Is it really flattering to be copied?

As I stand on top of my soap box, I have learned in the last couple of years and weeks  of companies trying to copy MY Barn Tours program and even fairs are copying the program (BARN TOURS) and the NAME. I appreciate the fact that there is people out there in the world who think we are doing a great thing and want to copy it. But DON"T use my name (BARN TOURS) we have a 20 year reputation we have worked hard to build up and maintain. Now I am all for us to work together so if you do want to use MY name and MY program we can work together but ASK first. I keep my business to a certain standard and I would hate to think that the copies out there are not and ruining MY name without knowing it.
I understand that in the fair industry we tend to use ideas from others and make them our own. But when you take ideas from a business and try to do it on your own you take money out of our pocket as well as try to reinvent the wheel. Well I blue prints to the wheel and have worked out all the kinks and its so hard to see others out there try to do it and it not be up to our standards.
 By all means just ask and I am willing to work with you so that way the education is still being passed along in a fun and entertaining way. Cause all that matters is the public is educated correctly and no more miss information about agriculture is spread.

IS AGRICULTURE A BAD WORD?

In my slow season I sub at local schools, from elementary to high school and I run across the same thing. Most kids have no clue what 'AGRICULTURE" means. They use it every day and see it every day, it may not be in the traditional forms but it there. The kids still think of a farmer in overalls sitting on tractor. And has we all know not all of us wear overalls. The word "AGRICULTURE" to city kids doesn't have the warm fuzzy memories our parents have or even some I have. What most of of our inner city youth knows about agriculture comes from our media and it isn't all positive.

It boggles my mind how "Earth Science" is no longer apart of a agriculture classes but purely just a science class. I find it funny how we have all these school gardens but no one is teaching them "AGRICULTURE" its "GARDENING". I know I might be standing on a soap box but if no one teaches the kids they are truly learning about agriculture how can we except these kids to appreciate the industry.

We praise schools for having school gardens and science programs, but we are first to cut the Agriculture departments. I don't think every school needs a Agriculture department but if you are going to teach the kids about aspects of Agriculture make sure they walk away with an understanding of the word and the industry.