Agritourism panel discussion highlights attraction, growth in Idaho

The exact definition of agritourism may vary from state to state, but the intersection where tourism and agriculture meet head-on remains constant.

To help shine some light on the ways in which Idaho’s agriculture and tourism industries are working to help bring visitors to the Gem State, Idaho Business Review hosted an Agritourism gathering for the local business community June 11 at The Grove Hotel in downtown Boise.

The session, led by a panel of business leaders with strong ties to both industries, was the third installment of the yearly five-part IBR Breakfast Series.

Panelists for the session featured Moya Dolsby, executive director, Idaho Wine Commission; Josie Erskine, co-owner, Peaceful Belly Farm; Mike Garcia, co-owner of Loose Screw Beer Co.; Tammie Halcomb, executive director, FARE Idaho; and Denae Warren, executive director, Destination Caldwell. Kenneth Howell, a partner of the Hawley Troxell Law Firm served as the event moderator.

Across the board, and no matter how agritourism is defined, the main concept is to highlight and showcase how farmers and ranchers can use their lands to educate, promote recreational activities and help sustain local businesses that rely on their crops.

Central to the idea is a focus on activities that can attract customers and travelers from both here in Idaho and from outside the state.

Whether its wine tours, breweries or even cherry picking, the recreational and educational outings and endeavors that fall under the guise of agritourism can help broaden economic opportunities for rural areas.

With a background in economic development, Halcomb knows firsthand the value of connecting local communities to their agricultural roots.

“For every dollar spent on agritourism, $2 goes back to a community through retail, restaurants and other spending,” Halcomb said. “It’s a huge economic development opportunity for a lot of rural areas. It’s helped put Idaho on the map.”

Our as she said, our “small, rural state” has been discovered.

“Anytime you can reap the economic benefits from tourism is fantastic,” she said. “The state has done a great job of marketing us as a beautiful attraction. The more we do, the more we benefit from everyone coming.”

Leading the efforts of Destination Caldwell, and overseeing the marketing strategies of Indian Creek Plaza, Warren said her group is constantly trying to connect agritourism with the city’s downtown center.

Travelers who are inspired to visit Idaho in search of adventure and wide-open spaces are on her group’s radar.

“We work with operators from international destinations to make Caldwell a stop on their itinerary,” Warren said. “And here we’re positioned as a gateway to Yellowstone and other national parks.”

Plus, an endless supply of wineries to visit nestled throughout Canyon County’s neighboring Sunnyslope Wine Trail serve as added incentive to those visiting or passing through the Treasure Valley.

“To convince people to stop here and do wine tastings for an afternoon is a good thing,” she said. “And in Caldwell, you can be in Indian Creek Plaza and drive 15 minutes and be in Peaceful Belly and feel like you have been transported into a different world.”

For both locals and tourists, Peaceful Belly, a farm owned and operated by Erskine and her husband since 2002, is a blast from the past.

Specializing in its signature farm-to-fork dinners, and growing wholesome foods, including hand-raised vegetables, herbs, flowers and berries, each plate served on the farm is considered a “heartfelt ode to our land, local produce and the rhythms of the season.”

“Idaho is like living 30 years behind. People want that now,” Erskine said. “People want to go back to the 1990s or ’80s. Coming to Idaho in some ways is kind of like time travel.”

According to Erskine, 40% of her patrons come from Canyon County, with about 30% of her visitors making the drive from Ada County.

In Garcia’s case, owning a local brewery means relying on local farms for every single ingredient that goes into making a quality craft brew.

“Quality and freshness are without question the name of the game for what we do,” he said. “We are so fortunate to have everything right here in our backyard, whether it be barley coming out of Pocatello or hops out of the Wilder and Parma region, the second largest producer of hops in the nation.”

With two decades of experience in the financial sector, Garcia understands the industry from both sides of the counter.

“When you bring in a brewery, it has such impact on the area and driving in tourism and dollars being spent all around in local restaurants and shops,” Garcia said. “Breweries create synergy and a social hub that brings in more business.”

And with a second, larger location slated for downtown Meridian, Garcia knows plenty of opportunities lie ahead for both area residents and those coming to take part in the Idaho way of life.

“You can’t just brew a good beer anymore. You need to provide a well-rounded experience,” he said. “We see opportunities for education, brewery tours. We plan to take full advantage of our new location.”

Traveling all across the country to tout the high quality of Idaho wines, a $310 million boon to the state economy, Dolsby said her group works to provide many diverse experiences for wine lovers who come to Idaho.

“We’re accessible, and we’re one of the only areas with an airport this close to so many fine wineries,” she said. “People want to come here. We always say Idaho is about your family, friends and your dog.”

Expanding Idaho’s wineries is something Dolsby said she would also like to see happen, but only if done properly.

“We need to plan well; we need smart growth,” she said. “And we can’t be so restrictive agriculturally. We need to let people use their land for good. We have to protect that.”

Relying mostly on word-of-mouth advertising for her unique farm, Erskine said she understands the value of agritourism for the state, but increased visitors and more growth do concern her.

“To build a bigger presence with travelers interests me, but it also scares me because we’re getting bigger,” she said. “The question is how we move into being bigger without all the congestion.”

A concern Garcia knows all too well.

“We’re always looking for more opportunities to drive in more tourism, whether it’s a beer festival or a collaborative event,” Garcia said. “But traffic is an issue. Trying to get people from Boise to north Meridian, some say it feels like driving to Oregon.”

One solution the panel discussed to limit congestion and ease traffic for those who call Idaho home, and those who travel to partake in its agritourism opportunities, was the possibility of bringing back rail service to Idaho.

Warren talked about the Pioneer Rail, the former and once-popular train that provided rail service through downtown Boise, Seattle and Salt Lake City between 1977 and 1997.

“It would be a game-changer for Caldwell,” she said. “People would stop, eat and play in a community they might not otherwise visit. And a rail would help light up some of our rural areas and help make our valley a premier tourism destination. We’d be excited to see a revival of the Pioneer Line.”

Erskine said she has often thought about what it would be like for visitors to hop on a train to come spend time on her farm. But she said in the end it all comes down to finding a balance for Idaho and its agritourism offerings.

“Whether it’s seed production or wine production, or the viewshed of the open space of the Owyhees, it’s all very special,” she said. “It’s going to be a challenge for people that care to determine what the balance will look like.”

And she’d like to see the kind of balance that will help to preserve what the state has now for future generations.

“I want this valley to be a place where our children return to,” Erskine said. “I don’t want them to leave because their lifestyle changes. We need to stay in the moment and keep our kids coming back. This could be a guiding light for us.”

As an advocate for Idaho’s independent restaurants, family farms, retailers and food and beverage producers, Halcomb acknowledged that while “growth can be scary” it also benefits the local economy.

“I know the general overall feel is ‘close the door behind you,’ but growth can be good and done thoughtfully so that it honors our heritage and the tradition of our agricultural lands,” she said. “Agritourism is alive and well. We’re helping food get to the market. Helping producers expand. The sky is the limit.”