Getting started in agritourism

   Agritourism can be a fun and rewarding experience for Iowa landowners. With some careful planning and foresight, agritourism can provide supplemental revenue to a farm or become its main source of revenue.

   Whatever your plans may be, make sure to do your homework. The excitement of a new idea or a new enterprise should not take the place of careful planning.

   Kendra Meyer, a program specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Farm, Food and Enterprise Development program, recently published two fact sheets that help guide owners of agritourism enterprises through critical decisions that must be made.

   “Getting Started in Agritourism: is a three-page checklist that covers basic considerations such as legal issues, food regulations, visitor accommodations, farm emergency preparedness, biosecurity, pesticide safety, public play area safety, employee management and marketing practices.

   “Iowa Agritourism Business Start-up and Licensing Guide: is a two-page checklist that covers the legal and regulatory requirements of starting and licensing a business in Iowa.

   “These checklists help agritourism destination owners and workers take a look at simple but important tasks when creating or reviewing an enterprise,” said Meyer.

   Both publications are available for free on the ISU Extension Store, at store.extension.iastate.edu.

   For more information, Meyer can be reached at ksmeyer@iastate.edu or 515-294-9483.