Michael Best

Katy Swickard

Georgian's are looking for alternative means of generating on-farm income. One way to use farm resources is to allow people to employ the farm for non-traditional farming activities. Horse trails offer farmers the opportunity to generate additional on-farm income and still continue their farming activities (this type of land use today is commonly referred to as agritourism). A farmer in Quitman County, Georgia, owns 2,400 acres of row crop and timber land and is exploring the possibility of cutting horse trails in his timber land. The Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, in conjunction with the Quitman County Extension Service, conducted a statewide survey of horse owners to obtain information on what they are looking for in trail riding facilities.

It is easier to sell something that people want than it is to sell something that is easy to produce. Given this fact, it is important to know what trail riders are looking for in a riding facility. It is also important to determine how often people ride, what they are paying, how long they stay and how many people are in the party to design a successful facility. The results of the statewide riders' survey address these issues. Information obtained from surveys like this one help farmers increase their income potential by providing them with information that is useful in developing their business plans and allowing for a more efficient use of their limited resources which contributes more effectively to economic development.