The hurdles and challenges facing farm tourism operators who want to offer visitors home-grown produce will be under the spotlight at this year’s Scottish Agritourism conference.
The industry’s target is for 50% of farms involved in tourism to be able to offer guests a food and drink experience incorporating the farm’s own produce by 2030, as a way of distinguishing farm tourism from other rural offerings.
However, many small producers say they face particular challenges around logistics and processing in Scotland and often struggle to secure a margin that makes offering food worthwhile.
In a session chaired by former NFU Scotland president, Jim McLaren, the conference will hear from Nikki Storrar, whose family business rears and supplies all the beef and lamb sold in their award-winning Ardross Farm Shop, and Louise Urquhart, an Aberdeenshire farmer who sells pork and lamb direct through farmers markets, deliveries and an on-farm pop-up shop and has a growing catering business.
Faced with the challenge of a lack of private butchery services, Louise developed her own butchery and is now processing the farm’s own meat and offering butchery services to other agritourism businesses.
Event will focus on food and drink sector
Mr McLaren said: “People visiting Scotland’s countryside want to sample its full glory including our farmers’ fantastic range of produce. Making it easier for farmers to offer their own produce will not only enhance tourists’ experience of Scotland but also help spread the word across the globe about the quality and excellence on offer.”
As well as the focusing on food and drink from farms, conference delegates will hear from a range of entrepreneurs on the sustainability of family farms and how to become an agritourism destination, and Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, will give an update on the implementation of Scotland’s agritourism strategy.
Sector leader, Caroline Millar, said: “Whether you are an established business or you are a farmer or crofter thinking about starting up in agritourism, the conference will provide a great opportunity to come together, to meet new people and to learn from the range of inspiring speakers who will be presenting over the day-and-a-half.”
The conference will take place on December 6-7 at Perth Concert Hall. Click here for tickets.
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