Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Strategies to effectively promote and market on-farm retail enterprises

Project ID: M2008-16

Abstract

Agritourism offers consumers the opportunity to purchase locally grown food on the farm along with the educational experience of learning about food production. This project was designed to help energize Iowa's agritourism industry.

Key Question: What can we do to better organize, promote and educate producers in Iowa who are involved in agritourism or nature/ecotourism while also providing consumers with greater access to locally grown food?

Findings: This project provided statewide exposure to thousands of tourists traveling in the state by electronically advertising the project's web site, www.VisitIowaFarms.org, which allowed them to link directly to agritourism enterprises and local food sources. This project also provided marketing research and educational opportunities to hundreds of producers.

Lead investigator: Ray Hansen, ISU Extension, et al

Year of grant completion: 2010

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Marketing Initiative.

Topics: Agritourism and place-based food, Business management, distribution and marketing, Market research and feasibility studies