Two general sessions will feature experienced agritourism operators who will share their agritourism stories. Learn about their operations, how they got started, obstacles they have faced and overcome, and keys to their successes.

Session 1- Donnie Beggs from Beggs Family Farm in Sikeston, Missouri will help kick off the conference.  Here is a little preview:

Beggs is a small agritourism farm in a very rural area with a small local population to draw from.  We draw our visitors from a hundred mile radius & as far as 150 miles.  Just like many of you we have challenges to over come. 

To help assist with tracking our challenged areas, we set up a very simple record keeping system to keep up with our areas of income & losses.  I know record keeping is not mucn fun, but to know where your areas of profit are versus where you are losing money or just spinning your wheels, it is a neccessary tool.  I will show you that by using these simple records you can make better decisions based on your own facts.

I will share with you some of our own records that have helped us make decisions about concessions on our farm.  Two years ago concessions were a neccessary evil, had to have them but not much money to be made.  (WE THOUGHT!)  After a trip to Vala's Pumpkin Patch, I finally saw the light.  (Which my spouse had been trying to show me for a few years!) The problem was we had the types of concessions to be real profitable. 

Over the next two years, we have spent our time & efforts in finding the right novelty food items to fit our farm.  Our records can prove it!  Income from concessions almost doubled, net profits tripled, & gross profits went to almost 65%.

I'll explain my "Redneck definition" to novelty foods, show you examples of the foods we now have, the equipment needed, & the profitability of these.  Please come to this session with an open mind.  I am by no means an expert or a professional speaker.  I'm just one willing to share experiences from my own farm.

Session 2- Carl & Debbie Chaney from Chaney's Dairy Barn in Bowling Green, Kentucky will share their experiences in the closing session of the conference.

Effective directional signage is important in helping customers find agritourism operations, but understanding signage programs and regulations are often a challenge for entrepreneurs. This session will cover the ins and outs of signage programs available through the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Retail is an important component to many agritourism operations. For some, it is the main focus of the operation, and for others, retail may be an avenue to expand and increase revenue. In this session, learn how retail fits into a tourism experience, how retail can add value to your operation, and what types of items may be good options for your business.

Learn how to set-up a retail shop or improve an existing shop at your operation. This session will provide strategies to help you decide what merchandise to produce or purchase, basic merchandising methods to keep you in control of your inventory and suppliers, methods to maximize sales, legal aspects of a retail shop and employee selection and training.

Sales Tax Considerations for Agriitourism Operators

As farmers and landowners enter into the agritourism industry, they also enter into a whole new realm of regulatory considerations. One of these regulatory issues may include the collection and remittance of sales tax. Learn about which types of agritourism operations or attractions may require collection and remittance of sales tax and which types may not. Also learn what to do get your business in the system if needed and where to go for help.

Agritourism in Action Entrepreneur Panels

Agritourism entrepreneurs will discuss issues faced by their enterprises and strategies they use to develop successful enterprises. Four different sessions will allow more enterprise-type specific discussions: 1) On-farm Retail-Based Enterprises (PYO, CYO, Farm Markets, etc.)  2) Farm Tours and Festivals  3) Mazes and Haunted Mazes and 4) Enterpises Incorporating Natural Resources (Equine Trails, Garden Tours, Hunting Experiences, etc). Issues discussed may include an overview of the enterprise, the inner workings of the enterprise, designing the layout of their enterprise, marketing, developing partnerships and sponsorships, growing their enterprises, incorporating retail and concessions into their enterprise, pricing, special events, regulatory issues, success factors and more. A moderator will facilitate the discussion and incorporate questions from the audience.

Agriculture in the Classroom: Ideas to Educate and Entertain on the Farm

Are you looking for agricultural-related activities to educate and entertain your farm visitors? Would you like to learn more about school curriculum standards and how you can create attractions to better appeal to school teachers? If so, this is the session for you. Tennessee Farm Bureau Agriculture in the Classroom leaders will discuss their evaluation of education standards, demonstrate activities you can use on the farm and talk about other resources you can use to find activities to educate and entertain on the farm.

How to Gain & Maintain a Competitive Advantage

During this informative & interactive session, Marty will introduce a number of the Critical Success Factors that set the best retailers apart from their peers.  He will discuss strategies, tactics, & execution techniques that can easily be applied to your existing business.  You will leave the session with a fresh perspective & the necessary tools to gain & maintain a competitive advantage in your chosen markets.