South Carolina farmers and ranchers looking for new ways to generate income from their land could soon have access to grants of up to $10,000 through a new national agritourism program.
Airbnb and American Farmland Trust are launching the Farm to Stay Grant Program, designed to help farmers and ranchers start or expand farm stays and other agritourism experiences.
The program comes as small farms across the country face financial challenges. Data cited by Airbnb shows the median small-farm household lost about $2,800 from farming activities in 2024, while farmers and ranchers who hosted guests on Airbnb earned approximately $8,000 in 2025.
Interest in farm stays has also grown significantly. Airbnb reports that Google searches for “farm stay” in the United States nearly quadrupled between 2016 and early 2026.
For South Carolina farmers, the grants could help turn existing farm properties into overnight accommodations or create experiences that allow visitors to learn about agriculture and rural life.
Grant funding can be used to renovate or prepare properties for guests or launch agritourism experiences. Airbnb and American Farmland Trust also plan to offer webinars covering how to create listings, prepare for guests and operate stays and experiences.
Applications are scheduled to open in November, with grants of up to $10,000 available to farmers and ranchers throughout the United States.
Airbnb also will host free online agritourism workshops Oct. 14 and Nov. 13 for those interested in learning more about becoming hosts.
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