Audrey Comerford

Audrey Comerford, OSU Extension Service
she/her/hers

Agritourism Coordinator

[email protected]

Expertise: Agritourism

Programs: OSU Small Farms

Locations: Marion County , Polk County , Yamhill County

Content by Audrey Comerford

Adding Agritourism to Your Farm in Oregon

Agritourism can help improve your farm's name recognition and expand your customer base. Learn what you need to know before you take the leap.

Melissa Fery, Audrey Comerford | May 2024 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Executive Summary: An Initial Economic Impact Estimate of Agritourism in Oregon’s Willamette Valley

In agritourism, producers combine farming with some aspects of tourism. Get the key takeaways from a new report on agritourism in the Willamette Valley.

Bruce Sorte, Melissa Fery, Audrey Comerford | Feb 2024 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

An Initial Economic Impact Estimate of Agritourism in Oregon's Willamette Valley

This study quantifies the economic effects of agritourism on Willamette Valley farms and communities. In surveys, farmers reported earning about 50% of their revenue from agritourism.

Bruce Sorte, Melissa Fery, Audrey Comerford | Feb 2024 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Laws for u-pick and farm stands?

Q: I have a lavender farm in Clackamas county and I am wanting to open up to u-pick for the summer. We are zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) I have not been able to get a clear understanding from the county on whether ...

A: View answer | View all featured questions

Online Course: Developing a successful agritourism business in Oregon

If you've considered agricultural tourism as an option for your farm business, then this is the class for you. Over the course of this program, you will build an understanding of the multiple elements involved in setting up and managing a successful agritourism enterprise. These topics include types of agricultural tourism enterprises and how agritourism can become a part of your whole farm business. You will learn about managing risk, understanding legal requirements, marketing your agricultural tourism business, and customer service and hospitality.

Melissa Fery, Audrey Comerford | Apr 2022 | Online resource Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Increasing Farm Viability Through Agritourism and On-Farm Direct Sales: An Oregon Producer Survey

Agritourism is a way for farms to increase their business success. This survey explores how small farms are expanding beyond basic production, adding value and claiming more consumer support.

Mary Stewart, Audrey Comerford, Bruce Sorte, Sam Angima, Lisa Chase, Weiwei Wang, Rebecca Bartlett, David Conner, Chadley Hollas, Christopher Brittain, Lindsay Quella | Jul 2021 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Adding agritourism: Developing your plan & working with your county

Agritourism is a type of farm-direct marketing. It allows you to increase income by giving visitors direct sales of products, education, entertainment, lodging and recreational activities. First and most important: You must have a ...

Melissa Fery, Pami Monnette, Audrey Comerford | May 2020 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Adding agritourism: How to cultivate neighbor and farmer relations to avoid conflict

Agritourism promotes public support for agriculture. But it can also bring traffic and crowds to rural areas. That's why agritourism operators need to cultivate good neighbor relations to avoid conflicts.

Melissa Fery, Audrey Comerford | Feb 2020 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Adding agritourism: How to create successful tours for your farm or ranch

Hosting tours on your farm or ranch can provide additional income and help tell an important story about Oregon agriculture, rural communities and local food production. Here's a guide to getting started.

Audrey Comerford, Melissa Fery, Pami Monnette | Jan 2020 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

How Instagram stories can help direct traffic to your agritourism operation

Social media has quickly become an important marketing tool for agritourism. Consumers are using platforms such as Instagram to find authentic farm experiences and places to buy local farm products.

Audrey Comerford, Mary Stewart | Sep 2019 | Article

Food Trail Offers a Taste of Polk County

Farm loops are an excellent means to draw customers to a farm and educate an urban audience that is often three and four generations removed from agriculture.

Mitch Lies | May 5, 2020 | News story

Extension support of farm loops helps connect people to local food systems

The OSu Extension Agritourism program supports farms that allow the public onto their land and has delivered successful initiatives in recent years that help farmers find another financial stream to keep them on the right side of the profit margin.

Audrey Comerford | Mar 2023 | Impact story

New OSU study values annual economic impact of Willamette Valley agritourism at nearly $1 billion

Agritourism can take the form of farm-direct sales, education, entertainment, outdoor recreation and hospitality.

Chris Branam | Mar 21, 2024 | News story

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