brought to you by the state agriculture departments of
Connecticut | Maine | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | Rhode Island | Vermont
2007 New England Farmers' Direct Marketing Conference
Keynote Speaker: Jane Eckert
It is no wonder that Jane Eckert, a farmer’s daughter and former corporate marketing executive, has become a recognized expert on agritourism, a growing travel trend in America. She created one of the most successful tourism farms in North America and now helps members of the travel and agriculture industries tap into the agritourism market. Most recently, Jane spent two years consulting with the State of Kansas, working with travel professionals, farmers and ranchers in order to develop agritourism in the state.
Jane was raised on her family’s apple orchard outside of St. Louis, Missouri, and eventually pursued an executive career in corporate marketing for more than 15 years, working for such giants as Atlantic Richfield Oil Company.
Combining her marketing expertise and her passion for agriculture, she returned to her roots as Vice President of Marketing for Eckert’s Country Store and Farms. Through her innovative ideas and through working closely with CVBs and tourism authorities, she helped develop the farm into one of metropolitan St. Louis’ most popular entertainment and tourist destinations, attracting 500,000 guests annually.
Jane has been featured in U.S.A. Today, Time and interviewed for hundreds of newspapers, magazines and radio shows throughout the country. In her speeches and workshops, she has helped thousands of tourism and ag professionals to see the financial benefits of promoting the niche product of agritourism.
In 2001, Jane created Eckert AgriMarketing, www.eckertagrimarketing.com, a full-service marketing and consulting firm that offers a variety of services to the tourism industry and agricultural operations, helping them harvest the rewards of agritourism. As a reflection of that effort, Jane was given the outstanding leadership award by the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association in 2005.
She has been an active member of Convention and Visitors Bureaus both in Missouri and Illinois. She is past president of the St. Louis Attractions Association, the Belleville Tourism in Illinois and The North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association. She is also a member of the National Speakers Association, the National Agri Marketing Association, and has served both the Missouri and the Kansas Agritourism Councils.
 Download the conference brochure. |
More conference information:
General conference information
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)
- Connecticut Farm Risk Management
- 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