
5. Target Market
Who is this for? Be specific.
6. How will you reach them?
WORKSHEET 5: IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
What would a world-class culinary and agritourism sector look like here?
In small groups, complete the following:
1. Imagine it is 2030, why are world travelers coming to your region for culinary and agritourism? Get Creative and descriptive. Imagine BIG!
2. Who is missing? Who needs to be involved to turn this vision into reality?
Be specific. If farmers, what kind of farmers. If restaurateurs, who? What kind of restaurants?
WORKSHEET 5: IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES (continued)
3. What is missing? What infrastructure and regulation needs to be in place?
4. What are you fundamentally committed to? If nothing else happens from your list above, what one item are you committed to seeing present in 15 years?
5. Write the answer to #4 on a note card. On the other side, brainstorm a plan to achieve the one item you are committed to.
Just a reminder: Upcoming Workshops
#5b Bicycle Tourism & Outdoor Recreation / May 16 / 8:30am-4:00pm / Rhodes River Ranch, Oso
#6: Action Planning & Accountability (Stillaguamish / Sauk Group) / May 23 / 8:30am-4:00pm / The Medallion Hotel, Smokey Point
#6: Action Planning & Accountability (Skykomish / Snohomish Group) / May 24 / 8:30am-4:00pm
Monday, May 16
8:30 am - 4:00 pm / Workshop 5b: Bicycle Tourism & Outdoor Recreation
Snohomish County has tremendous outdoor recreation assets. Signature trails span the valleys and historic downtowns making bicycle tourism a key segment to develop and grow. Learn how bicycle friendly communities lead to business opportunities for both bicycle and non-bicycle related companies. This workshop provides insight on how to leverage existing and potential assets to capture visitors in this fast growing, and lucrative visitor market.
Tuesday, May 24
8:30 am - 4:00 pm / Workshop 6: Accountability and Action Planning
This final workshop is where we put it all together. Participants regroup to create the action plan to follow over the next 10 years. This plan is designed to hold the community and stakeholders accountable for the vision they created in the first workshop.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY RURAL TOURISM WORKSHOPS - PAGE 80
www.pandion.biz © PANDION LLC 2016