The Michigan State University Extension’s Agritourism Summit will be held in Traverse City next month, bringing together growers, entrepreneurs, elected officials, and stakeholders to share ideas and best practices for a fast-growing industry.

And Michigan growers need more than just crops popping up on their farms these days. More visitors to the region are seeking unique farm experiences and locally grown food and products while on vacation.

All told, 836 Michigan farms reported agritourism activities in 2022 — an 11-percent jump from 2017, according to the Agriculture Census released in 2024. Michigan ranks fourth in the nation for agritourism, with experiences like farm tours, u-pick fruit, corn mazes, and overnight stays contributing more than $56 million to the state’s economy.

As agritourism grows, however, farmers are facing a new set of challenges as they look to capitalize on the trend.

For the second year, the MSU Extension is hosting the summit to help address those challenges and support growers looking to diversify and generate additional revenue.

Planning committee chair Jennifer Berkey says the event was created in response to community demand after growers and stakeholders approached MSU Extension about starting conversations around planning, zoning, and agritourism.

“It’s not enough for [farmers], unfortunately, to just grow their products and go out and sell directly,” says Berkey. “The trends are really showing that consumers want events on and around farms. They want to learn more about where their food is coming from, what farming is like, and what local food is like. We created this event to bring best practices in agritourism to our local area so that folks can learn more about what they can do.”

This year’s theme is Cultivating Opportunities Through Collaboration, Innovation and Policy. The two-day event begins May 13 with a farm tour in Antrim County, capped at 52 attendees due to limited transportation. The behind-the-scenes tour includes six sites, with tastings and hands-on learning opportunities.

“I would say the biggest success story last year were the individuals that had those aha moments on the farm tour,” Berkey says. “‘This is how they made that work — maybe that’s an opportunity for me,’ or ‘How do I get more aligned with planning and zoning officials?’”

Stops on the tour include King Orchards Home Farm, Cellar 1914, Ethanology Distillery & Spirit House, Providence Organic Farm Market & Café, and the Elk Rapids Pull Barn.

Day one wraps with a soirée and networking event at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, where James Beard award-winning chef Jimmy Schmidt will serve locally sourced food during a horse jumping demonstration.

The summit itself takes place May 14 at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, with more than 200 attendees expected. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Dr. Tim Boring will deliver keynote remarks, and sessions will cover topics including marketing, finance, farm stays, zoning strategy, Right to Farm Act basics, and real-world agritourism scenarios.
Last year’s event was held in Leelanau County, and organizers say future summits will likely rotate to other parts of the state.

“It was our committee’s recommendation that we do one more year up north, just given the synergy,” Berkey says. “We're proud of our local agriculture entrepreneurs, but there aren’t huge changes in planning and zoning every year, so we didn’t feel there was enough new to share annually.”

In 2024, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed October as Michigan Agritourism Month.

“If we did some polling, everyone in our community would say we want our agriculture to thrive,” Berkey says. “We live here because of the natural beauty and the ability to go just a few miles and buy locally grown food. The question is: How do we maintain that and help farmers stay sustainable so they can keep doing the work we all enjoy?”