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RuralBounty.com
New Agritourism Website to Launch in June!
You will soon be receiving an email inviting you to register for a new North American agritourism website.
The website is called Rural Bounty.com, and will be a one-stop search experience for people wanting to quickly find us.
The site will feature our farm products, activities, outdoor recreation, community farmer's markets, CSA farms, wineries, ranches and more.
Watch your email boxes in June to see how you can sign-up to become a member of what is destined to be the premier agritourism website. Initial membership listing will be only available in the US and Canada, but in a couple of years it could expand the globe.
This is an opportunity you won't want to miss!
info@ruralbounty.com
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May 2008
 On May 16, 2008, India held the first ever World Agri Tourism Day conference. Over 2,000 people came to Pune, India to share in the successful development of agri tourism. The auditorium held 1,200 people, but was overflowing with people wanting to see and hear from their state Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Water and Irrigation, respected leaders in their country who support these efforts.
The day included various presentations by Agri Tourism experts on a variety of topics. This program, formed by the Agri Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) in the Indian state of Maharashtra, was initiated only four years ago. Since that time, over 500 farmers have taken training in the agri tourism program, and to date 52 farmers have actually begun agri tourism activities. (For more information, visit www.agritourism.in)
The past two years, I have been receiving emails from agricultural professionals in this country asking me questions about agritourism and how it works in North America. The farming economy in India is struggling with increasing costs and reduction of farm land. Their farmers are barely able to eke out a living and sustaining the rural farming villages has become a major priority in this country.
It was therefore truly a celebration when the conference recognized ten producers who successfully implemented agritourism enterprises on their farms with financial success.
 The ATDC also awarded five organization's with the "AgriTourism Excellence Achievement Award." The recipients included an Asia Travel Magazine from Singapore; the Daily Agro, a daily newspaper dedicated to agriculture; their National Television Channel and the Pune Bank.
I am honored to tell you that I was the fifth recipient of their award. While I could not be in attendance, I did send a note of thanks for this recognition that was read to the audience.
Agritourism is making a difference not only in our lives, as North American farmers, but also as it is spreading around the globe. We are truly in a global society, and while we in the U.S. are often looked upon as the be the leaders in the field, we must be mindful that what we do impacts everyone else.
We all can be proud that we have created a value added niche to our farm businesses that not only supplements our income but enhances the lives of the guests that visit us.
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