Cooperative Extension offers farm, food tourism workshop

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Herds and Harvest Program — with cosponsor Utah State University — will hold a Farm and Food Tourism workshop Monday and Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clark County Cooperative Extension office, 8050 Paradise Road, Suite 100 in Las Vegas.

The workshop is designed for growers, small food producers and tourism operators looking to expand their agritourism or food tourism operations by taking advantage of the growing tourist demand for farm and local food experiences.

“There is an increasing demand for local foods, especially among travelers,” said Kynda Curtis, agricultural marketing specialist for Utah State Cooperative Extension. “The National Restaurant Association’s 2013 Restaurant Industry Forecast reported that seven out of 10 consumers were more likely to visit a restaurant offering locally produced items.”

Workshop topics include the following:

Agriculture and food tourism product and service options

Value-added food issues and considerations

Cottage food production and local regulations

Assessing the economic feasibility of agriculture/food tourism enterprises

Farm-to-fork events

Accessing and serving the tourism market

Agritourism enterprise development and considerations

Marketing value-added products

Agriculture and food tourism as a diversification strategy

“The number of small farms growing local and fresh farm products is increasing in Nevada,” said Staci Emm, director of Herds and Harvest. “This Herds and Harvest educational program expands on marketing strategies in creating specialized farm products and the ultimate farm experience.”

Cost for the workshop is $40 and includes all materials, continental breakfast and lunch each day, and the agritourism tour on Tuesday.

Register online at https://farmfoodtourismlv.eventbrite.com/. For more information, contact Curtis at 435-797-0444 or kynda.curtis@usu.edu.

The Herds and Harvest Program helps farmers and ranchers develop agricultural entrepreneurship, implement sustainable agricultural marketing strategies and improve profitability. Since 2011, the program has reached several hundred farmers and ranchers across the state. Two-thirds of the participants reported they would make changes in their business practices because of what they learned through the program.