Agritourism farms are growing in number across the United States (Noyes, 2015), accounting for nearly $1 billion in sales according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture.

To better understand this industry in Ohio, a statewide industry survey was created and then sent out for agritourism farm owners and operators to complete in Summer 2021. This report represents findings of an initial effort with the agritourism industry in Ohio, designed to better understand the industry and potential programmatic opportunities. Note that survey findings represent data shared by respondents only. While conclusions and implications can be drawn from these data to the respondents as a group, respondent data are not generalizable to the agritourism industry in Ohio, overall.

As a result of the pandemic, operations adapted in 2020 included the use of online ticketing, reducing the number of events and visitor capacity, and increasing attention to health and sanitation. Interestingly, gross revenue exceeded previous levels in 2020 for most operations, and direct sales were the leading sales category of the five categories surveyed. As far as jobs, full-time year-round employment was reported as minimal. Most operations reported 10 or fewer seasonal employees. With respect to ways in which Extension could best support the agritourism industry, assistance with marketing via social media and websites was identified most frequently. Assistance via strategic planning and using trend research to inform decision making was also noted by many.

Ohio Sea Grant researchers and Extension specialists are working to protect public health, prevent plastic pollution and maintain drinking water safety.

Cooke Castle was the summer residence of Jay Cooke, Lincoln’s Civil War financier. It is now owned by The Ohio State University, and listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

The last time the Cuyahoga River caught on fire was 50 years ago today. Former Ohio Sea Grant Director Jeff Reutter reflects on the river’s history and where it is today.

A poster to show how choosing reusable alternatives to common plastic items can make a difference.

This guide provides information and tips on how to best enjoy the water trails around the Lake Erie islands. This file is formatted to be printed as a brochure. For a paper copy, contact Ohio Sea Grant.

Tours and experiences offered at Put-in-Bay and Stone Lab

Twine Line Winter/Spring 2018. Twine Line gets ready for summer. Learn how travel benefits our state and the ways that research at Stone Lab is improving the quality of our drinking water, plus lots more in this issue of Twine Line.

Retention of existing businesses and
community encouragement of local
firms’ continued growth has become
an essential aspect of many local
and regional economic development
programs. While attraction of new
businesses is a highly visible aspect
of most economic development
programs, studies have shown that
businesses that already exist in a
community account for up to 70% of
all net change in local employment,
and up to 86% in rural areas.1

Recognizing the importance of local
firms, the City of Perrysburg, in
conjunction with Ohio State
University Extension and the
Ohio Sea Grant College Program
established a Business Retention
and Expansion (BRE) Program to
assist these firms in achieving their
growth objectives and to improve the
overall business environment in
Perrysburg, Ohio.

Melinda Huntley explains how the work done by Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab benefits Ohio and its economy.