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K-State's Allen leads state agritourism effort
Kansas
Ben Allen, an agriculture and natural resources agent with Kansas State University Research and Extension, has taken on a different role for 2005 as the statewide agritourism leader, working in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Commerce.
In his new role, he travels the state, working with farmers and ranchers to help them develop agritourism businesses.
"Everything from you-pick orchards to bed-and-breakfast businesses to guest ranches--there are all kinds of opportunities for farmers and ranchers in Kansas to capitalize on resources they may have had on their land all along," Allen said.
His work involves conducting workshops to help prospective agritourism operators learn the basics, as well as providing articles for the Kansas Agritourism newsletter and website www.kansasagritourism.com, and "just getting in there and helping make things happen," he said.
Allen, who is based in Chautauqua County, has been with K-State for nine years and has served on the state agritourism advisory council for two years.
His knowledge and interest in agritourism was sparked when he worked as a guide for elk hunters during his college days at Montana State University.
After graduation from MSU, Allen left for south Texas and three years' work for the King Ranch. Allen saw that deer hunting was big business in south Texas and could be profitable to landowners. He then used that knowledge in his Kansas Extension job, helping Chautauqua County landowners develop hunting leases.
K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Ag Innovation Center, and the Kansas Department of Commerce funded the state agritourism leader position for 2005.
For more information about the services Allen offers offer prospective Kansas agritourism businesses, interested persons can call him at 620-725-5890 or e-mail: ballen@oznet.ksu.edu.
Date: 5/26/05
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