Sessions for the 2007 NAMA Boot Camp, August 21-23 in Kansas City, have been finalized. The Boot Camp begins with a reception on Tuesday evening followed by dinner and Networking speaker, Matt Anderson, with the Referral Authority. One of the most important aspects of business is networking. Anderson has grown his business exclusively by referrals, relationship building, and networking. He specializes in training and coaching sales professionals on how to build referral-based businesses.

Wednesday, August 22 begins with a continental breakfast followed by a Producer Panel. This panel will feature owners/operators of a diversified farming operation, a cattle feeder/buying operation and owners of a diversified farm with country marketing. This panel will be moderated by Jim Patrico, editor, The Progressive Farmer. Morning breakout sessions include Little Red Writing Hood and the Big, Scary Communications Plan presented by Carol Anderson, Anderson/Fallon and Beth Burgy, Broadhead + Company and Maximizing Your Trade Show R.O.I. with Scott Hanna, Skyline Displays. The luncheon on Wednesday will feature Successful AgriTourism with Errie Raasch, Liberty Corn Maze/Carolyn’s Country Cousins. Raasch is the co-owner/operator of the Liberty Corn Maze, a 23-acre, interactive corn maze and agritourism operation. The corn maze is in its 4th year of operation with more than 20,000 visitors each year. The corn maze is operated in conjunction with Carolyn’s Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch. Relax over lunch and learn more about this segment of the industry.

After lunch, choose from one of two breakout sessions on BioSecurity or Shifting Demographics in Agriculture with Rhett Hawkins, Osborn & Barr Communications. After the breakouts, join moderator, Cliff Becker, Food 360, for a Client/Agency Panel discussion. This session will consist of both client and agency representatives and will give you insight into client/agency relationships. Following this session, network with other attendees at a reception at the Cashew in downtown Kansas City.

Thursday, August 23 begins with a continental breakfast and two breakout sessions to choose from, the Farm Bill Update or New Media with Michael Lundgren, VML. Following the breakout sessions will be the Boot Camp Closing Session on Ethanol – Today and Tomorrow with Robert White, Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC). This presentation will discuss ethanol’s role in motorsports including the IndyCar® Series and the American Le Mans Series. White will also discuss the current landscape of ethanol including availability and distribution, the future of ethanol and challenges. In addition, he will discuss E85 and EPIC’s retail, automotive, and marketing programs surrounding E85.

Don’t miss this year’s Boot Camp! For session times and registration and hotel information, visit, http://www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp.htm.

To register for the Boot Camp visit, http://payment.nama.org/bootcamp07.htm.

If you are interested in sponsoring a session or event at the NAMA Boot Camp, please fill out the sponsorship confirmation form at www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp-spo.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at 913-491-6500 or via e-mail at [email protected].

The 4th Annual NAMA Boot Camp will take place August 21-23, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

This year’s Boot Camp will provide the tools you need to more professionally market to the ag industry. Enlist today to learn more about agri-marketing!

Did you attend last year? If so, we want you back! This year’s program is a perfect continuation of the previous programs. Topics will include:

Importance of Networking
Interpreting Research
Maximizing Your Trade Show ROI
Successful AgriTourism
AgroTerrorism
Shifting Demographics in Agriculture
New Media
Ethanol
Farm Bill Update

Panel discussions will also be a part of the Boot Camp and include a producer panel and a client/agency panel.

Come in early and attend the optional MoKan Ag Tour. This tour will get you out in the field to experience a wide range of working agricultural operations first hand.

All Boot Camp attendees will receive a notebook packed with ag terminology and facts as well as case studies and speaker presentations.

To register for the 2007 NAMA Boot Camp visit, http://payment.nama.org/bootcamp07.htm.

If you are interested in sponsoring a session or event at the NAMA Boot Camp, please fill out the sponsorship confirmation form at www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp-spo.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at 913-491-6500 or via e-mail at [email protected].

For more information on the NAMA Boot Camp visit, http://www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp.htm.

Some of the speakers for the 2007 NAMA Boot Camp have been confirmed. The Boot Camp will take place August 21-23, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

This year’s Boot Camp will kick-off on Tuesday, August 21, at 8:00 a.m. with an optional day-long farm tour. Following the tour, registration for the Boot Camp will open along with a chance to network at the welcome reception. After the reception, enjoy dinner followed by a session on Speed Networking with Matt Anderson, The Referral Authority.

Wednesday, August 22, begins with breakfast and a Producer Panel. After the general session, select one of two breakout sessions. These breakouts will focus on Research and Trade Shows. Scott Hanna, Skyline Displays Heartland, Inc., will show attendees how maximizing your Trade Show R.O.I. helps you get results by revealing the essential aspects of a successful trade show program.

