The primary goal or mission of the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF) is to provide today’s agri-business students the tools they will need to succeed tomorrow.

Century Club

The ABEF Century Club raised $3,500 at the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference. Investing in the club provides the opportunity to step forward and help advance the future of agribusiness. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders and the Century Club support is totally dedicated for investing in scholarships for tomorrow’s leaders.

The Century Club’s goal is to have today’s agribusiness leaders contribute $100 for today’s youth.

Membership in the Century Club is on an annual basis.

Club members who renew prior to the Agri-Marketing Conference will have an “ABEF Century Club” sticker on their name badge and be recognized on the Century Club sign in the Silent Auction area and in other conference materials.  You will also receive an invitation to attend the Agribusiness Leader of the Year Recognition Luncheon hosted by the ABEF and sponsored by Adayana Agri Business Group, Inc.  The annual membership contribution is $100.

You can be a part of this select group of individuals committed to enhancing the opportunity for tomorrow’s leaders. Don’t be left out, sign yourself up now! Visit http://www.nama.org/abef/centuryclub/signup.htm.

ABEF Silent/Online Media Auctions

Find a home for that special edition wildlife print or even those sports tickets and surplus company logo jackets. Or give a media package or services, and support the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF) at the same time. How? By contributing to the annual ABEF Silent Auction.

Sponsorships are available for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference. Get your company noticed!

The theme of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 13-15, is “Harvesting Ideas.”

There are many different sponsorships available. Companies with marketing
budgets of all sizes can participate. The higher your support, the more benefits you’ll receive….Sustaining Partner, Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. In addition, you can get more company visibility by claiming one or more of the sponsorship opportunities. These opportunities are available on a first come, first serve basis, with first right given to last year’s sponsor.

Please review the benefits and opportunities of sponsorship at the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference and confirm your interest to Jenny Pickett at (913) 491-6500 or e-mail to [email protected] or fill out the online sponsorship form at http://www.nama.org/amc/sponsor/form.htm. In-kind sponsorships, e.g., printing, can be considered.

Student NAMA members are being given the opportunity to share in the message of agriculture and its importance during the Ag Day Celebration 2011.  This opportunity is available thanks to the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF).  These students will:

• Spend two nights at the 4-H Visitors Center
• Visit Capitol Hill and meet directly with legislators and advisors from their home state
• Participate in training sessions with government relations liaisons, share ideas and build advocacy plans
• Share morning coffee at the USDA with the Secretary of Agriculture as the invited guest of honor
• Attend a luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
• Network with other students passionate about agriculture and the legislative process
• Take a guided tour of Washington, DC

This experience is scheduled for March 13 – 15, 2011.

Last year 100 students from FFA, 4-H, AFA and the Consortium participated in this valuable activity so we are pleased to be able to include Student NAMA members in those ranks.

Onsite costs for participation in the Ag Day Experience are covered through the Agriculture Council of America.  This includes lodging and meals.  For five deserving students this year, ABEF will cover travel to and from Washington, DC. So, for those students, this important trip to Washington would be absolutely free!

We’re excited about the opportunity to include NAMA student members in the Ag Day Celebration.  Students will be responsible for making all travel arrangements and will then be reimbursed.

Please tell your student members about this first-time opportunity to participate in these events and direct them to (https://agfuture.wufoo.com/forms/2011-ag-day-delegate-form/) to complete the application process.  For more information about Ag Day, visit www.agday.org. View a video taken by Iowa State students during their trip to Washington, DC last year at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QldGrJ6h1dI&feature=player_embedded.

All applications must be submitted by December 1, 2010.  A geographically diverse group of winners will be chosen and notified by January 3, 2011.  They will receive additional information periodically between then and March 13.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Stay up-to-date on the latest happenings with our Student NAMA Chapters. Visit the latest edition of NAMA On Campus at http://www.nama.org/student/fall10.pdf, for what’s happening with the chapters.

