NYFB StaCon Annual Meeting
Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
Understand how to effectively use AI in your business and leverage AI as a tool (not a magic wand). We will cover what to put in to get out what you need and what to do with that information once you have an output from an AI tool. Will also include a light overview of marketing strategies for farms.
NAFDMA Expo Bonus Day
Navigating the Middle: A Workshop for Non-Owner + Non-Family Managers
Presented by Maureen Ballatori
This interactive workshop equips agritourism managers with strategies to effectively translate owner vision into operational success while advocating for frontline perspectives. Through interactive discussions, case study reviews, and collaborative problem-solving, participants will develop practical tools for managing both up and down the organizational structure. Gain insights from peers across diverse agritourism sectors while building skills to measure performance and communicate value.
As a result of this session, you will be better able to:
Master techniques for interpreting and implementing owner vision
Develop effective KPIs and analytics to demonstrate success and identify challenges
Build a toolkit for communicating frontline realities to ownership
Learn strategies for staff leadership that align with organizational goals
Apply proven conflict resolution methods when ownership and operational priorities diverge
NAFDMA Expo Panel
Transforming Your Business with Strategic Food Offerings
Presented by Maureen Ballatori
Panelists: Wickham Farms, Pingle’s Farm Market, Gritt’s Farm
Elevate your operation by strategically incorporating food experiences that captivate visitors and boost your bottom line. Drawing from the speaker’s authentic farm heritage and industry expertise, this panel discussion unveils how multiple agritourism farms have added creative and elevated food options and have enhanced their front and back of house operations.
Farm leaders from Wickham Farms, Pingles Farm Market, and Gritt’s Farm will speak to how food can transform guest experiences, extend visits, and generate remarkable social media exposure through photo-worthy food moments.
As a result of this session, you will be better able to:
Discover trend-aligned food options that require minimal infrastructure but deliver maximum impact
Learn practical strategies to increase per-visitor revenue through strategic food offerings
Explore case studies of successful agritourism businesses that transformed their operations with food
Understand how to create "larger-than-life" food experiences that drive social sharing and return visits
Develop an action plan tailored to your specific agritourism operation's strengths and resources
NAFDMA Expo Session
The Psychology of Pricing: Maximizing Revenue and Customer Satisfaction
Presented by Maureen Ballatori
This workshop reveals the psychological principles that drive purchasing decisions at agritourism destinations. We will explore proven pricing strategies through real-world case studies from trusted institutions, giving those insights an agritourism lens.
Learn to structure pricing that takes revenue and customer satisfaction into account exploring premium experiences, strategic pricing bundles, and optimal timing for ticket sales.
As a result of this session, you will be better able to:
Understand key psychological triggers that influence visitor spending patterns
Master premium experience pricing that enhances perceived value and satisfaction
Develop strategic package deals that increase the average transaction value
Implement timing-based pricing strategies to maximize advance purchases
Apply data-driven techniques to test and refine your pricing approach
Agritourism Ontario Conference
Maureen will present “Premiumize Your Agritourism Destination” at the Agritourism Ontario Conference which is co-hosted with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (OFVC). Agritourism Ontario members are individual farmers who have opened their gates to the public to share their produce and their farms.
In this session, attendees will find out how to attract an audience that is seeking a premium agritourism destination and ready to pay for it. Learn how to benchmark other premium destinations and build experiences that allow you to charge more. Explore the essentials you need to put in place to effectively elevate your offerings and uncover unique ways to implement these ideas. We’ll touch on collaboration, food and drink, ticketing strategies, and marketing efforts.
Food | Ag | Ideas Conference
Food | Ag | Ideas, led by Naturally MN has become a must-attend gathering for farmers, entrepreneurs, brands, industry professionals and companies alike, focused on food and ag innovation, drawing attendees from across the US and internationally.
FAI 2025 will primarily take place on October 14th, 2025 and Maureen will emcee. Get ready to immerse yourself in a dynamic lineup of sessions, panels, networking events, and interactive experiences. This year, we're diving headfirst into regenerative agriculture supply chains, focusing on how we can ensure the health of both people and the planet.
Women’s Day Brunch at the NYS Fair: Keynote Speaker
On August 28th, Maureen will deliver the keynote address at the Women’s Day Brunch, part of The Great New York State Fair’s annual celebration of women in agriculture and advocacy.
