Chris Lucha[1], Gustavo Ferreira[2], Martha Walker[3], Gordon Groover[4], and Peter Caffarelli[5]
Over the past decade, Virginia has experienced a significant decline in its agricultural operations. The decline in the number of farms has been coupled with a decrease in farming land as well as total crop land (VDACS, 2012). Anecdotal evidence also shows that recent generations are becoming less interested in agriculture, which is leaving farm tasks to the older generations and explains the steady increase in the average age of the principal farm operator. With agriculture being the largest industry in Virginia, it is important to seek ways to reverse this trend. Agritourism has recently emerged as a valid alternative that could buttress economic development in many rural communities. As this article will show, some areas and regions are better suited for agritourism operations than others, which is why clustering of operations occurs. Continue reading
