Response
Cornell Cooperative Extension developed a coordinated statewide agritourism outreach initiative that included regional networking events, monthly educational webinars and the inaugural New York State Agritourism Conference. Between 2024 and 2025, nine regional networking events connected agritourism operators with tourism promotion agencies, municipalities and nonprofit organizations to strengthen local partnerships and foster collaboration. A monthly webinar series covered topics including farm tours, marketing, signage, biosecurity, food safety, visitor engagement and conflict management, with supporting fact sheets made available through the Cornell Cooperative Extension Agritourism Resources webpage. The inaugural statewide conference brought together producers and industry partners for educational sessions, networking opportunities and hands-on workshops focused on planning, pricing, logistics and customer engagement strategies.
Results
The statewide outreach effort initiative engaged more than 265 participants through regional networking events, 454 live webinar participants, and an additional 439 webinar views through the Agritourism YouTube channel. More than 130 people attended the inaugural New York State Agritourism Conference, where they learned from over 18 speakers and collaborated with representatives from New York's agricultural and tourism sectors. Collectively, these educational efforts expanded access to agritourism resources, strengthened professional networks, and created new opportunities for collaboration among farmers, tourism organizations, and community partners across the state.
Public Value
By strengthening agritourism education and statewide collaboration, Cornell Cooperative Extension is helping New York farms build the knowledge, partnerships and resources needed to diversify their businesses and create high-quality visitor experiences. Expanding agritourism supports local economies, increases public understanding of agriculture, and provides farms with new opportunities to generate income while strengthening connections between communities and New York agriculture.
