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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM ANNOUCES KICKOFF OF RI FARMWAYS PROGRAM TO PROMOTE AGRI-TOURISM PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces the kickoff of the Rhode Island FarmWays program to develop and promote agri-tourism in Rhode Island. The program has been established in partnership with DEM's Division of Agriculture, the RI Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education (RICAPE), and the University of Rhode Island's Office of Cooperative Extension.Under the FarmWays program, RICAPE will work with farmers to assess their needs, increase agri-tourism on their farms, provide professional development and training, and help them market their products and services. A letter has been sent to local farmers announcing the program and soliciting their response. More than 25 farmers have already asked to participate in the program. Kenneth Ayars, Chief of DEM's Division of Agriculture, says, "Rhode Island is blessed with many farms and agricultural sites that are tourist and visitor destinations or have the potential to be. Tourism is the number two industry in the state, and our farms, their scenic landscapes and local products, are already a component of the tourism industry. We want to enhance that relationship for the benefit of both sectors." "More than ever before, people are looking for 'on the farm experiences,'" says Stu Nunnery, RICAPE executive director. "Farmers across the country are discovering the economic benefits of reaching out to tourism markets." Agri-tourism nationally is expected to increase 30 percent per year over the next decade, he says. "There is ample evidence to indicate that agricultural tourism and related farm-based direct marketing can provide significant supplemental farm income and positively influence the sustainability of farming in Rhode Island," says Ernest Morreira, an extension educator at URI. "Cooperative Extension is committed to supporting Rhode Island farm viability and is pleased to partner with DEM and RICAPE in this exciting new initiative." Ayars, whose office is participating in the September 19 Autumn Farmfest, celebrating the City of Cranston's 250th anniversary along the city's Scenic Farm Route, notes that while the FarmWays program is new, "the Cranston historic farm route is an example of agri-tourism in action, and important to the viability of these farms." The Farmfest, sponsored by the West Bay Land Trust and the City of Cranston, includes free tours of several farms and farm stands, environmental workshops, children's activities, musical entertainment and fireworks. The farm route is composed of several farms that DEM, the Agricultural Land Preservation Commission, the City of Cranston, and many partnering organizations have had significant involvement in protecting over the past 10 to 15 years. Agriculture in Rhode Island is a $100 million plus industry; and the state is home to more than 850 farms. Agri-tourism and the Rhode Island FarmWays program are components of overall farm viability goals and efforts in Rhode Island, Ayars notes. "Agriculture is an important part of our quality of life, history, and economy," he says, "and it is vital to maintain access to our many local and varied farm products." Rhode Island is ranked second nationally in per farm direct marketing sales through such means as farmers' markets and roadside stands, demonstrating the public's interest in purchasing local farm products directly from Rhode Island farmers, Ayars adds. "We believe that through FarmWays, that interest can be further developed for the benefit of both individual farmers and agriculture in general in Rhode Island." Under the FarmWays program, funded in part by a $85,000 US Department of Agriculture grant, RICAPE, DEM, and URI will make site visits from now through December to assess the needs of individual farms. From January through May 2005, RICAPE will conduct a number of training programs, and, in April, will host a RI Agri-tourism and Direct Marketing Summit. Farmers seeking additional information about participating in the FarmWays program can contact RICAPE through DEM's Division of Agriculture at 222-2781 ext. 7104. Information and a brochure about the program can also be found on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Agriculture" under "Programs", then clicking on "FarmWays/Agri-tourism Program." -30- |
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rev. 10/27/06