The West Virginia Department of Agriculture and WVU Extension are hosting the 2026 West Virginia Agritourism Conference at Glade Springs on the 23rd and 24th.
Assistant Director of Business Development for the WV Dept. of Agriculture Maggie Blankenship says the event brings together producers and tourism professionals to discuss ways to strengthen the region’s businesses and make visitors more comfortable and safe while visiting farms:
“While the national parks and things like that bring people to West Virginia, agritourism keeps them here. So it allows people to extend their stays, to get out into nature, and to do things that they might not have in their home states or their home region. Agritourism allows people to sit down and have a glass of wine together or pet a new animal for the first time. So, agritourism is a big part of tourism and an underutilized part of tourism that is still breaking through.”
Professor Dee Singh-Knights, WVU Extension’s coordinator for the West Virginia Agritourism Initiative, says agritourism is a plus for local businesses as well as the state’s tourism economy:
“One of the basic objectives of what we’re trying to do is we’re trying to keep our small agricultural operations viable, right? For the long run. We have a strong heritage of agriculture in this state. 97% of our farms are these small- and medium-sized operations, and they are faced with a lot of challenges in traditional production—agriculture. And so agritourism is just one way to improve their revenue sources, but also at the same time, to keep those local dollars circulating in the local economy, and also help to educate our visitors. So it’s a win-win for everyone that’s involved.”
To find a local farm excursion or join the West Virginia Agritourism Association, visit wvagritourism.com or search “WV Agritourism.”
