THIS INTEGRATED (RESEARCH, EDUCATION, OUTREACH) PROJECT WILL MEASURE THE EDUCATIONAL AND MARKET IMPACTS OF AGRITOURISM AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDER THREE SCENARIOS: UNSTRUCTURED (FAMILY RECREATIONAL VISITS), SEMI-STRUCTURED (SCHOOL-BASED FARM VISITS), AND STRUCTURED (FARM VISITS IN SUPPORT OF AGRICULTURAL CURRICULA) CONDITIONS. SPECIFICALLY, IT WILL INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF FARM VISITS ON CHILDREN'S' AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AND HOW THAT KNOWLEDGE IS TRANSFERRED TO THEIR PARENTS AS PURCHASING INTENTION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. IDENTIFYING THE MOST HIGH-IMPACT FORMS OF AGRITOURISM IN TERMS OF EDUCATIONAL AND MARKET VALUE WILL HELP TO FORGE STRONGER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CITIZENS AND THEIR LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS, WHICH IN TURN WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS (AFRI'S OVERALL GOAL) AND STRENGTHEN RURAL COMMUNITIES' ECONOMIES (AFRI'S PRIORITY 6). THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH AGRITOURISM FARMERS AND ELEMENTARY TEACHERS ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA THIS PROJECT WILL USE EXPERIMENTAL AND QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES TO TEST CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL LITERACY (CHILDREN) AND LOCALLY-BASED PURCHASING BEHAVIORS (PARENTS) VIA PRE AND POST-TESTS SURVEYS. PROJECT RESULTS WILL HELP TO: DETERMINE WHICH FORMS OF AGRITOURISM ARE MOST SUITABLE TO INCREASE AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AND STIMULATE THE PURCHASE OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS (RESEARCH); DEVELOP A MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL LITERACY (RESEARCH); TRAIN AGRITOURISM FARMERS SO THEY CAN MODIFY THEIR PROGRAMMING OFFERINGS (E.G., TOUR CONTENT, FARM SIGNAGE) TO INCREASE AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AND LOCALLY-BASED PURCHASING BEHAVIORS (EXTENSION); AND ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL CURRICULA CONTENT TO STRENGTHEN STUDENTS' CONNECTION TO LOCAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS (EDUCATION).