Agritourism is becoming big business in the state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2022 Census. In the five years since the last census, income generated by tourism activities on Maine farms has more than doubled.
The USDA released the 2022 census results last month.
Specialty crops and value-added products account for more than half of the agricultural product sales in the state, with operations selling directly to restaurants, brew pubs or other retailers showing the largest growth in generated income.
Analysis of the 2022 census data for Maine shows that farms continue to be an important driver of economic activity in the state, especially in rural communities. Despite agriculture’s importance here, Maine continues to be a small player on the national scene compared to other states.
“In Maine we are always small-scale in terms of land in production and total value of products,” said Jason Entsminger, University of Maine Cooperative Extension specialist with the school of business. “We average about 42 cents on the dollar nationally.”
The state may contribute a small share compared with the rest of the country, but the money generated here is of vital importance, Entsminger said. It’s an $870 million business.
Nowhere are those dollar numbers adding up more than in agritourism.
Between 2017 and 2022, the income farms gained from agritourism and on-farm recreational activities doubled, accounting for $12.2 million despite the number of farms engaged in these activities remaining nearly the same at 241.
Agritourism covers a wide range of activities on both land and sea.
These activities can range from staying on a bed and breakfast that is part of a working farm to exploring the Maine oyster trail, which is an interactive guide to oyster farm tours, raw bars and opportunities to buy oysters directly from farmers anywhere along the Maine coast.
“I like to call it the surf and turf experience,” Entsminger said. “Maine agritourism is as important on land as it is on the sea.”
For some, it’s a weeklong stay on a farm where they can get their hands dirty helping with chores. For others, it’s taking a day with the family to visit a maple syrup operation or cut their own Christmas tree during the holidays.
The important thing is that agritourists have some sort of authentic experience of farm life. Small farm operators and small-scale producers are finding ways to keep their businesses running by diversifying into tourism.
“Agritourism is a natural fit for Maine,” Entsminger said. “We have such a rich heritage along the coast and inland around agriculture and natural resources.”
The census also shows Maine lost farmers and productive farmland over the previous five years.
The state currently has the lowest number of farms and acres in production since 1997. In 2022 there were 7,036 farms with 1.23 million acres of farmland in Maine. That’s down from a peak of 8,173 operations and 1.45 million acres in 2012.
Since the last census in 2017, Maine lost 564 farms and 82,567 acres of farmland.
Maine farms had the largest grossing year in 2022 compared to other census years. On average, farms saw a $123,582 market value of agricultural products sold.
Part of that jump could be due to the connections made between growers and the businesses that need what they produce.
Nearly 20 percent of the total value of Maine agricultural products sold in 2022, or $172.6 million, was peddled directly by Maine farms to consumers, institutions, local and regional retailers, restaurants and food hubs.
“The number of intermediate sales — those sales between farmers and retailers — went up dramatically since 2017,” Entsminger said. “It’s unclear if that was due to the pandemic or if there really has been a shift in those marketing channels.”
Specialty crops, including maple syrup, Christmas trees, hay and nursery and greenhouse sectors, account for 60 percent of agricultural activity in the state with sales totaling $548 million.
Agricultural land and buildings are worth more than ever before. The estimated market value of land and buildings for the average Maine farm rose to $649,229, the highest number since 1997, even when accounting for inflation.
Part of that could be due to the rapidly rising cost of land in Maine during the pandemic.
The USDA conducts and releases its census every five years. All data is public and available on its website.
