UA Cooperative Extension Launches Weekly Farm-to-Family Tours in Yuma County

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension is launching a weekly Farm-to-Family tour series in Yuma County that will give participants behind-the-scenes visits to local farms and a harvest lunch. For the first time, the program is open to adults and will begin the weekend after Jan. 28, 2026, running weekly with tickets listed at $50.

The tours aim to introduce residents and visitors to local agricultural operations and to highlight the key crops and farming practices that support Yuma County’s economy. Each outing will include a guided look at production sites followed by a harvest lunch, offering a direct connection between how food is grown and what appears on local plates.

Organizers frame the program as both educational and experiential. By opening farm gates to the public, the Cooperative Extension expects to increase transparency around production methods and to strengthen consumer understanding of seasonal cycles, labor needs, and on-farm decision making. For a county whose economy has deep ties to agriculture, the series presents an opportunity to reinforce community ties to the landscape and to the people who work it.

Public health and food security stand to be affected as well. Tours that explain farming practices and seasonality can help residents make informed choices about nutrition and local food procurement. They also provide a setting to discuss food safety practices and the environmental factors that influence the local food supply. At the same time, the $50 ticket price raises equity concerns for residents with limited incomes; access to hands-on food education is tied to broader questions about whose voices and experiences are included in conversations about local food systems.

From an economic perspective, the program functions as agritourism that could deliver supplemental revenue to participating farms while building consumer loyalty. It may also serve as an informal workforce pipeline by exposing young adults and community members to agricultural careers and on-farm skills. Policy makers and community leaders can use the program’s uptake and participant feedback to consider supportive measures, such as subsidized spots for low-income residents or partnerships with local schools and community groups.

For Yuma County readers, the Farm-to-Family tours offer a chance to see the origins of the county’s food, to ask questions of growers, and to share a harvest meal that reflects local production. The Cooperative Extension will manage ticketing and scheduling; interested residents should contact the UA Cooperative Extension for details on dates and availability.