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WV Agritourism Conference

April 23-24, 2026

The Resort at Glade Springs

Glade Springs, West Virginia

The 2026 West Virginia Agritourism Conference will bring together agritourism stakeholders, including operators, educators and related businesses, to share current initiatives and industry developments, gain practical tools to start or expand an agritourism business, and develop strategic partnerships for the future of agritourism in West Virginia. The event will feature expert panels, educational sessions, inspiring agritourism tours, networking opportunities, and a wide variety of industry-focused exhibitors and vendors. 

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Who Should Attend 

Many stakeholders are critical to the success of agritourism, including food, fiber,  and forestry producers and value-added businesses, state and local governments, destination marketing organizations and tourism professionals, and economic development professionals. If you are interested in helping to grow the Agritourism Sector in West Virginia, then this conference is for you! 

Why You Should Attend 

This is the event to learn together and get inspired as we work to share ideas and best practices about connecting our local communities and visitors to agricultural assets. The conference will provide insight to strengthen each stakeholder’s role in contributing to a vibrant agritourism industry.

Vendors (20 spots available): Set up – April 22nd, 3 to 5 p.m.: Contact Madison Gillispie with questions - mgillispie@wvda.us or 304-558-2210.

Conference Questions

Dee Singh-Knights, 304-293-7606 or dosingh-knights@mail.wvu.edu or the West Virginia Department of Agriculture at  Agritourism@wvda.us.

Registration

The conference cost is $35 for the education portion only, $15 for the farm tours, or $50 for vendor registration (price does not include lodging). 

Register Now

Lodging

To secure your lodging for the night of April 23, please contact The Resort at Glade Springs at 844-668-5760.

Questions?


Conference Sessions

What is Agritourism Anyway?

  • Elevate your Experience
    • How to make sure all of your experiences help elevate the customer experience and grow, not detract from, agritourism.
  • Scaling your Farm Sales
    • Labor is limited on many occasions. This session offers creative ways to limit labor needs using online platforms.
  • Concessions Done Right
    • This session focuses on food and drink labeling and regulations using what the guests want right now.
  • Funding the Dream
    • What resources are out there for funding, where to go, and how to tap into them.

 

Through a Screen

  • Farm Branding and Storytelling
    • Canva tips and tricks to market your farm the way you want others to see it.
  • Website Report Card
    • Making sure your website is ADA compliant and using best practices in cybersecurity.
  • Social Media Report Card
    • How marketing strategies can help support more effective place-branding and operational profitability, and help direct visitors.
  • Creating Hands-on Insta photos
    • Bring your cameras, computers, and phones to create professional-like photographs and reels.

 

Expanding the Season

  • Year-Round Adventure Through Partnerships
    • Seasonal farm crawls: what, why, when, and how?
  • The Importance of State Assistance
    • How a state agritourism association can strengthen all of our farms.
  • Novel Ideas in the Industry
    • Incorporating farm-based education and storytelling, maple in the classroom, and astrotourism.
  • Planning Year-Round Income
    • How to have something available for customers all the time. What keeps you straight when your mind is forgetful?

 

Risk Management

  • Profit First
    • The number of West Virginia agritourism operations is increasing, but revenue from agritourism is lower. How do we make money first?
  • On Farm Liability
    • Low-cost ways to manage farm safety risks with biosecurity, signage, handwashing, and zoonotic diseases.
  • Building for the Future
    • What farmers would have done at the beginning of their careers to avoid problems, if they knew then what they know now.
  • Managing Legal Liability
    • Some best practices are common sense, yet accidents and lawsuits happen regularly. What lessons can we glean from lawsuits?