u Photo courtesy of Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont
communities all over the country look for ways to diversify their resource-de - pendent economies, many are recog - nizing untapped economic potential in their agricultural assets. In Vermont’s rural areas, promoting farms, vine - yards, and other agricultural areas as recreation, education, hospitality, and retail destinations (agritourism) is becoming a significant economic driv - er, generating more than $50 million annually. The University of Vermont (UVM) Ex - tension Agritourism Support Program is helping Vermont’s producers lever - age agritourism opportunities, with connections, research-based infor - mation, and resources like video case studies featuring successful operations and a series of how-to guides. The program operates under the auspic - es of the Vermont Tourism Research Center, the only research center in the state focusing on tourism (including agritourism) and recreation. In this Q&A, Lisa Chase, a natural resources specialist at UVM Extension and director of the Vermont Tour - ism Research Center, discusses the agritourism support program and its impact. A s rural
Agritourism support program from University of Vermont helps build capacity, sustainability for producers Farm to Stab e
26 The NET Effect | Extension Foundation/NTAE
Extension Foundation/NTAE | The NET Effect 27
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