Land Is Wealth

Rethinking Economic Development through Agriculture

Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours thinking about what agritourism is and how it fits within established farm businesses. On the surface, it seems like a simple question about inviting the public onto farms to reconnect people with agriculture and help them see farmers as neighbors and friends. But somewhere along the way, I realized there was a much bigger question about the relationship between farms and nearby towns and cities.

What is economic development, and how is progress measured by local governments?

For decades we’ve been told that economic development comes from somewhere else, from attracting the next corporation, distribution center, or industrial park. That development brings jobs, tax revenue, and opportunity. But what if the fastest path to those goals was already here, hiding in plain sight: our farms, our rural landscapes, our open space, and our agricultural heritage

To see this path forward begins by recognizing farmland as infrastructure. It is every bit as important to our region as roads, ports, rail, and utilities. Farmland isn’t waiting for a better use. It is, in and of itself, already its best use because of its ability to produce food, support families, create locally owned businesses, attract visitors, build community identity, and generate cash flow that extends far beyond the farm gate.

Maybe we need to think differently about wealth, progress, and the legacy we leave behind. Surrounded as we are by stories of corporate power, billionaires, and relentless greed, it can sometimes feel as though prosperity belongs only to those with enormous capital and influence. I think that’s a false narrative that large corporations and concentrated wealth have tried to convince us is inevitable, the idea of “get big or get out.”

In actuality, land is our collective wealth. There is no more land being made, and what is left offers endless possibilities to generate the kind of economic growth that keeps farms alive and preserves our natural resources, and, at the same time, creates the steady cash flow needed to sustain our local communities. Not solely through agribusiness enterprises, but as a stable and reliable economic driver capable of generating lasting prosperity through independent businesses, tourism, entrepreneurship, and local investment.

The conversation about economic development is usually framed around one question: “How many jobs will this project create?” As though this were the sole measure of progress.

I think we’re asking the wrong question.

Economic development isn’t simply about how much money is created. It is also about who creates that money, who benefits from it, and whether that economic prosperity remains rooted in the community.

When we pave over rural land or annex it for corporate development, we aren’t simply changing how the land is used. We are changing how wealth is created. We sacrifice the economic independence that comes from locally owned businesses and the circulation of dollars within our own communities.

The moment we spend money at a national corporation or franchise, much of that money leaves the region. When we spend those same dollars at locally owned businesses, they continue to circulate. They pay local wages, purchase local supplies, support neighboring businesses, and strengthen the local economy. Economists call this the Local Multiplier Effect.

It is this circulation of wealth that builds resilient communities. Money that stays in the community creates the financial strength to improve public spaces, invest in infrastructure, support police and fire services, strengthen schools, and raise the overall standard of living.

Today, agriculture is evolving far beyond food production. A recent Vogue article by Samantha Shankman, Why Regenerative Farming Is the Latest Wellness Travel Trend, describes regenerative farms and farm hospitality as one of the fastest -growing sectors of wellness travel. The article cites projections that the global wellness tourism industry is expected to exceed $1.35 trillion by 2028, while the global agritourism market is projected to reach approximately $14.5 billion by 2029.

Those numbers suggest that people around the world are looking for something different. They are seeking authentic experiences rooted in nature, food, health, and community. They want to know where their food comes from. They want to visit working farms, walk through orchards, learn how olive oil is made, attend harvest dinners, spend weekends in the countryside, and reconnect with the land.

Agrotourism isn’t simply a quaint farming dream or a small business idea. These are well documented market trends, and Solano County stands on the threshold of participating in this growing economy. Yet we risk squandering this moment in our rush to attract large corporations by sacrificing the irreplaceable agricultural landscapes that make this county unique.

In doing so, we trade away our ability to capitalize on our own resources, accepting a smaller return in exchange for corporate buyouts and the lure of instant gratification.

California has already recognized this opportunity. Visit California has made agritourism part of its statewide tourism strategy by promoting farm stays, wineries, olive oil producers, flower farms, farm tours, local food, and agricultural experiences.

Likewise, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources identifies agritourism as a strategic economic opportunity, noting that regional economic development plans throughout California recognize agritourism as a growing sector capable of strengthening rural economies while keeping farms economically viable.

The question isn’t whether this market exists. The research makes that abundantly clear. The real question is whether Solano County intends to participate in it.

Alexis Koefoed

Farmer/ Land owner