Boot Campers came to Kansas City from across the country for an intense two-day course in all things agri-marketing. Even the late summer rainstorm during the ag tour couldn’t dampen the spirits of this lively bunch.

In addition to the great networking throughout the event and the useful resources they received, attendees also learned invaluable new information during keynote sessions and breakouts.

Quick Boot Camp Takeaways

♦ When it comes to communicating with producers and growers keep it short, sweet and to the point

♦ Producers and growers appreciate communications with synopses of articles and information

♦ Radio is still key — younger and older ag audiences listen with the same frequency

♦ Effective crisis communications strategists know how to segment their audiences and talk to different groups with the key messages just for them

Attendees also learned about different communication styles and how to identify them. Row crops, livestock and sustainability were breakout session topics to choose among over the two days of Boot Camp.

Well-known copywriter and creative Tug McTighe of Callahan Creek shared “The Creative Department’s Dirty Little Secrets.” Chief among them: Everyone is creative. Everyone has a story. You have to grab them quickly.

An ending session on content marketing rounded out Boot Camp 2015. The main takeaway being that good marketers position their clients as subject matter experts. According to Laura Sweeney McCarthy, Account Director at Global Prairie, “People know they’re being marketed to. As long as information is valuable, relevant and interesting, they don’t mind …”

And of course NAMA made sure everyone had the chance to relax over drinks and appetizers during a beautiful afternoon on the deck of Boulevard Brewing Company.

Don’t miss what NAMA has in store for next year! Stay up to speed on the next Boot Camp and all NAMA special events at nama.org.

The 12th Annual NAMA Boot Camp starts tomorrow! We hope to see you all there! If you’re not signed up, you can still register today or onsite!

This event is filled with great opportunities whether you are just starting out in the working world or if you’ve been through Boot Camp many times before. If this is your first time in the agriculture business then you are in luck; you will get a beginner’s course about the business including a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts and case studies. If you are a more seasoned veteran, you can choose from a variety of different breakout sessions and pick the one that interests you most. Aside from the great speakers lined up for you this year, we also have some fun scheduled into the program. The first night of Boot Camp there will be a networking reception where you’ll have the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people. In today’s working world, meeting the right people can make a huge difference in growing your career – you never know who you could meet! The next night we will have an off-site reception at Boulevard Brewing Company. Enjoy some of Kansas City’s finest beer and wine while networking with your peers.

Find a complete schedule of this year’s activities on the Boot Camp website. You can still register! Register online or call the NAMA office at (913) 491-6500.

We are just two weeks away from the 12th Annual NAMA Boot Camp, but don’t worry, it’s not too late to register! The 2015 Boot Camp will take place August 18-20 in Kansas City at the Sheraton Crown Center.

This event is filled with great opportunities whether you are just starting out in the working world or if you’ve been through Boot Camp many times before. If this is your first time in the agriculture business then you are in luck; you will get a beginner’s course about the business including a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts and case studies. If you are a more seasoned veteran, you can choose from a variety of different breakout sessions and pick the one that interests you most.

Aside from the great speakers lined up for you this year, we also have some fun scheduled into the program. The first night of Boot Camp there will be a networking reception where you’ll have the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people. In today’s working world, meeting the right people can make a huge difference in growing your career – you never know who you could meet! The next night we will have an off-site reception at Boulevard Brewing Company. Enjoy some of Kansas City’s finest beer and wine while networking with your peers.

Find a complete schedule of this year’s activities on the Boot Camp website. And be sure to sign up today so you don’t miss out on these amazing opportunities. Register online or call the NAMA office at (913) 491-6500.

The 2015 MoKan Ag Tour is the first day of NAMA’s Boot Camp. We will start bright and early on Tuesday, August 18 to make sure we can fit in all the great activities planned. The first stop will be a cattle production facility in Savannah, Missouri. This angus feeder and cow/calf operation started in 1950 by the Byergo Family. Bryson Byergo, who will lead the tour, is also speaking at this year’s Boot Camp! The facility includes a sale barn, meat counter and pasture for us to explore.

