2. • Located in Driftless Area of
the Midwest
• Major crops include; corn,
soybeans, alfalfa, cattle and
hogs
• Part of the Upper Mississippi
River Valley Viticultural Area –
the world’s largest designated
appellation
• Part of the Mississippi Flyway,
bringing birds north in the
spring & south in the autumn
• Major industries are
agriculture and tourism

3. • Launched in 2010 as a
comprehensive agritourism
education and economic
development program for Jo
Daviess County, IL
• Program developed using NO
government funds
• Strong acceptance from
businesses and farmers
• Developed an inclusive
Strategic Plan
• Provides an experiential
getaway for the visitor

4. • Represents farm enterprises
and providers in 20 counties
from NW IL, SW WI and NE IA
• The online farmers market
adds new vendors weekly
• The website
DiscoverTheTriStates.com
ranks on Google for over 200
keywords
• Program is promoted through
local Farm Bureaus,
Convention & Visitor Bureaus
and Chambers of Commerce

5. • Educates
– Educates consumers about
modern agriculture
– Educates farmers on what
consumers expect from their
food and from their experiences.
• Connects Consumers with
Local Farmers
– Builds engagement & opens
lines-of-communication
• Promotes Regional Rural
Economic Development on
the Global Digital Stage
• Also provides countless ancillary
benefits; from event & attraction
promotion, to tactile participation in
the rural lifestyle.

6. • The region’s first digital
farmers market
• Free listing for all providers
who participate in physical
farmers markets
• Links consumer directly to
provider through phone,
email and/or website
• Site organized into familiar
categories similar to a
traditional farmers market
• Makes locally grown food
more accessible to residents
whose schedules don’t
coincide with market hours

8. • Growth and expansion
continues
• Building a new, virtual
farmers market platform in IL
to be introduced in 2013
• Researching the expansion of
Discover the Flavors as a
national network of regional
agritourism & digital farmers
market initiatives
• Expanding the educational
resources for farmers and
consumers