The Winter, 2011 edition of NAMA On Campus will be available in January.

Through the NAMA Student Careers Program, ABEF provides students with the opportunities to apply text book lessons to real world situations. Through programs like the marketing competition, NAMA challenges these career-track minded young people and gives them a taste of the real life decision-making process. Student NAMA chapters provide many chances for students to serve in leadership roles, build valuable communication skills and gain confidence in their ability to make decisions.

There has been discussion among several NAMA committees and NAMA members about the need to increase participation in NAMA by those fresh out of college, those new to NAMA, and those under age 25 who have started their careers, but may be new to agri-marketing.

In response to these discussions, we’ve created the Young Professionals Membership. This membership category offers a discounted membership to recent graduates and new hires under the age of 25, who are already engaged in an agri-marketing business – agency, media, company, etc.

Dues for these Young Professionals would be half the amount paid by regular members until they reach the age of 25 – this is half of national dues as well as half of chapter dues. Once they reach 25, they will pay the full membership dues. Watch your email for more information coming soon on the Young Professionals membership.

Many businesses pay dues for their more seasoned employees. This will provide a cost-effective means for businesses to provide development and networking opportunities to their entry level employees. The development and networking opportunities would naturally help the younger employees become a bigger asset to their employers.

The NAMA Careers Committee met in Chicago, Illinois on August 27 to plan the upcoming year.  Participating in the meeting were:  Wes Meador, Chair, Rhea + Kaiser; Amy Barron, Novus International; Matt Bornhorst, Agriculture Future of America; Janelle Buxton, Successful Farming & Agriculture.com; Jennifer Christie, Student Advisor, John Deere Ltd.; Deron Johnson, Rhea + Kaiser; Carrie Jorgensen, McCormick Company; Sara Thieding, Makhteshim Agan of North America; Michelle Tollefson, Pfizer Animal Health; Jennifer Pickett, NAMA; and Debbie Brummel, NAMA.  Unable to attend were Kristen Marshall, Vice Chair, Nicholson Kovac; Mike Butler, Archer>Malmo; Amy Jolliff, Bader Rutter; Stacey Noe, Student Advisor, Iowa State University; and Paul Redhage, Executive Committee Liaison, FMC Agricultural Products.

The meeting started with introductions of new committee members and a review of the 2009-10 program year.  Comments gathered during the advisors’ and student chapter presidents’ wrap-up meetings from the 2010 competition were also reviewed.  As a result of the reviews, several changes in the 2010-11 program year will be implemented.  In addition, the Committee will be taking advantage of social media to keep students and advisors updated during the course of the year.

Students from New Mexico State University took first place at the Student Marketing Competition sponsored by Monsanto. The competition was held April 20-22 in Kansas City, MO.

The New Mexico State marketing team had 23 students involved with this year’s project to market Custom-made Saddles. The team spent the last several months doing market research, writing the marketing plan, and developing a presentation.

The top six marketing teams this year were: First place, New Mexico State University; Second place, Illinois State University; Third place, Michigan State University; Fourth place, Iowa State University; Fifth place, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo; Sixth place, University of Minnesota.

Students decide on a project and develop a plan to successfully bring the product or service to the marketplace. In developing their marketing plan, students follow the same practices and principles used by today’s marketing professionals. Teams submit a written plan summary prior to the competition and then make a formal presentation of their marketing plan to a panel of judges at the competition. The judges’ panel consists of marketing and agribusiness professionals.

Overall, 31 student NAMA chapters participated in the marketing competition. The competition is part of the annual Agri-Marketing Conference. Over 400 student members attended the conference.

To view the Executive Summaries of the Final 6 schools visit http://www.nama.org/student/marketing.html.

To view the Student Scholarship Recipients, visit http://www.nama.org/student/scholarship.html.

To view the Outstanding Student Chapter winners, visit http://www.nama.org/student/outstanding.html.