By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The fall of the year brings many people out to rural areas to see colorful trees and experience the change of seasons – with all the farmland in Kentucky and Tennessee, the act of agritourism has taken on new meaning and a score of activities.
To accommodate the growing industry, both states are offering winter conferences to prepare those in the business to learn what’s new. The 2009 Tennessee Agritourism Conference will take place Jan, 26-27 in Chattanooga.

“This conference has become a ‘must attend’ event for many of the state’s most serious agritourism farmers, who continually upgrade their professional skills and their farms’ attractions,” said Pamela Bartholomew, agritourism coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

“For aspiring agritourism farmers, the conference is a way to begin to assess whether they and their farm operations are well suited to this new farm business.

“New or prospective farmers get the chance to spend lots of time with experienced operators who can share plenty of useful stories and ideas. That makes getting started less costly in terms of time, dollars and anxiety.”

Bartholomew said attendees will have the chance to learn about other issues that could affect their operations, including insurance and advertising as well as incorporating the core curricula of local schools into farm activities.

Aspiring entrepreneurs have many other sources of information, including the University of Tennessee Extension Service, which publishes a newsletter devoted solely to the state agritourism industry. The October issue featured a spotlight on Tonya and Bryan Keller’s operation in Dickson, called Keller’s Corny Country.
The cattle farmers added a variety of different activities to their farm, including school tours, rides for children, pumpkins and a gift shop, just to name a few. The couple are celebrating their first year in the new venture.

“This is only the beginning for us. Our first year open to the public is a little scary, but we are excited and feel this is the direction we are supposed to go right now. After this year, we’ll see where the future takes us,” they said.

The Tennessee conference will offer a pre-conference tour of area farms, contests, a multitude of breakout sessions and a trade show.

Another avenue available to state farmers for operation expansion is the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program established in 2005 by Gov. Phil Bredesen and funded by the Tennessee General Assembly to spur farm investment in the state. The program includes producer diversification cost share awards.

Bredesen and Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens recently announced  nearly $1.2 million in awards to help 204 Tennessee farmers invest in new or expanding areas of agriculture.
“In these uncertain economic times, it is more important than ever for farmers to look at ways to diversify their operations,” said Bredesen. “These business investments and opportunities will not only help farmers keep their operations profitable, but they will help strengthen our rural economy in communities across the state.”

Bluegrass agritourism

Kentucky’s agritourism business has become a large portion of the state’s $9.3 billion tourism industry, the state’s third largest industry.

Intertwined with such as the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Proud marketing program and the state’s growing vineyard industry, agritourism has brought people from more urban areas into the country for everything from pumpkin patches to bus tours in eastern Kentucky.

The state already had a head start on the agritourism industry long before that term was conceived, in its storied horse industry, which remains the top agricultural moneymaker in the state.
Another vital part of state agritourism is the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. Those tobacco settlement funds have been used in a variety of ag diversification projects, including farm-based tourism ventures.

In his first year as Kentucky governor, Steve Beshear, a horse farm owner, has become one of the state’s biggest cheerleaders of the agritourism movement. “Farms are exciting places to live, work and – increasingly – to visit,” he said.

“By merging our agricultural heritage with marketing principles, we can create tourist attractions that not only entice visitors but also provide business opportunities for our farmers. Since 2005, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board has provided $2 million to develop and stimulate the growing agritourism industry.”

The state also hosted its first Agritourism Summit earlier this year that included launching a new website devoted to the business, called “Kentucky Farms are Fun.”

“The website enables Kentucky agritourism operators to market their attractions quickly and efficiently,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “Tourists from near and far will be able to find Kentucky farm destinations that the whole family will enjoy.”
The summit provided farmers tips for business planning, insurance and signage, as well as using MarketMaker, an interactive mapping system that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in Kentucky, providing links between producers and consumers.

For information about agritourism in Kentucky, visit  www.kentuckytourism.com/thingstodo/agritourism.htm and for details on the Tennessee Agritourism Conference go to http://news.tennesseeanytime.org/node/447