Telling and Selling your Story
SUNY Startup Summer School: Telling and Selling your Story
Maureen will some strategy and storytelling guidance for the students then Michael Lightman of Hate Your Deck will carry the storytelling baton adding some great info on how to pitch (and what to put in your deck!).
This is only open to students in the SUNY S4 program but if you’re interested in a workshop, let’s talk. DM me!
Missouri Agritourism Conference
Premiumize Your Destination
Find out how to attract an audience that is seeking a premium agritourism destination and ready to pay for it. Learn how to benchmark other premium destinations and build experiences that allow you to charge more. Explore the essentials you need to put in place to effectively elevate your offerings and uncover unique ways to implement these ideas. We’ll touch on collaboration, food and drink, ticketing strategies, and marketing efforts.
As a result of this session, you will be better able to:
● Understand new ideas for leveling-up your destination experiences
● Develop optimized pricing structures
● Discover marketing efforts that allow you to attract a premium audience
Community Development Society Annual Conference
Women in Craft Transforming the Finger Lakes Community
Maureen will be facilitating a panel discussion titled "Women in Craft Transforming the Finger Lakes Community" on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Community Development Society's (CDS) Annual Conference in Geneva, New York. This panel is part of the conference's broader theme, "Innovative Pathways to Thriving Communities: Technology, People, and Place-based Collaboration," which emphasizes the role of regional collaboration and innovation in community development.
The discussion will highlight the contributions of women artisans in the Finger Lakes region, exploring how their craftwork fosters community engagement, preserves cultural heritage, and stimulates local economies. Maureen's facilitation aims to shed light on the intersection of gender, creativity, and regional development, offering insights into how craft can be a catalyst for positive change.
The CDS Annual Conference, running from July 6 to 9, 2025, brings together practitioners, scholars, and community leaders to share knowledge and strategies for building resilient communities. Set against the backdrop of the picturesque Finger Lakes, the event includes a variety of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to inspire and equip attendees in their community development efforts.
Cultivate Conference: Soil Health Workshop
Cultivate Conference 2025 brings AgTech innovators together to explore the most pressing challenges in agriculture and the technologies being developed to solve them. This year, Cultivate will focus on insights from the Regional Agriculture Pain Point Report (RAPPR), highlighting industry-wide challenges and opportunities for innovation.
Attendees will gain practical insights, connect with key players in the Grand Farm’s AgTech ecosystem, and participate in discussions that shape the future of agriculture technology. With expert-led keynotes, solution-driven breakout sessions, and high-impact networking, Cultivate provides a platform to drive meaningful progress in the industry.
Conference Goals
Create Feedback Loops Between Industry and Innovation: Ensure AgTech solutions are informed by real-world challenges through insights from the Regional Agriculture Pain Point Report.
Facilitate Meaningful Industry Connections: Bring together our diverse ecosystem of industry innovators to create partnerships that drive real solutions.
Support Technology Validation & Commercialization: Provide a platform for emerging AgTech innovations to gain industry feedback and visibility.
Advance Discussions on AgTech Adoption: Address challenges like connectivity, affordability, and data security that impact technology implementation in agriculture.
Key Focus Areas
Industry Challenges & Solutions: Sessions, workshops, and discussions will center on the Regional Agriculture Pain Point Report, offering insights into:
Pest Management: Strategies to combat herbicide resistance and improve control methods.
Equipment & Automation: Innovations in autonomy, cost reduction, and system connectivity.
Soil Health & Carbon Markets: Exploring sustainability incentives and long-term soil impact.
AI in Agriculture: Practical applications for machine learning, robotics, and predictive analytics.
Site-Specific Crop Management (S-SCM): Yield projection tools and data-driven agronomy.
Targeted Workshops & Discussions: Interactive sessions will bring together our diverse ecosystem to collaborate on real-world solutions.
Networking & Partnership Opportunities: Designed to foster connections between startups, corporations, investors, researchers & educators, growers, and policymakers, Cultivate is where ideas turn into action.
NAFDMA: The Psychology of Pricing Webinar
This webinar reveals the psychological principles that drive purchasing decisions at agritourism destinations. We will explore proven pricing strategies through real-world case studies from trusted institutions like Harvard Business Review giving those insights an agritourism lens.
PickTN Conference
Join Maureen at the PickTN Conference in Franklin, TN on February 13th-15th, 2025. Maureen will dive into actionable strategies, cutting-edge techniques, and innovative tools to take your business and marketing game to the next level. Whether you're looking to captivate social media audiences, embrace AI's transformative potential, or learn from proven growth strategies, these sessions have something for everyone.
