NAFDMA Weekly Harvest
Second Round of Agritourism Benchmarking
Now Open for Premium Members
We offer Premium Members a way to compare, contrast, and measure themselves financially against others in the industry using intuitive responsive technology, trending analysis, and data integration.  

How it Works:
We have created groupings based on the survey results and incorporated different relevant categories of measurement. With your anonymous reporting, you can “interrogate” the data in real time to determine the best decisions for your farm compared to others in your group...or in other groups.

Data Drives Decisions!
Each month there is an Agri-Trends report that blends both context and strategy to the results and provides you the insight you need to make better business decisions.
Virtual Learning Retreat NOW AVAILABLE
Maize Valley Sessions Include:
  • General Philosophy
  • History & Overview
  • Adding Booze to the Business
  • Alcohol Production
  • Clubs & Events
  • Kitchen 
  • Agritainment 
  • Staffing
Bonus Content from White House Fruit Farm:
  • History – Staff – By The Numbers 
  • Donuts 
  • Gift Barn
  • Grower
  • Cider
  • Bakery
  • Deli
  • Fudge
  • Cozé Coffee
  • Kids Area
  • Budgie Barn
Supplier Spotlight
The White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group has extensive experience in the feasibility and design of all types of family and children's leisure and entertainment destinations including agritainment and agritourism.

They have worked with dozens of farms throughout the country since 1994 to develop and design
successful agritainment businesses or grow existing ones, as they understand the unique market, financial and management considerations of agritainment/agritourism businesses.

They really enjoy their agritainment feasibility, design and consulting work. They learn a lot from the farmers they work with that can be applied to their other projects (talk about being resourceful with the dollar, just work with a farmer). Most of all, they enjoy seeing farms succeed at a whole new business venture that moves them into the experience economy while still retaining their roots of farming and helps them preserve their multi-generational family properties.

Learn more here.
Member Savings Program
The Member Savings Program was developed in response to member feedback and offers collective buying power through a 150,000 business buying group alliance. Suppliers include Hewlett Packard, Ace Hardware, Sherwin Williams, Sunbelt Rentals, WEX Gasoline Cards, Staples, UPS, HotelEngine.com, Unifirst, Office Depot as well as over 25 other companies. These suppliers offer significant savings for members on their day to day business purchases. Members in the group purchasing alliance save an average of 20% on many expenses.

NAFDMA members can log into nafdma.com and navigate to the Supplier Directory to register for savings.
DISCOUNT OFFERING COMING SOON!
MSP will be announcing their newest member savings program later this month with Ariat and the Ariat Crew Program. This program will provide MSP business members with a simplified customization solution for on-the-job gear and reliable footwear. Ariat makes it easy to outfit your team in one place.
Industry Headlines
York County’s Own Maize Quest Designed The Field Of Dreams Maze In Secret For Major League Baseball’s New Stadium Debut 
nafdma.com
It was an unexpected call that started the two-year story leading up to Maize Quest’s contract to design and cut the “Field of Dreams Corn Maze” for Major League Baseball in Dyersville, IA. The corn maze depicting the MLB logo made ...

Agritourism Retreats at CASS Winery Highlight a Learning, Doing and Dining Model at the Geneseo Inn
winebusiness.com
With the development of the GENESEO INN, CASS Winery has launched a robust program of agriculturally focused retreats. These are all-inclusive, multiple day stays on the vineyard with full itineraries that swing from hands-on agricultural ...

North-east MSP goes 'Down on the Farm' in Rosehearty to promote agritourism
The Fraserburgh Herald
Mercedes Villalba believes agritourism – rural travel experiences on working farms – could provide a vital source in income for small farms in Aberdeenshire looking to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic ...

Vacation rentals like Airbnb help farmers in Maine earn extra revenue
yahoo.com
Vacation rentals like Airbnbs can be controversial in cities — they take business away from local hotels, evade occupancy taxes and are often linked to gentrification, for instance. But in rural economies in Maine, vacation rentals ...

How a sunflower festival in Botetourt County blossomed into an event attended by thousands nationwide
wsls.com
As Candace Monaghan prepared to run her first sunflower festival in 2016, one thought ran through her head: ‘Who’s gonna pay to see a sunflower?’
While she continued setting up for the event, butterflies filled her stomach and ...

'We really could change the world': Agriculture revolution explores new approach to farming
kmbc.com
The heartland of the United States has long been a fertile growing grown for crops used around the country. Age-old techniques have helped farm the land for generations. Some producers swear there’s a better way: regenerative farming ...

Rig Hand Distillery celebrates groundbreaking of new facility
leducrep.com
On Aug. 4, Rig Hand Distillery celebrated the groundbreaking of its new facility just outside Nisku, AB. Once completed, the 14,000 square foot facility will serve as a working farm distillery and agri-tourism centre, complete with a tasting room ...

How Illinois agriculture organizations cultivate young leaders
The Pantagraph
Agricultural organizations continue to cultivate leaders, pandemic or not. The programs may be adjusted to meet social distancing or travel restrictions, but the leadership development opportunities continue. Chandler Bane of Arrowsmith, Illinois, said his experience as Soy ...
For more information about NAFDMA - International Agritourism
Association, visit our website at www.nafdma.com.
Connect Today Using These Platforms
Suzi Spahr, Executive Director | suzi@nafdma.com
Jeff Winston, Education and Operations Manager | jeff@nafdma.com
Lisa Dean, Membership and Communications Manager | lisa@nafdma.com