A new peak body has officially launched to represent and advocate on behalf of farmers who diversify their farming operation into agritourism.
Launched today, Agritourism Queensland will work to support farming enterprises that provide agritourism offerings to protect their interests and ensure that opportunities are harnessed and challenges are navigated successfully.
The peak body has been established through a partnership between the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) and the Queensland Government and builds on the Queensland Agritourism Roadmap (the Roadmap) developed by QFF and Regionality Pty Ltd in 2020.
Based on Queensland’s share of the national visitor economy, the Roadmap identified that the potential yield for agritourism in Queensland could reach $4.28 billion by 2030.
Prior to the establishment of Agritourism Queensland, there has been no representative body to advocate for and provide advice to primary producers with agritourism operations.
Agritourism Queensland President Kay Tommerup, who owns and runs Tommerup’s Dairy Farm, said with consumers increasingly wanting to know where their food comes from, agritourism provides a lot of opportunities for primary producers in Queensland.
“Increasingly, we are seeing consumers want to know where their food comes from and how it is produced,” Ms Tommerup said.
“At the same time, agritourism provides farmers the opportunity to maintain their viability through diversification, value-adding, or creating pathways to new markets for the sale of their produce.
“Queensland leads the world when it comes to food, fibre and foliage production and has so much to offer through its diverse natural environment.
“Agritourism provides a very real opportunity to provide consumers with greater connection to their food, while also providing farmers with new revenue streams leading to increased profitability and sustainability, which is good news for everyone.”
QFF CEO Jo Sheppard said the establishment of Agritourism Queensland would provide current agritourism operators and farmers wanting to diversify into agritourism a voice and somewhere to go for support and guidance.
“Agritourism Queensland is a peak body for farmers run by farmers,” Ms Sheppard said.
“Agritourism presents many varied opportunities for farming enterprises in Queensland however there is a need to link policy for agricultural development and tourism to ensure the sector can leverage key opportunities.
“Planning continues to be one of the key challenges for farms wanting to start an agritourism ancillary to their core business of farming and land management, and it is these types of issues that Agritourism Queensland will be advocating on.”
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development Mark Furner said:
“Agritourism represents a great opportunity for Queensland farmers to diversify their business and generate extra income.
“Queensland produce is renowned as the cleanest and greenest in the world and there’s clear potential to further showcase this exceptional produce through Agritourism.
“I applaud Queensland Farmers’ Federation and Agritourism Queensland for this great new initiative and the additional support it will give to Queensland farmers.”
Primary producers wanting to learn more about Agritourism Queensland can visit www.agritourismqueensland.au and follow along on social media via @agritourismqld. Agritourism Queensland will officially begin taking on members from 1 July 2024.
-ENDS-
Media contact
Anna Jones, Corporate Partnerships and Communications Manager, QFF
E: partnerships@qff.org.au
P: 0481 395 623