Learn More About Agritourism at Upcoming Csu Workshops

From corn mazes and wineries to farm tours and ranch vacations, agritourism in Colorado and across the nation is gaining in popularity. More than 13 million visitors in 2006 experienced agritourism in Colorado, which resulted in an economic contribution of $2.2 billion to Colorado’s economy, according to Colorado State University research.

To help the state’s agricultural producers learn about agritourism as an option for their operations, the Colorado Agritourism Program is hosting a series of workshops promoting growth in the state’s agritourism sector.

"CSU hopes to raise the profile of agritourism in Colorado and work with producers and communities to consider how the industry can grow to complement the agriculture systems and economies in many regions," said Dawn Thilmany, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at CSU.

The Colorado Agritourism Program is aimed at increasing the visibility of agritourism activity in Colorado. It offers to enterprises the market analysis, planning tools and networking opportunities needed to succeed in this fast growing business sector.

The workshops provide current market information, skill building and resource development activities.

The next workshop is Friday, Feb. 22, at the Washington County Events Center in Akron. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Upcoming Colorado Agritourism program workshops:

— Feb. 22: Akron

— March 10: Otero Junior College

The program includes such topics as community engagement, business planning and marketing resources for Colorado agritourism. To attend the Akron workshop, registration is required by Feb. 18. For more information, call (970) 345-0509 or visit www.coloradoagriculture.com.

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