The theme of the 27^th NAFDMA Conference is focusing on the business aspect of the farm retail business and there are going to be some fantastic messages coming from new and old members and outside resources as how to keep all of your family farm operations moving forward in today’s economy.

As the NAFDMA organization evolves we have watched as our customer and employees are evolving as well. To kick of the 2012 NAFDMA Conference the Keynote Presentation will be by Kelly McDonald, of McDonald Marketing on how we market to those folks "not like us". Kelly has an extensive background in the business world and a book which continues to be a best seller on how to reach these different communities as customers. Her definition of diversity may surprise you and it may be the new opinion you need to effectively market your business. Kelly will follow this keynote presentation up with a session on how to hire a workforce that is aware and able to deal with this changing customer demographic. Both of these are pivotal messages that all our members will be facing as we move forward into the future.

An astonishing 72% of attendees to the closing session of the 2011 NAFDMA convention responded that their household income derives from the farm and NO off-farm income. For many, it is not just their "business" it is their life and their future. Ann Dugan, Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence will look at the role of women in family business. She and Dr. Alex White, Virginia Tech, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, will also address business planning including the inevitable succession planning that many members are now struggling with.

Once again, NAFDMA brings John Stanley, of John Stanley & Associates from Australia. John will be releasing his white paper on farm retailing into the next decade as well as giving tips on retail that can increase your business.

Hands-on practical tips on events and retail will also be available in sessions when local NAFDMA members Tom and Ann Baker, Brookdale Farm and Oregon NAFDMA members, Rick and Barb Bauman, Bauman's Farm & Garden give us all the details on what happens on their farms in the fall season.

Additionally, two of NAFDMA’s most dynamic past Presidents who run their own respective businesses, Jane Eckert, Eckert AgriMarketing and Carrie Schnepf, Schnepf Farms will be on hand with upbeat messages you can’t afford to miss on topics including internet marketing and going back to basics.

Track Descriptions for Innovation Day Concurrent 1 hour sessions:

Retail – Eventually for all of our members the time comes to renovate or contemplate an entire expansion and we will hear from a professional architect this year that was involved in the expansion of the Eckert Farms Market with ideas to consider. We will also think outside of the standard member box and hear from Derek Kilmer, Kilmer Farms & Orchard and Shane Van Casteren, Nicholyn Farms about to innovative ways of taking your products out to the customers – in this case schools. Once again also have perennial NAFDMA favorite, “the Retail Guru”, John Stanley to assist us with winning at the retail level.

Agritourism – From coast to coast we are fortunate to have two NAFDMA members describing their fall seasons as the Bakers of Virginia and Bauman’s of Oregon talk about pumpkins… and more. A relatively new event has begun to take a large hold on NAFDMA member farms and that is weddings.  Two long time NAFDMA member farms Saunders Farm – Angela Grant Saunders & Weston Red Barn Farm – Steve & Cynthia Frey will give us some insights into working with all those mothers and daughters and families is really like – is it worth the stress?

Family Dynamics – The average NAFDMA family business owes its success to the efforts of both partners and their families. Ann Dugan will help us look at the role of women in business from a professional standpoint and then in a following session will help us tie all of our management and business planning together which as a multigenerational business is fundamental. We will also learn what happens when your children reach the age to go out and explore the world and then decide they would like to come back to the business.  Two young people from NAFDMA businesses tell us about that and their experience as Chris Eckert of Eckert's Country Store and Farms and Steve Johnston of Apple Castle walk us through their experiences.

Customer Service – Without customers, none of us have a business and wow… we have the folks that can clarify what they are looking for in this track. Bruce Hellerick, Hellerick's Family Farm brings to his business years of working in extension and he will outline exactly what it is to provide customer excellence in his business. Following Bruce are two former NAFDMA Presidents, Jane Eckert and Carrie Schnepf, who not only bring farm experience but years of business experience and customer relations in business and television to their sessions. This will be an exciting track!

Business Management – Are you facing some major decisions in your business? Hiring employees that can deal with today’s customers? Adding a food service component but want to do something more than burgers and fries?  Or are you at that stage where it is time to start thinking about and preparing an exit plan for the business. Then this track is where you want to be as Kelly McDonald and Dr. Alex White along with Steve Tate of Goat Lady Dairy and Shirley Sease of The Farmers' Shed will provide interesting insights to all of this important business decisions.

Technology – It seems every year there is more technology required to keep your business on the cutting edge and moving forward. Jane Eckert, Eckert AgriMarketing points out just how important the Internet is by comparing it to your tractor – you cannot be in this business without both anymore. QR codes or Microsoft tags are certainly not something that all of us were talking about 5 years ago but then neither was FaceBook. Some of our members can even remember when there was no internet to market on! Holly Peterson and Sue Murdock, Goebbert's Farm & Garden Center will detail how these QR type tags are important and becoming critical to their business. Back by popular demand is NAFDMA’s own Keith Padin, Jones Family Farms to once again show how FaceBook can tremendously improve your ability to market your business.

Visit the Innovation Day At-a-Glance Page for the session schedule.

Visit the Session Page for further details on session topics.

Visit the Speakers Page for biographies on all the 2012 Convention speakers.