Following this, we’ll move on to Green Dirt Farm in Weston, Missouri. Green Dirt Farm’s commitment is to bring the best sheep’s milk, cheeses, yogurt and 100% grass-fed lamb to market. This location includes the original barn, along with a dairy parlor and cheese kitchen. This is also where we will enjoy lunch, which will include 100% grass-fed lamb with family sides prepared by a local chef.

We’ll wrap up the day with a visit to Cider Hill Family Orchard, in Kansas City, Kansas. This 25-acre property includes an orchard, pumpkin patch and fishing ponds. The orchard has 950 apple trees with 18 different kinds of apples. Apple season began in late July!

Breakfast and lunch will be served as part of the tour and is included in the cost of registration.

Cost:  $50/person and includes breakfast and lunch (same cost for members & non-members)

Dress: Casual, wear closed-toed shoes (no flipflops or heels).

Time:  7:00 AM depart from hotel, return to hotel at 3:00 PM

Please note: The MoKan Ag Tour is prior to the NAMA Boot Camp. While we hope that you’ll attend both, you do not need to be registered for Boot Camp to attend the Ag Tour. Check out the Boot Camp website for more information on both! Register today!

The 2015 cutoff date for Boot Camp is Monday, August 3, 2015. If you want to save some money on your registration, make sure you register by then. This is also the cutoff date for the hotel. If you do not book your room by 5:00 p.m. on August 3rd, you may not be able to get the discounted NAMA rate at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center.

Save some money today! Register online and book your room at the Sheraton.

Check out the 2015 Boot Camp Brochure! 

Find a complete schedule of this year’s activities on the Boot Camp website.

Use this year’s hashtag to connect with all your ag friends: #namabootcamp2015

The 2015 NAMA Boot Camp is NEXT MONTH! Join the National Agri-Marketing Association on August 18-20 in Kansas City. Whether you’ve just entered the rough working world or one who’s been through the NAMA Boot Camp drill before, sign up for this program today to learn more about the agri-marketing industry. This year’s Boot Camp will take it to a new level expanding on marketing and agriculture basics.

Who should attend?

• Agency Account Executives
• Media Professionals
• Art Directors
• Copywriters
• Marketing Professionals
• Sales Professionals
• Previous Boot Camp Attendees

***All attendees will receive a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts, case studies and speaker presentations. This notebook has become one of the most popular aspects of the boot camp experience.

Did you attend last year?

If so, we want you back. This year’s program is a perfect continuation of the previous programs. Plan to come early for the Ag Tour. This tour will be sponsored by the MoKan Chapter of NAMA. Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, the Agri-Marketing Boot Camp will give you the tools you need to more professionally market to the ag industry.

Check out the 2015 Boot Camp Brochure! 

Find a complete schedule of this year’s activities on the Boot Camp website.

Register online today and book your room at the Sheraton.

Use this year’s hashtag to connect with all your ag friends: #namabootcamp2015

Join the National Agri-Marketing Association for the 12th annual NAMA Boot Camp, August  18-20 in Kansas City. Whether you’ve just entered the rough working world or one who’s been through the NAMA Boot Camp drill before, sign up for this program today to learn more about the agri-marketing industry. This year’s Boot Camp will take it to a new level expanding on marketing and agriculture basics. 

All attendees will receive a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts, case studies and speaker presentations. This notebook has become one of the most popular aspects of the boot camp experience.

Check out the schedule below:

Tuesday, August 18

7:00 a.m. — MoKan Ag Tour (optional)
The tour is an on-farm experience. Make plans to kick off Boot Camp by participating in Missouri-Kansas NAMA’s ag tour. The first stop will be a cattle production facility in Savannah, Missouri. This angus feeder and cow/calf operation started in 1950. The facility includes a sale barn, meat counter and pasture. Following this, we’ll move on to Green Dirt Farm in Weston, Missouri, where we’ll enjoy lunch.  This location includes the original barn, along with a dairy parlor and cheese kitchen and reflects the owner’s commitment to bring the best sheep’s milk cheeses, yogurt and 100% grass-fed lamb to market.  We’ll wrap up the day with a visit to Cider Hill Family Orchard, in Kansas City, Kansas. This 25-acre property includes an orchard, pumpkin patch and fishing ponds. The orchard has 950 apple trees with 18 different kinds of apples. Apple season begins in late July!

