The 2007 Cornell Strategic Marketing Conference will be held on November 5 th and 6 th, 2007 at the Henry A Wallace Visitor and Education Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home, Hyde Park, NY. The theme of the conference is The Northeast Competitive Advantage: Increasing Producer Access to Markets and is sponsored by the Agricultural Marketing and Management Program Work Team and Department of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University.
Determining how to better integrate existing and new farm products into emerging markets is often a challenge faced by many local and regional agricultural producers. Do you go it alone? Do you cooperate and combine activities with area producers? Do you contract with national and/or regional distributors? At this year’s conference, producers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers will share their insights on distribution, selling techniques, accessing markets, and expanding market opportunities and ways producers can capitalize on them.
William Welker, Sales Manager from Railex USA, will open this year’s conference to discuss their business approach linking the needs of growers, shippers, and manufacturers with retail and food service distribution, as well as current and planned distribution opportunities for Northeast producers interested in increasing access to large, distant consumer markets. To close the conference, Liz Thorpe, Managing Director from Murray’s Cheese will share success stories from the retail food industry on innovative approaches to reach consumers and how to create and learn to sell your products.
In addition, the conference will feature concurrent producer and industry panels representing fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and livestock and meat products that will present and share their first-hand knowledge of issues surrounding food safety, post-harvest technology innovations, new marketing approaches, and new product, value-added, and quality opportunities to meet market demands. Representatives from successful joint-producer ventures will be on hand to discuss partnerships and cooperative arrangements that are making marketing possible.
All members of the agricultural community, including agricultural producers, agricultural extension educators, farm management specialists, agricultural economic development specialists, agri-service providers, and food wholesalers and retailers are encouraged to attend. Partial funding support is provided by the Warren Teaching Endowment Fund, with supplemental support provided by the Cornell University Small Farms Program and the Agricultural and Community Economic Development Program Work Team. .
Conference Location and Travel Information Henry A. Wallace Visitor & Education Center
FDR Library
4079 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 1-800-337-8474
Check the following web site for information on nearby airports and driving directions to the Wallace Center.
The conference begins at 9 a.m. on November 5th, with registration and a continental breakfast starting at 8 a.m. Please see the agenda for more detailed information. Check back regularly for agenda updates.
Registration Information The pre-registration fee is $75 if postmarked by October 22nd; $90 if postmarked after October 22nd or if registering on-site. The fee for media personnel with valid ID will be waived. The registration form can be found here. For further conference information or to obtain a registration form contact Vicki Parker at 254-6761 or vrp5@cornell.edu. Please print out and complete the registration form and mail with your check payable to Cornell University.
Dinner Event at the Culinary Institute of America There will be an optional four-course dinner on Monday evening, November 5th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Culinary Institute of America on Monday evening, November 5th. The Institute is located at 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, NY (851-451-1544). The cost will be $45 per person. The menu will consist of:
Appetizer: Garden salad with a pear and ice wine vinaigrette, candied walnuts, and an quray crostini
2nd Course: Louisiana chicken and shrimp gumbo
Main Course: Grilled marinated chicken breast with savory apple chutney and red pepper coulis
Dessert: White chocolate cheesecake with fresh fruit salsa and raspberry coulis rolls and beverage
Be sure to note on the registration form any allergies or other dietary restrictions you may have. The Institute can make substitutions, but they request advance notification.
Lodging Accommodations Conference attendees are responsible for their own hotel reservations. Rooms have been reserved at the following hotels for conference participants. State and local taxes can be waived upon receipt of a valid NYS Tax Exemption certificate. When making your reservations, refer to “Cornell Cooperative Extension” or “Smart Marketing Conference” to get the negotiated rates.
Quality Inn - Hyde Park 4142 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 845-229-0088
Rate: $85/night plus tax, single or double occupancy
20 rooms blocked, held until October 29, 2007
Best Western Inn & Conference Center 2170 South Road, Route 9
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-462-4600
Rate: $89.95/night plus tax, single or double occupancy
60 rooms blocked, held until October 29, 2007.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
Todd Schmit, Assistant Professor Department of Applied Economics and Management
Cornell University
Phone: 607-255-3015
Email: tms1@cornell.edu
Bob Weybright, Agriculture & Horticulture Program Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension - Dutchess County
Phone: 845-677-8223, ext 122,
Email: rw74@cornell.edu
