Workshops Help Farmers Tell Media About Fun on the Farm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Three workshops slated for August in locations across the state aim to help agritourism farmers learn more about working with media. 

 

 

 

The workshops, conducted by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), are scheduled for Aug. 21 at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville; Aug. 27 at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson; and Aug. 30 at Walters State Community College in Morristown.

 

Participation in a workshop also qualifies Tennessee agritourism operators for an increased percentage of reimbursement for projects approved as part of the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP).  The program offers the Tennessee’s agritourism farmers a 35 percent cost share up to $10,000 for pre-approved projects; that percentage is increased to 50 percent up to $15,000 for operators who attend the media training event.  The increased cost share applies to any University of Tennessee or Tennessee Department of Agriculture educational agritourism session, including attendance at previous workshops and conferences.

 

Agritourism is a relatively new term used to describe a wide variety of farm-related activities, products and services meant to attract visitors to farms.  Typical Tennessee agritourism activities include “pick-your-own” farms, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, farm tours, on-farm gift shops and wineries that use Tennessee grown products. Tennessee currently has more than 500 agritourism and direct marketing venues.

 

“We want to give our agritourism operators the tools they need to work successfully with local media,” says Pamela Bartholomew, TDA Market Development agritourism coordinator.  “It’s important to build good relationships with the people who can tell your story to the public and build your business.  All farmers need to understand their own industry, but agritourism farmers also need to understand the media industry in order to present themselves and farms in a positive, effective way.”

 

The workshops are offered at no cost to agritourism producers.  Each media training workshop begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.  Lunch is provided. 

 

“By completing the media training,” says Bartholomew, “a producer will be better able to able to speak to a crowd about an agritourism operation, educate others about what agritourism is and what types of activities are available in Tennessee, and of course to speak to the media and answer questions.”

 

“We’ll help producers define and refine their operation’s ‘message’” says Bartholomew; “You can’t ‘stay on message’ with the media until you’ve thought about what that message is.  We’ll teach what a sound byte is and what the interviewer is looking for when he asks you for one.  We’ll help you think about what sort of image a potential customer is looking for in a farmer and farm experience, and how you can project that image.”

 

“Local media want to be seen as committed to and serving their communities by bringing attention to area events and businesses,” says Bartholomew.  “Agritourism venues and their local media can have a mutually beneficial relationship—but you have to give them information and images they can use.”

 

“Some of the best advertising your farm can get is the kind you can’t buy,” says the specialist.  “We’ll give you ideas on how to get media attention and then to build lasting relationships with those local people who make a big difference in how often and how well word gets out about all the fun people can have on your farm.”

 

For more information about the workshops, contact Bartholomew at Pamela.Bartholomew@state.tn.us or (615) 837-5348.  Register for an upcoming workshop by calling (615) 837-5160.  For more information about Tennessee agritourism, the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program or to learn more about Tennessee farm products, visit www.picktnproducts.org.