Join Errie Raasch with the Liberty Corn Maze/Carolyn’s Country Cousins and other attendees for a luncheon session on AgriTourism. The afternoon will begin with breakouts on BioSecurity as well as Shifting Demographics with Rhett Hawkins of Osborn & Barr Communications. The final session of the day will be a client/agency panel discussion. Following the last session, join us at The Cashew in downtown Kansas City for a networking reception.

Thursday, August 23, will kick-off with breakfast followed by breakout sessions on the Farm Bill and New Media followed by the Boot Camp Closing Session.

More details on sessions and speakers to come!

To register for the 2007 NAMA Boot Camp visit, http://payment.nama.org/bootcamp07.htm.

There are a few sponsorships still available for the NAMA Boot Camp, please fill out the sponsorship confirmation form at www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp-spo.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at 913-491-6500 or via e-mail at [email protected].

For more information on the NAMA Boot Camp visit, http://www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp.htm.

Just a reminder to mark your calendars for the following upcoming events and deadlines:

NAMA Boot Camp: August 21-23, 2007
Professional Development Awards of Excellence Deadline: September 1, 2007
Best of NAMA Entry Deadline: October 12, 2007
2007 Agribusiness Forum: November 13-14, 2007

Keep watching the National NAMA e-News for more information on the Boot Camp, Awards of Excellence, Best of NAMA Call for Entries and the Agribusiness Forum.

Sign-up now to take advantage of the sponsorship opportunities for the NAMA Boot Camp, August 21-23, in Kansas City. Take a look at the available sponsorships below then fill out the on-line sponsorship form at www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp-spo.htm to submit your request to NAMA or contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected] for sponsorship information.

• Dinner (Tuesday, August 21)
• Producer Panel (Wednesday, August 22)
• Lunch/Speaker (Wednesday, August 22)
• Afternoon General Session (Wednesday, August 22)
• Closing General Session (Thursday, August 23)
• Breakout Sessions (5 available – Wednesday, August 22 & Thursday, August 23)

Don’t miss out on your chance for a little company recognition. Special thanks to our current sponsors:

Associations, Inc.
Bayer CropScience
Broadhead + Company
Covansys
Farm Credit
Farm Industry News
Fastline Publications
High Plains Journal
Hoard’s Dairyman
John Deere
Mosaic Company
Osborn & Barr Communications
Pioneer Hi-Bred, Intl., Inc.
Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications
The Western Producer/Acreage Life

Mark your calendars to attend the 4th Annual NAMA Boot Camp, August 21-23, in Kansas City!

This year’s Boot Camp will kick-off on Tuesday, August 21, at 8:00 a.m. with an optional day-long farm tour. Following the tour, registration for the Boot Camp will open along with a chance to network at the welcome reception. After the reception, enjoy dinner followed by a session on Speed Networking.

Wednesday, August 22, begins with breakfast and a general session with a Producer Panel. After the general session, line up for one of two breakout sessions. These breakouts will focus on Research and Trade Shows. Join us for a luncheon session on AgriTourism after the breakouts. The afternoon will begin with breakouts on BioSecurity and Shifting Demographics, and the final session of the day will be a client/agency panel discussion. Following the last session, join us at The Cashew in downtown Kansas City for a networking reception.

Thursday, August 23, will kick-off with breakfast followed by breakout sessions on the Farm Bill and New Media followed by the Boot Camp Closing Session.

To register for the 2007 NAMA Boot Camp visit, http://payment.nama.org/bootcamp07.htm.

If you are interested in sponsoring a session or event at the NAMA Boot Camp, please fill out the sponsorship confirmation form at www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp-spo.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at 913-491-6500 or via e-mail at [email protected].

For more information on the NAMA Boot Camp visit, http://www.nama.org/programs/bootcamp.htm.

Attendees at the 2006 NAMA Boot Camp were surprised with a special visit from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns on August 23.

The Secretary was in the Kansas City area speaking at another conference and dropped by to talk to attendees about world trade policies and how important they are. Johanns has been the most involved Secretary of Agriculture in dealing with world trade policies. His passion for trade policies has been evident during his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture. Days after he took office, he began working with U.S. trading partners to reopen their markets to U.S. beef. Nearly 119 countries had closed their markets after a single finding of a BSE-infected cow in the U.S. in 2003. Within his first year, Johanns convinced nearly half that number to reopen markets.

To improve access to markets he has traveled the world, participating in World Trade Organization negotiations and promoting the successful passage of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement.

If you missed the Secretary at the NAMA Boot Camp, you’ll have another chance to see him speak at the Gateway NAMA/St. Louis Agribusiness Club monthly meeting on Friday, September 15 at the Crown Plaza Hotel – Clayton, Grand Ballroom on the lower level, 7750 Carondelet Avenue, St. Louis, MO. Cost is $25 with advance registration. To RSVP, e-mail [email protected] or call 636-449-5040 by Tuesday, September 5th.