Evolution of Farm Markets & Agricultural Tourism: Potential and Challenge
Ed Mahoney and Brent Warner
Two old-timers with 60 years of combined experience in this field across North America will present an irreverent (because they are approaching retirement) discussion of health, food and agriculture trends, their implications, and potential impacts on farm markets and agricultural tourism. Brent Warner, BC Ministry of Agriculture and the secretary of NAFDMA and Ed Mahoney, Michigan State University, will also share and project the implications of the results from over 1,100 surveys of operators across North America in the summer of 2005.

Retail & Entertainment--The Perfect Marriage?
- Stuart Beare
- John Stanley

What Flew & What Flopped: Best Management Practices for Farms & Ranches
It SEEMED like a great idea. Was it really? Gather in the Ballroom, where this informal session will take a look at some of our great--and not-so-great--ideas.

Capitalizing on a Tour: What John Stanley Learned on a NAFDMA Bus Tour
- John Stanley

Employee Incentive Programs
Sharing Fruit from a Productive Tree - Dede Beck
I will be sharing employee incentive program ideas from NAFDMA members, as well as those I use myself.

Employee Sales Incentives: An epiphany that turned into profitability - Bill Michaels
Learn how the Fly Creek Cider Mill shares profts with its team based on setting and achieving goals.

Capturing Clicks: Best of NAFDMA Web Sites
What makes a good Web site? - Andrew Skadberg & Yongxia Skadberg
And what do you need to know to develop a good Web site for your business, tourism attraction or community. Expert advice from tourism and value-added agricultural Web site developers that will help you attract customers.

Closing Session: A Celebration, a Recap, a Look Forward and a Margarita Parade

Haunting Safely on a Show String Budget
Leonard Pickel
Adding a Halloween event can be a huge money maker for an “agrotainment” type of facility, but the cost can be prohibitive. Is there a way to start Haunting without it costing an arm and a leg?
The Phear Farm Experiment: In 2003, Leonard Pickel of DOA design was asked by Glen Boyette of the Farmer's Corner to come  up with a way to start a Halloween event on a shoe string budget. Three years later, the Clayton Phear Farm has expanded to 3 Haunted Houses and a Haunted Hayride, with plans to expand into Christmas.
This case study presentation will include discussions on building inexpensive but frightening attractions, marketing, sponsorship, operations, ticketing, staffing, safety and code concerns special to the Haunted Attraction Industry.

 - Glen Boyette

Best Management Practices for Retail Markets
- Joe Lizer

Customers--Ya Gotta Love 'Em! - Kristen Seaquist
Oh, the wonderful customers!
We will look into the mind of the customer (that shouldn't be too difficult--we are him/her!) and check on how we are doing regarding customer service.
      Are we providing what they want, and more than they expect?
      Are they satisfied, and if not, what will we do about it?
      Do we show them our appreciation, and if so, how?
We will have fun looking at a well-worn, but very worthwhile topic!

C.O.N.E.S. What is it? … Can it Work for You? - Jo-Anne Weber
I will discuss the physical challenge of running a farm market. My presentation will explain a program that we instituted this year that really worked for us. I will explain in detail how we analyzed each department and actually changed the mindset of our employees.

BMPs for Petting Farms
Preventing Human Illness from Animals in Public Settings - Jeff Bender
A wide range of venues encourage the public to come into contact with animals, resulting in millions of human-animal contacts each year. Recently several infectious disease outbreaks have been reported following visits to farms and petting zoos, or other animal contact venues. Such incidents obviously have significant medical, public health, legal, and financial impacts. There is a need to educate veterinarians, venue operators, animal exhibitors, and others concerned with disease control, with the intent of minimizing risks associated with animals in public settings.

-Bonnie Remlinger 

School Tours by the Thousands
- Carolyn Raasch

- Gieselle Fest

Educational Tours: Creative, Changing  & Constantly Challenging - Mary Vollmer
The Vollmer Farm hosts approximately 10,000 educational tour groups each fall, typically in less than 25 days. How we market ourselves, how we manage up to 850 children a day and how we are always adapting to make our tours a growing and successful part of our business!

Ropin' and Wranglin' the Corporate Crowd
Corporate Event Planning and Production - Craig Christopher
Craig Christopher, President and Marketing Director of Rio Cibolo Ranch, will give a detailed presentation of how his family owned working longhorn ranch and pecan orchard has been transformed into an entertainment ranch. His presentation will include discussion of the day-to-day ranch operations, organizational structure, turnkey catering and entertainment services provided by the ranch, and other aspects of running a full-service venue that caters toward corporate events.

Relationship Marketing and Linking CSA Customers to the Farm Experience
CSA Relationship Building - Debbie Schoeb
This part of the presentation will focus on connecting with your CSA customers on farm through weekly contact and upsale opportunities.

Growing CSA Satisfaction and Revenue - Kate Zurschmeide
This presentation will focus on expanding existing CSA offerings via enhanced Customer Communications, Integrating Agritourism and CSA via U-Pick, Events, and on Farm experiences. We will also explore ways to generate pull through revenue via CSA related products.

On the Ecotourism Trail
Preserving "The Last Great Habitat" - Bill Hellen
Fragmentation of the traditional family farm or ranch due to inheritance and the lack of profitability, severely threatens our way of life, agricultural heritage and natural resource conservation. South Texas is recognized as one of the last great wildlife and other natural resource habitats due to the large, well managed, undeveloped cattle ranches. Our presentation demonstrates one family's effort to increase income and avoid fragmentation by diversifying the agricultural operation into heritage and nature tourism enterprises.

