A new training series serving farmers in southwestern Wisconsin will explore new ways to diversify farm revenue through agritourism. The series, developed by Extension’s Agriculture and Community Development Institutes, assists farmers with exploring their ideas, starting or expanding an agritourism business and is free to attend.

Agritourism, sometimes called food and farm tourism, involves activities that bring visitors to a farm for educational, recreational, or retail purposes, often linked to farm products or experiences. Farm-to-table events, u-picks, farm-stays and on-farm stores are all examples of agritourism happening in Wisconsin.

Launching in January 2026 with an in-person kickoff event in Gay Mills and followed by weekly online webinars in February, the series includes a total of six modules, each tackling a different aspect of business development. Participants will develop a business concept unique to their farm, assess business feasibility, and learn to navigate regulations. Participants can attend all sessions, or select from the options.

The series will be facilitated by Sara Tedeschi, Community Development Educator, and Maggie Cornelius, Rural Entrepreneurship Outreach Specialist, and will feature targeted resources and activities, expert guest speakers, as well as farm-based entrepreneurs actively working on agritourism ventures for peer-to-peer Q&A. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and join the discussion.

 “Starting a new farm business by yourself can feel daunting. This series takes some of the guess work out by providing research-based strategies, access to experts and resources, and a community of other entrepreneurial and community development folks for networking,” says Sara Tedeschi, Community Development Educator with Crawford County Extension.

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP0135 awarded to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System on behalf of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension via the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

Learn more and register at go.wisc.edu/agritourism or by contacting Sara Tedeschi at sara.tedeschi@wisc.edu or 608-326-1134.