Airbnb is offering farmers and ranchers up to $10,000 to start an agritourism experience or expand a current one for guests on their property.

Between 25 and 30 grants will be distributed, according to the American Farmland Trust, a partner with Airbnb in the plan.

The goal is to encourage more agritourism to help farmers as they face financial burdens such as fuel shortages, increasing prices and weather concerns, according to a news release from Airbnb.

Lynette Ralph runs a horse farm near Pacific, Missouri, where she offers horseback riding lessons and operates a short-term rental cabin on her property listed on Airbnb.

“What’s really impacting the farmers is the price of fertilizer, and that trickles down to me because I have to buy hay for the horses, and the hay requires fertilizer, so prices of hay have just gone through the roof,” Ralph said.

Ralph plans on applying for the grant to assist in the upkeep of her property. She also has a disability, meaning that driving to a job would be difficult for her.

“It’s amazing to be able to use the property and the horses to make a living,” Ralph said. “If I didn’t have that resource, I would have to sell the farm and move to some suburban area. So I’m really thankful for the opportunity.”

By providing grant money, Airbnb hopes to encourage farm stays across the country, not only as a way to help farmers, but also to boost a growing agritourism industry as tourists seek authentic rural experiences.

The Missouri Farm Bureau has identified 646 farm properties for agritourism stays and attractions in the state, with 12 of them in Boone County.

“We actually found that farm stay hosts in Missouri earned approximately $6,100 last year,” Airbnb spokesperson Ivan Valladares said. “So that’s real money that’s going directly into their pockets.”

According to Airbnb, farm stay hosts’ earnings increased 400% since 2018, providing farmers with supplemental income when farming profit is low.

Airbnb has also seen a trend in young people looking for affordable travel. Farm stays offer a way for people to explore a new community while staying on a budget.

“We’ve seen that Gen Z travelers are really interested in domestic travel that’s been increasing over the last few years,” Valladares said. “They’re interested in exploring places that are off the map, and not necessarily the big cities, but discovering new things.”

Bringing in more agritourism business could also help boost local economies.

“It doesn’t just lift up the earnings of that particular house, but it also lifts up the earnings of other farm stays and other small businesses in that region,” Valladares said.

Applications for the “Farm to Stay” grant program will open in November, but Airbnb is currently hosting webinars to provide more information on how to get an Airbnb started in rural areas.