Mention agritourism and most dairy farmers will run for the hills, but diversification needn't mean that tourism takes over your life, and certainly not your farm. Agritourism is an extremely flexible addition to your farm business offering many levels of commitment, interaction, and capital investment. Preparation is essential to any on-farm diversification - have a plan to ensure this new path works for you and your farm, and seek help from experienced operators. eastAUSmilk also provides assistance to members looking to diversify.
It's often thought agritourism diversification means you're not a 'real' farmer any more. In fact, that's far from the truth, and even further from reality if your goal is to provide genuine farm experiences and/or products. Adding an agritourism sideline to your business can provide a much-needed cashflow boost when profitability of the farm is threatened. It can be used as an interim measure to lift a below average season, to build reserves for on-farm capital investment, or a long-term strategy for succession and retirement goals. Agritourism is a supplementary income that sees you completely in control of setting the parameters and pricing.
Many farmers will say they're not a people person, preferring the company of their animals. I've yet to meet a farmer who doesn't love a yarn, particularly when the conversation involves farming or the weather. You might be surprised to learn how interested city folk are to hear genuine stories about farm life told by the farmer. These are stories that will be shared with friends back in the city - moments they'll remember when buying their next bottle of milk. These connections provide value for the social licence of our industry and make a real difference.
A far cry from the price-taker situation most dairy farmers find themselves in, agritourism encourages independence and confidence for farmers.