4:00 p.m. — Boot Camp Registration

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. — Welcome Reception

6:00 – 7:30 p.m. — Opening General Session, Dinner & Networking Activity
Susan Hunyor, DTN/The Progressive Farmer
Kick off the Boot Camp with a networking activity designed to help you get to know fellow attendees.

Wednesday, August 19

8:00 a.m. — Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. — General Session
Doing Your Job Better
Gail Calhoun, Calhoun Consulting
The ability to identify and adapt to different communication styles within your organization is a critical component of success. Whether you’re new to your career or just looking for some helpful hints, this session will highlight tips for communicating with team members and managing expectations to make sure you’re delivering the best work possible. Gail Calhoun is president of Calhoun Consulting, Inc., a Minneapolis-based sales communication and executive coaching firm.

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. — Break

10:30 a.m. – Noon — General Session
Producer Panel
Moderator: Jared Spader, VP of Strategy and Business Development/U.S. Operations, AgCall
Learn how to communicate effectively with producers. The producer panel has become a Boot Camp favorite and attendees won’t want to miss the valuable insights from producers.

Noon – 1:30 p.m. — Luncheon
Farm Radio Connects
Mindy Oberly, Marketing & Communications Manager, NAFB
Farmers and ranchers are on the go and farm radio provides current, local relevant news for their operation. New research showcases the importance of farm radio for the U.S. agriculture industry. Radio is a daily source of ag related news and information producers need and want to know.

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)

Livestock 101
Bryson Byergo, third generation of Byergo Angus Farms and a producer
This highly interactive session will address basics of the row crop industry along with issues and challenges. Hear it straight from the producer.

Lessons Learned from a Career in Crisis Management
Season Solorio, Beef Issues and Reputation Management team, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Every organization will eventually face the moment when something goes wrong, affecting your people, products or reputation. This session will offer practical tips for managing a crisis based on the real-life experiences of an ag communicator who has helped manage producer recalls, oil spills, pink slime and the media onslaught that accompanies a crisis.

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. — Break

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)

Row Crop 101
This highly interactive session will address basics of the row crop industry along with issues and challenges. Hear it straight from the producer.

Sustainability and the Consumer
Randy Krotz, Chief Executive Officer, US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA)
What does sustainability mean to a consumer? We think we know, but do we? We need to understand how farmers and ranchers can communicate with food connectors and millennials about sustainability on their own operation.

4:30 – 6:30 p.m. — Off-site Reception
A shuttle will take attendees to a special reception at Kansas City’s own Boulevard Brewing Company. Founded in 1989, Boulevard has grown to become one of the largest specialty brewers in the Midwest. Check it out at www.boulevard.com.

Thursday, August 20

8:30 a.m. — Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. — General Session
The Creative Department’s Dirty Little Secrets
Tug McTighe, Callahan Creek and John January, Sullivan Higdon Sink
This talk is about how you, as a non-creative type, can learn to communicate better with the creatives you work with or employ. It’s also about creative types learning to understand themselves and what makes them tick. Want to become a creative whisperer? Then this is the ticket.

10:15 – 11:30 a.m. — Closing Session
Content Marketing: The Company and Agency Perspectives
David Jones, Ag Publications Manager at John Deere and Laura Sweeney McCarthy, Account Director at Global Prairie
In today’s marketing environment, content is king. Creating and distributing valuable and relevant content – and measuring the results – are critical to attract, engage and retain target audiences. Is your content getting the attention you intend? In this panel discussion, two agriculture communications professionals will share their views on the important trend in content marketing and bring it to life with examples.

11:45 a.m. — Adjourn

Check out the Boot Camp Website for registration info or register online now!