GENERAL SESSIONS . . .

Agritourism in Action
Susie Boyd from Boyd Orchards in Versailles, KY will kick off the conference by sharing lessons she has learned on their agritourism operation. The Boyd’s are fifth generation fruit growers. Their operation offers pick-your-own and pre-picked fruits and vegetables, school tours, fall fun (corn maze, hayrides, etc.), a gift shop and food service at the Apple Blossom Café. (Session sponsored by Tennessee Farm Fresh.)

Increasing Sales & Profits as a Destination Business
Jon Schallert, internationally-recognized speaker and small business expert, draws on his on-site consulting experience with thousands of independent businesses, and shows any business how to use his trademarked 14-point process for reinventing a business into a consumer destination. No other marketing speaker, consultant, or small business coach in the country has analyzed the steps Jon illustrates in this business improvement workshop to become a consumer destination.
Attendees will leave with a new understanding of Jon's Destination Business strategies and tactics. Attendees will understand why location, location, location no longer matters for independent business success, and why waiting for "Big Brother" to reinvent a marketplace fails the majority of the time. Following this session, attendees will understand the importance of reinventing their businesses in order to create the most successful consumer-oriented business available.

Marketing Roundtable
It’s your turn to ask small business expert, Jon Schallert, questions on how to make your business a destination in this roundtable discussion.

The Ins and Outs of On-Farm Food Service
Agritourism operations often include some level of food service activity from concession stands to on-farm restaurants. Regulatory requirements for food service, however, are often confusing. In this session, learn the ins and outs of food service regulations in Tennessee as well as ideas to help make food service a profitable venture for your operation.

Liability Legislation and Insurance
Liability risk is always a major concern for agritourism operators. This session will provide information on the implications of Tennessee legislation for agritourism operations as well as how liability insurance can help manage liability risk.

Lessons Learned from the Agritourism in Action Educational Bus Tour
1 bus…3 days…3 states…11 tour stops… Some of the 54 bus tour participants will share lessons learned from the first educational bus tour for Tennessee agritourism operators.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS . . .

Beginner Track:

Evaluating Your Resources: A Snapshot of Your Potential
Agritourism, for some, is an opportunity to increase farm revenue. Development of a successful enterprise; however, requires a unique combination of resources. In this session, you will learn about some of the resources needed and methods to evaluate your resources to help you determine your potential for success.

Safety and Health: Regulations and Experiences of Agritourism Operators
Safety and health are topics often overlooked—until injuries, illnesses, or other complaints occur. Many farmers may be unfamiliar with these regulations because family farm production enterprises are exempt from most, but making the transition to an agritourism/retail enterprise suddenly makes the business subject to various federal and state safety and health regulations. This session will review some of these regulations, highlight several agritourism operations' experiences with these regulations, and discuss steps you can take to minimize the losses that can result from oversights and mishaps.

Advanced Track:

Who Needs Records Anyway?
Records tell a story about a business. Following a few quick tips can ease the pain of this dreaded task. Learn how to keep and manage records to successfully analyze your business.

Mysteries of the Motor Coach Market Revealed
Have you wanted to tap into the motor coach tour market but did not know where to start? In this session, representatives of the Tennessee Motor Coach Association will help solve the mysteries of the motor coach tour market.