Special Guests Highlight Agri-Tourism
May 25, 2021 (Westby, WI)
The Westby Creamery Cheese Store welcomed a few special guests on May 25, 2021, including Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation; Anne Sayers, acting secretary, Wis. Dept. of Tourism; Andrew Nussbaum, regional specialist, Wis. Dept. of Tourism; and Loren Oldenburg, Wis. 96th District assemblyman.
The team is touring the state to draw attention to agri-tourism, a word used to describe any agricultural-based activity that attracts visitors looking to foster a sense of connection to food and those who produce it.
This can include visiting a farmer-owned cheese store, such as Westby’s, as well as visits to corn mazes, petting zoos, orchards, and farm stands. It is the crossroads of tourism and agriculture where consumers can be entertained and educated about food because – let’s face it – food is fun!
While visiting, Cheese Store Manager Stef Schroeder shared that Westby’s cheese store attracts people from all over the nation – even as far away as Alaska. And once people get a taste of the store’s squeaky, salty cheese curds, they tend to keep wanting them. So much so, an order for 40 to 70 bags of curds is placed every three weeks to ship to Texas. This kind of sales activity helps support small business while simultaneously providing guests a taste of the region.
For a list of agricultural-related Wisconsin destinations – including local breweries, wineries, cheese factories, farmer’s markets, pick-your-own farms, cranberry bogs, and much more – visit https://www.travelwisconsin.com/things-to-do/local-foods.
