Yolo County, California, new food facility policy designed to help agritourism

Yolo County, California, has recently adopted a new food facility policy for homestays, and Bed & Breakfast Inns to encourage agritourism, reports the Wood Land Record while maintaining high public health standards.

Yolo County ranks agriculture and tourism at the top of their industry priority list for "sustainable, quality growth while providing economic opportunity and quality of life". Yolo has many wineries, recreational activities and unique agricultural communities. They include a 25-page section on agritourism in their Yolo County Agricultural permit Manual.

The new Agricultural Homestay/Bed & Breakfast Food Facility Policy was developed in cooperation with the following Yolo County departments: Agriculture, Planning & Public Works and the Economic Development division of the County Administrator’s Office.

Trinitas agritourism golf at odds with Calaveras County

Michael and Michelle Nemee own the Trintas Golf course, in Valley Springs, California – the course built in “stealth mode”, and at the centre of a conflict with Calaveras County Planning Commission’s zoning bylaws, reports Dana Nichols, staff writer with RecordNet.com. Trintas also has a Nature & Wildlife Preserve, and an Olive Oil & Orchard Tour.
Though County rejected an application to rezone, the owners vow to keep the course in operation."We are going to continue operating our lawful agritourism operation that we've been taxed on since 2005 by the county of Calaveras," Nemee said, reports Nichols.
Issues in this dispute involve: Trinitas, Calaveras County, a group called “Keep It Rural”, the “Williamson Act”, the California Department of Conservation, and the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Centre.

Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California publication

The University of California Small Farm Program lists resources available to those who wish to start an agritourism operation. One of its publications is the 160-page 2005-title "Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California". This is a workbook for farmers and ranchers. It was the culmination of a brainstorming session held between farmers, ranchers, university researchers, tourism officials and community support groups.
Topics include:

• Evaluating resources for tourism
• Creating a business plan
• Examining legal constraints
• Risk management
• Developing a marketing plan
• Farm visits for children
• Planning a tourism workshop
• Resources

Agritourists worth US$2.4 million to California farmers

Agritourists brought in around US$2.4 million to farmers in California in 2008, according to a first statewide survey on agritourism operators, as reported in Small Farm News, The Daily Democrat and the University of California Small Farm Program. Further, "small farms made up 2/3rds of the farms reported offering agritourism." Agritourism was generally profitable and offered farmers a supplementary income. A California AgriTourism database allows farmers and ranchers to add details of their agritourism operation, for public access.