Page 35 - Rural Tourism Report Washington County

CHAPTER 2: THE WASHINGTON COUNTY AGRICULTURE SECTOR

Rural Tourism Questions: both lanes. The cycling activity seems to be a

Agriculture producers were asked the following growing conflict. Farmers also mentioned hearing
questions about the impact of rural tourism on their about dangers of tourists driving on roads when
operation and quality of life. Rural tourism is defined dust from tractor work or smoke from a burning
by Washington County for the purposes of this field can impede vision and cause accidents, but
study as: activities above and beyond traditional those interviewed had no actual experience with
farm use that draw visitors to rural areas. Examples that situation. Further, there is the perception that
might include agricultural, ranch, and winery farmers may be asked to stop their field work in order
tourism, educational tourism, “voluntourism,” eco- to accommodate an agritourism activity. It should be
tourism, recreational and fitness tourism, culinary noted that certain farm practices such as preparing

experiences, lodging/hospitality, retreat and event the soil, planting, fertilizing, harvesting, etc., are
arrangements, entertainment, or any combination often time sensitive, so delaying or interrupting these
of these. practices to allow for an agritourism activity may
have a negative impact on production.
6. Do nearby rural tourism events/activities hosted
by others conflict with your business operations or It should be noted that Oregon law includes “Right
residential quality of life? If so, in what way? to Farm” provisions to protect practices necessary
to farming.
All Interviewees mentioned that rural tourism
activities may cause congestion on the roads, 7. Do nearby rural tourism events/activities hosted
making it difficult to move farm equipment from by others benefit or enhance your business opera-
one place to another and to ship product to market tions or residential quality of life? If so, in what way?
via truck. The “tulip festival’ was mentioned as an
example. Interviewees indicated that they know All Interviewees saw a value in bringing people on to

to plan their work and travel accordingly. The rural farms to educate them about farming. They also see
tourism activity that received the most expressions value in consumer-direct sales, which have a higher
of concern was cycling, especially when cyclists profit margin, and some are working on diversifying
spread out across an entire traffic lane or sometimes their farms to be visitor ready.

Photo courtesy of Mary Stewart
WASHINGTON COUNTY RURAL TOURISM STUDY 31