News

First New England Farmers' Direct Marketing Conference and Trade Show planned

Successful Strategies for Growing Your Farm Business

February 28 - March 1, 2007 Sturbridge, Mass.

Growers from across the Northeast will convene at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center in scenic Sturbridge Massachusetts on Wednesday, February 28 and Thursday, March 1, 2007 for the New England Farmers' Direct Marketing Conference and Trade Show.

This unique marketing conference targets New England farmers interested in learning new marketing ideas or fine-tuning strategies for business success. Over the course of two days, there will be over 20 workshops with a wide range of marketing and business planning topics to be covered. Agritourism, farmers' markets, internet marketing, value added and testing feasibility are just some of the workshops planned. A half-day workshop especially designed for farmers' market managers is also planned for February 28.

A full trade show will provide farmers with information on the latest products and services. Specialty food producers from across the Northeast have also been invited to take part in the trade show to showcase unique local products perfect for roadside stands.

The conference is sponsored by all six New England State Departments of Agriculture and Harvest New England, in cooperation with:

• Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
• Cooperative Development Institute
• Essex Buy Local
• Federation of Massachusetts Farmers' Markets
• Massachusetts NOFA
• Massachusetts Roadside Stand Association
• University of Maine Cooperative Extension
• University of Massachusetts Extension
• University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
• Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education
• Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP)
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service