- Andrew Skadberg

Senior Tours
First there were little steps and then they got bigger - Betty Eshleman
Our fruit farm in north central Ohio is a wholesale, retail and U-pick operation. We've been hosting school classes for 20 years. Then some of the nursing homes inquired about bringing some seniors on their little buses. We have now started offering tours to several different senior groups.

Senior Tours....Providing a Nostalgic Day on the Farm - Mandy Holcomb
How to enhance and make the most of the senior tours.

Pass the Binoculars
Treasures In the Sky--If You Can See Them! - Stan Meador
Discuss dark skies and other amenities / infrastructure needed to capitalize on stargazing. Will also talk about special events such as star parties and how those impact market development. I'll compare that to our bird watching, which is ok, but isn't a big draw for us as we don't have any unique birds or some phenomena to attract serious bird watchers.

-Sage Kawecki 

Create an Experience with Culinary Tourism
The "nuts and bowls" of developing a cooking school - Marjie Christopher
In this session, you will learn from an avid and energetic chef and herbalist everything you need to know in developing a cooking school program at your site. The talk will include background on the development of the … a little bit of Texas creekside cooking school at Rio Cibolo Ranch. Large and small groups, formal and informal, space needed, staff, budget, and marketing of your school.

Retail Options for Direct Marketing Meats and Poultry
Profit from Presales - Rod Carlyon
Tips on how to incorporate preselling product into your marketing plan. Increase your sales and reduce your market risk at the same time.

Farmers' Market Beef Basics - Debbie Davis
Topics discussed will be a step-by-step process beginning with choosing a farmers market, complying with local Health Department regulations, labeling, items needed to set up a booth, creating an attractive presentation, making a sale, establishing trust and developing a client list, and in conclusion, networking with fellow vendors.

From Pasture To Plate To Profit - Jim Lorraine
With BSE now a truly North American issue, beef production margins on family farms has now become razor thin at the best of times. Lifestyle choices are now forcing our young farmers needlessly into other industries! This session will focus on keeping the family farm exactly where it should be--in the family! Discussions will include becoming the complete supply chain to consumers. This session will put special emphasis on starting an on-farm wholesale/retail operation as well as on line purchase and delivery, marketing and promotion (with help from the media), value adding and selling food experiences in order to provide a daily supplement of cash flow to your bank account's diet!

A Plot of Potential
- Bill Varney

Nurturing our Kids to Love the Farm (and Want to Stay)

- Pamela & Frank Arnosky

Five Generations & Counting - Ken & Laurie Graff
Ken & Laurie represent the 5th generation to live and work on this century-old family farm and ranch. Our presentation will talk briefly about our heritage. We will primarily focus on how our children, Colin (11) and Justina (7) are a vital part of our business on our families' farm and ranch.

Is My Farmers' Market Successful?
Defining Success at Farmers' Markets - Richard McCarthy
What is success? Is it gross receipts, foot traffic, or the building blocks of a new community? Co-founder of the Crescent City Farmers Market in New Orleans, Richard McCarthy will explore the "public" nature of farmers markets, tools to link the mission with the measurement of your market's progress, and examples of how stagnant markets reinvented themselves and "killer" markets that lost their sense of purpose.

Marketing Your Market: Local, Regional & National Public Relations Campaigns
Putting Your Farmers' Market on the Map--Local PR - Pamela Boyar

- Darlene Cavanaugh

Expanding Your Toolbox to Promote Your Market - Mark Smith
For many years, Farm Aid has worked to strengthen family farm food production by promoting local markets, building consumer demand for fresh food, and connecting people with local farmers. This presentation will highlight several marketing tools local groups can use to promote their farmers' markets.

Wheelin' it to Sunset Valley Farmers' Market
Sunset Valley Farmers' Market is a vibrant market located in Austin. It is owned and managed by NAFDMA member Pamela Boyar. Buses for this session on wheels will depart for the Sunset Valley Farmers' Market from the Hyatt. Buses will depart and return as they fill, and they will continually run until lunch. Don't miss a chance to visit one of the premier farmers' markets in Texas! To find out more about this successful market, visit their web site at www.sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org

Risk Management and Liability Insurance for Farmers and Farmers' Markets
Liabilty insurance for farmers' markets - Coleen Perry and Dirk Duchscherer

Successful, Profitable Farmers' Markets Through Strong Relationships
Clear balanced roles between members, board and managers - Margie Child & Bertie Wells
Defining the roles of vendors and managers so they all work together to build a solid successful market. 

Boost Your Business: Using the Internet for Your Farm and Farmers' Market
Internet Marketing for Small Farmers - Andrew Smiley
Small farmers and farm organizations can take advantage of the Internet to promote their operations, attract customers, and make sales. This session will cover the basics of Internet marketing for small farmers and will provide examples and resources of successful online marketing opportunities.

Diversifying Your Farm for Greater Profitability: CSAs, Farmers' Markets & Direct Marketing

- Frank and Pamela Arnosky
- Andrew Stout

Crossing the Digital Divide: Credit, EBT & Debit Cards at the Farmers' Market
Bringing Wireless Technology to New York’s Farmers’ Markets - Diane Eggert
Through a grant from USDA, New York State has been conducting a pilot project to bring wireless technology to New York’s farmers’ markets. This discussion will focus on the partners, the process, the successes and the trials of using wireless technology for accepting food stamp, credit and debit transactions at New York State’s farmers’ markets.

- Velma Lakins
- Patricia Mancha

Farmers' Markets: A Social and Economic Anchor for Your Community
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics -- The Value of an Economic Impact Study - Virginia Gieseke & Barbara Lovitt
The value and uses of a farmers' market economic impact study.

- Edward Ragland

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