Organizers of an upcoming agritourism conference in Bardstown hope to highlight how the industry can contribute to community prosperity.

“The goal of the conference is to make Kentucky Cooperative Extension agents aware of agritourism resources as well as telling stories of successes and challenges for beginning and maintaining agritourism ventures,” said Chuck Stamper, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension program coordinator for community and economic development.

 The two-day event will be March 5-6 at the Nelson County extension office. Registration begins at 10:45 EST March 5 Kentucky Commissioner for Agriculture James R. Comer is the lunch keynote speaker.

Afternoon breakout sessions topics include small business development, production and site marketing, dealing with local government and understanding policies. These topics will be a continuing theme in breakout sessions throughout the two-day conference with different discussion leaders facilitating.

Agritourism industry representatives from throughout Kentucky will be sharing in many of the sessions on March 6. They include:

• Joanna Hinton, owner, Hinton’s Orchard, Hodgenville
• Jason and Christie Devine, Devine's Corn Maze, Harrodsburg
• Jack Hanes, president of Cave Region Agritourism Association

Agents attending the conference will be more fully equipped to help their clients start and maintain agritourism ventures in their counties and to help owners of those ventures understand the best legal and management practices for them to succeed and, in return, help communities around them prosper.

For questions about registration, contact rosalee.bradley@uky.edu. Registration is $45 per person and must be sent to Chuck Stamper, 130 Robinson Road, Jackson, KY 41339 by Feb. 22.

Contact: Chuck Stamper, 859-257-9511, ext. 237