Agritourism conference packs crowd, braces for challenges

Bill O'Brien, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·4 min read

May 9—TRAVERSE CITY — Michigan's agritourism sector is alive and well — but steep challenges remain for the state's agriculture economy which serves as its foundation.

Michigan's inaugural Agritourism Summit drew more than 200 attendees Wednesday to Northwestern Michigan College's Hagerty Center, part of two days of local events highlighting the industry and showcasing some of the Grand Traverse region's top agriculture-related tourism destinations.

"We have a long-standing tradition of agritourism in Michigan ... (it's) a huge part of our state," said Dianna Stampfler, president of Promote Michigan that helps publicize tourism-related events and activities who was among the guest panelists at the event. Stampfler said the agritourism industry includes a vast array of Michigan businesses — ranging from wineries and brewpubs, to Christmas tree farms and farm-to-table restaurants. It's also at the heart of scores of community-based festivals around the state, including Traverse City's iconic National Cherry Festival, and local celebrations that highlight Michigan commodities ranging from potatoes to pickles.

"Agritourism touches every sector in the state of Michigan," Stampfler said. "The key is getting these stories about them out there."

Industry experts estimate that agritourism generates some $3.1 billion annually for the state's economy, just over 10 percent of the estimated $30 million annually produced by Michigan's tourism sector. Michigan's total economic impact for the agriculture sector is estimated at more than $101 billion — the state's second-largest industry. Agriculture employs more than 900,000 workers, representing 22 percent of Michigan's workforce.

Other speakers Wednesday included Jack King and his wife Courtney, second-generation fruit growers at King Orchards in Antrim County, who talked about navigating the changes and challenges of the agritourism sector.

"It's really evolved into a whole different animal than in 1980 when my dad started," King said. The farm's conversion to a u-pick operation for a variety of products including apples, tart and sweet cherries, apricots and other products requires constant upkeep over the three-months-plus growing and harvesting season. It requires mowing and related maintenance of the orchards to make it safe and attractive for visitors, and providing restroom facilities and other amenities that tourists expect. The farm has also bolstered its online sales activities and investments in value-added products to improve its bottom line, the Kings said.

Gary Smith and Josh Hall, co-owners of Leelanau Cheese, also emphasized the importance of working with other agritourism operations to help everyone succeed. Smith and Hall purchased the award-winning business from founders John and Anne Hoyt, who opened the destination cheese shop south of Suttons Bay almost 30 years ago.

"We benefit greatly from our adjacent industries," Hall said, specifying the importance of the region's wine industry to the cheese shop's success. "We all benefit from this shared thing ... it really is about community connections."

But the economic health of the agritourism sector also depends on the sustainability of Michigan's agricultural sector which is facing numerous challenges, according to Nikki Rothwell who's the coordinator of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center in Bingham Township. Some of those hurdles include increasing land prices, development pressures from residential interests, labor shortages, climate change and the aging of Michigan's farm operators, which now averages 57.5 years old.

"These are the kinds of things that are influencing our growers," Rothwell said. Effective diversification strategies, better succession planning and technology upgrades can help stem those trends, she said.

The summit was a two-day event sponsored by Michigan State University Extension Service and several local businesses and tourism-related organizations. Activities included a sold-out pre-summit Farm Tour on Tuesday featuring some of the Grand Traverse area's most-popular agritourism destinations, including Jacob's Farm and its renown corn maze along M-72, along with Leelanau County's 9 Bean Rows Farm, Leelanau Cheese and Tandem Ciders.

Other discussions Wednesday included an overview of Michigan's Right to Farm Act, panels on addressing local land-use and zoning issues and navigating state and federal farming regulations, and financial resources available to assist farmers and agritourism operations. The keynote address was delivered by Suzi Spahr, executive director of the North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association.