USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) defines agritourism as on-farm services for recreation (such as hunting or fishing), hospitality (such as overnight accommodations), or entertainment (such as festivals or petting zoos).
It can provide farmers a way to increase income, create teaching opportunities, and develop relationships with the local community. In 2022, U.S. farms and ranches generated $1.26 billion in income from agritourism services, an increase of 12.4% from 2017 after adjusting for inflation, according to data obtained from USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture.
About 57% of counties reported agritourism income, with the median county income at $161,000. The 50 counties with the most income from agritourism were spread across 23 states. Eight of those counties were in Texas, and California, Colorado and Hawaii each had four. Those top agritourism counties accounted for $352 million of agritourism income, or more than one-quarter of the U.S. total.
ERS researchers have shown that farms in more populated counties tend to earn more agritourism income, as well as those specializing in certain types of crop or livestock production (specifically grapes, fruit and tree nuts, and specialty livestock) and those in or near counties with abundant natural amenities. — USDA ERS