Premiumize Your Destination
Find out how to attract an audience that is seeking a premium destination and ready to pay for it. Learn how to benchmark other premium destinations and build experiences that allow you to charge more. Explore the essentials you need to put in place to effectively elevate your offerings and uncover unique ways to implement these ideas. We’ll touch on collaboration, food and drink, ticketing strategies, and marketing efforts.
As a result of this session, you will be better able to:
Understand new ideas for leveling-up your destination experiences
Develop optimized pricing structures
Discover marketing efforts that allow you to attract a premium audience
Designing and Executing Your Annual Strategic Plan
Get the tools and mindsets to build a winning strategy and ensure that strategy is actionable for your team and organization. Learn how to identify your strategic options and create a process to help you make marketing choices. Discover how to activate strategic marketing choices and tie them to your financial goals.As a result of this session, you will be better able to:
Develop annual financial goals for your organization
Apply marketing strategies and tactics that align with your financial goals
Translate strategy to achieve common goals and ensure the strategy is actionable and feasible.
Effectively organize, communicate, and activate strategy.
Mid Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention 2025: Short Form Video Trends and Social Media Algorithms: Beyond the Basics
As social media moves more and more toward entertainment, algorithms reward accounts that share videos. Video content tends to receive more impressions and a wider reach. In this session, we’ll go beyond the basics to look at what truly moves the needle on social media.
Thriving Through Diversification: Strategies for Forward-Thinking Farms
Thriving Through Diversification: Strategies for Forward-Thinking Farms
Food | Ag | Ideas Conference
The main day of content is happening on Tuesday, October 8th, at the Machine Shop in NE Minneapolis.
Join us as we navigate the major shifts shaping the future of food and agriculture. Together, let's pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow. See you at FAI!
2024 Northeast Dairy Convention: Consumer Trends in the Dairy Industry
Join Maureen Ballatori, Founder and CEO at Agency 29, at the 2024 Northeast Dairy Convention in Saratoga Springs, NY, a 3-day educational business sessions on pivotal industry topics, and engaging panel discussion, and networking opportunities.
New York State of Mind Weekend: Battle of the Bourbons
Join Maureen as she judges some of the best bourbon producers from across New York State, including Black Button Distilling and Iron Smoke Distillery to determine the crowd favorite!
Telling and Selling Your Story with Maureen Ballatori and Michael Lightman
(closed to the public)
Telling and Selling Your Story with Maureen Ballatori and Michael Lightman Wednesday, July 24th from 10:30 am to 12 pm Eastern SUNY Research Foundation Startup Summer School (S4)
Dair-ing to Learn Webinar Series: Brand Marketing 101
On July 9th, Maureen Ballatori will cover the basics of brand marketing as part of the Dair-ing to Learn Webinar Series through the Center for Profitable Agriculture. You’ll learn the differences between brand and product marketing - an important distinction to understand as you launch and scale a brand.
Rev Ithaca Startup Works: Prototyping Accelerator 2024 - Logos & Branding
Maureen Ballatori, Founder and CEO at Agency 29, will be a guest speaker at Rev Ithaca’s summer-long Prototyping Hardware Accelerator program. She will discuss the importance of brand recognition when pitching to prospective partners and investors.
Cultivate Conference by Grand Farm
Join Maureen, Founder & CEO at Agency 29, in Moorhead, Minnesota at the Cultivate Conference by Grand Farm. This conference brings together a diverse community of experts, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and growers to share their knowledge and experiences, create feedback loops, and explore the exciting possibilities of technology in agriculture. Maureen’s session topic is to be determined.
Rev Ithaca Startup Works: Content Session - Discovering Your Brand
Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a seasoned professional, or simply someone with a passion to express, crafting your brand is essential for standing out in a crowded world. Join Maureen Ballatori, Founder and CEO of Agency 29, virtually for a branding content session.
Rochester Commissary Kitchen Lunch & Learn: What's in a Casual Sales Pitch?
When you only have a short amount of time to make a great first impression, how can you best tell your story? Hear from Maureen Ballatori, Founder and CEO and Michela Hanlon, Account Manager, at Agency 29, and learn the best tips and tricks when it comes to meeting new prospective clients at Farmer’s Market’s, Food Drop-Off’s, and More!