Agriculture is one of the largest and oldest industries
in the world. In the U.S. and many other countries,
farmers often struggle to turn a profit given the variances
of weather and commodity prices. Some working
farms are turning to tourism as an additional and
complementary revenue source. A study from the U.S.
Census of Agriculture in 2007 found nearly 25,000
farms providing some level of agri-tourism and recreation
services. There were 2.2 million farms in the
census, almost triple the number from 2002. In 2010,
the Department of Agriculture announced a new grant
program aimed at providing public access to private
farms for such purposes. Small farms worldwide are
participating in this trend by offering “pick your own”
crops in season, as well as small bed-and-breakfast
experiences.