February 24, 2004
Contact: Sally Lunsford (785) 296-2477

KANSAS LAUNCHES AGRITOURISM INITIATIVE

The State of Kansas is sponsoring an initiative to harvest travel dollars through agritourism. The goals are to generate more tourism revenue for the state, and to help Kansas farmers and ranchers boost their income and preserve their enterprises by tapping into the emerging market for agritourism.

The Kansas Department of Commerce is sponsoring the Agritourism Initiative, led by its Travel & Tourism Development and Agriculture Marketing divisions. The goal is to increase tourism revenues in Kansas by developing agritourism, which is when the public visits a working farm, ranch, winery or any agricultural operation or active agricultural heritage site for enjoyment, activities, education, shopping, dining or lodging.

"Agritourism has the potential to increase state prosperity through tourism revenue, as well as help many family farms sustain their way of life and keep their land," said Governor Kathleen Sebelius. "Agritourism is a growing travel trend - one which Kansas is uniquely positioned to use to its advantage."

Eckert AgriMarketing (www.eckertagrimarketing.com) has been contracted to help develop and coordinate the Agritourism Initiative. Jane Eckert is a highly respected expert on agritourism, who developed her family farm into a tourism destination that attracts 500,000 visitors a year. Through her workshops, presentations and farm consultations, she has helped thousands of farmers grow revenues through agritourism.

"Just like many families in Kansas, we are farmers doing our best to keep our farms and property," said Jane Eckert. "The combination of agriculture and tourism is a natural marriage. The Urbanites who appear at farms are looking to connect with the land and experience what, for them, is a lost world. Farmers and ranchers find in them a new appreciation for what they do, as well as a new revenue stream."

The Kansas Agritourism Initiative will be rolled out in phases. The first phase of the Agritourism Initiative will focus on educating farmers/ranchers and community leaders about the opportunities available in agritourism and how to create successful destinations. All interested parties will participate in a statewide agritourism conference and workshop, as well as receive a comprehensive agritourism manual written for the State of Kansas.

Also as part of the first phase of the Initiative, 19 people have been named to an Agritourism Advisory Council, which includes representatives from agriculture, tourism, government, and business. The group will convene for the first time on February 24, in Topeka.

"The Agritourism Advisory Council members will provide input about the Initiative and establish partnerships between the stakeholders who will benefit from the growth of agritourism," said Scott Allegrucci. "We expect that by working together, these tourism professionals, farmers and ranchers, and community leaders will create a strong alliance that can be sustained for years to come as agritourism flourishes."

The Agritourism Advisory Council includes:

Joel Wimer - C&W Ranch, Smolan
Carole Jordan - Kansas Department of Agriculture
Donna Price - Goodland Convention & Visitors Bureau
Scott Allegrucci - Travel and Tourism Division, Kansas Department of Commerce
Patty Clark - Ag Marketing Division, Kansas Department of Commerce
LeAnn Schmitt - Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
John Shostak - Kansas Farm Bureau
Mike Casey - Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association
Judy Billings - Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau
Becky Blake - Manhattan CVB
Norm Jennings - Smoky Hill Vineyard and Winery, Salina
Gary Satter - Glacial Hills Resource Conservation and Development, Valley Falls
Dick Carter - Travel Industry Association of Kansas
Becky Walter - Walter's Pumpkin Patch, Burns
Trudy Rice - K-State Extension
Ben Allen - K-State Extension
Dan Bernardo - KSU Agricultural Economics
Caren Hall - Caren's Charter, Stilwell
Representative from Kansas Farm Bureau membership

Phase Two of the Agritourism Initiative will focus on developing individual properties and clusters of properties through consulting with farmers/ranchers and community development groups, as well as providing limited funding through existing grant programs.

Phase Three will be directed to the traveler - individual, groups, and travel-decision makers - through an ongoing marketing program to promote agritourism destinations in the state of Kansas.

Funding for the Agritourism Initiative is provided by the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF), which is derived from state lottery proceeds. For more information about the Agritourism Initiative, contact Sally Lunsford at the Kansas Department of Commerce at (785) 296-2477 or slunsford@kansascommerce.

The mission of the Kansas Department of Commerce is to empower business and communities through bold leadership using strategic resources to realize prosperity in Kansas.

# # #

Jane E. Eckert is principal of Eckert AgriMarketing (www.eckertagrimarkting.com), a full-service marketing and public relations firm that helps farmers to sell directly to consumers, diversify operations and become tourist destinations. Jane can be reached by phone 314-862-6288 or you may to email her directly.