Early registration deadline is March 18, 2011

The early registration deadline for the Agri-Marketing Conference is Friday, March 18. Register today to avoid higher rates after March 18.

Download and fill out the registration form and mail, fax or phone it in to the NAMA Office. You may also register on-line at http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=28.

Please note: No “Bill Me’s” will be allowed after March 30, 2011. All “Bill Me’s” will need to be secured with a credit card.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations until March 24 are entitled to a full refund. Cancellations from March 25 to April 4 will receive a 50% refund. No refunds will be given after April 4. All refunds will be subject to a $25 processing fee. No “Bill Me’s” will be accepted after March 30.

Hotel Cut-Off Date ~ March 18, 2011
The hotel cut-off date is March 18, 2011. Reservations made after March 18 are subject to higher rates and potential unavailability. Hurry and make your reservations today before the block fills up!

The Hyatt Regency Crown Center is the hotel for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference. Make sure you mention “NAMA” when making reservations. All reservation requests will require a credit card guarantee or one night’s deposit. Deposits will be refunded by the hotel for rooms canceled more than three (3) days prior to arrival.

Hyatt Regency Crown Center
2345 McGee Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 421-1234

Online Reservations
There are two blocks at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, one for students and one for professionals. You are now able to make your reservations on-line, just follow the links below:

Professional Block: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/Professional

Student Block: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/student1

Reserve your booth for 2011 Connection Point at the Agri-Marketing Conference today to receive discounted rates on equipment rental for your booth. Discounted rates for ordering your booth equipment ends March 31.

Every year at the Agri-Marketing Conference, professionals involved with selling products and services into the agricultural marketplace gather to explore the latest in techniques, trends and practices.

A number of key conference activities are scheduled to take place in the Connection Point, ensuring conference attendees have ample opportunities to acquaint (or re-acquaint!) themselves with your products or services.

Receptions
On Wednesday, April 13, immediately after the Best of NAMA Ceremony, the Connection Point opens with a Celebration Reception. The Thursday evening reception offers attendees the chance to meet new people and share ideas after the first full day of conference activities.

Lunch & Refreshment Breaks
On Thursday, April 14, lunch will be served in the Connection Point as well as refreshments during the afternoon break, offering additional opportunities to network.

Drawings
Prize drawings at the end of each session (four) and a grand prize drawing at the Thursday evening reception help encourage conference attendees to leave their business cards at booths in the Connection Point. A bingo activity during Thursday’s luncheon helps generate additional booth activity.

Virtual Trade Show
As an exhibitor at the Connection Point you will also be featured as an exhibitor in the Virtual Trade Show at no additional charge. Trade show attendees can determine where you will be located and find out more about your organization before the event. Simply email a brief description, company logo and a link to your website to [email protected]. . .we take care of the rest!

Register for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference today and reserve your booth at the same time by visiting http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=28.

If you want to reserve booth space without registering for the conference visit http://www.nama.org/amc/ts/signup.htm.

Download the Trade Show brochure at http://www.nama.org/amc/ts/brochure.pdf.

Wouldn’t you rather be swinging a golf club than shoveling snow? Spring is less than a month away and we’ve got the cure for your winter blues! It’s time to start thinking about your golf game again!

Join us Tuesday, April 12 for the ABEF Golf Outing prior to the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference in Kansas City. Gather your foursome and put those winter blues behind you while enjoying a day of golf.

The Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF) Golf Outing will take place at the WinterStone Golf Course. A chartered bus will leave the hotel at 11:30 a.m. to take everyone to the golf course and a boxed lunch will be provided. Tee time begins at 1:00 p.m. An awards ceremony and reception will cap your day on the greens. Cost for the outing is $150 per golfer.

The ABEF Golf Outing is a great place to network and just have a good time with other NAMA members and guests. You do not need to be registered for the Agri-Marketing Conference to attend the Golf Outing.

If you want to register for the golf outing and for the Agri-Marketing Conference at the same time, please visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=28.

If you’ve already registered for conference but want to add the ABEF Golf outing, please visit, www.nama.org/amc/golfregister.htm.

Help Support the ABEF
Show your support and sponsor the outing. Available sponsorships include:

Hole Sponsorships – Includes greens fee for one (1) player. (18 holes available)

Beverage Cart Sponsor – Includes greens fee for one (1) player. Only 1 cart is available.

Reception Sponsor – Recognition as reception sponsor. Includes greens fee for two (2) players.

Player gift items – Company logo and/or ABEF logo as recognition.

To sign up for a sponsorship on-line visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/golfsponsor.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at 913-491-6500 or via e-mail at [email protected].

The State Historical Society of Iowa building provided a unique venue for the Region III Best of NAMA Awards Banquet on January 27.  Over 100 people gathered that evening for dinner before moving into the auditorium for the awards ceremony.

Ken Root, a veteran agricultural reporter, announced the first place and merit winners for the region, which includes the Cornbelt, Iowa, North Central, and Northern Prairie Chapters.  The evening concluded with the Best of Show winners announced in the Advertising and Public Relations categories.

The Advertising Best of Show winners were South Dakota Corn Growers Association and Paulsen Marketing for their “South Dakota Corn Growers True Environmentalist Teaser Campaign – http://www.trueenvironmentalists.com.”  The Public Relations Best of Show winners were Midwest Dairy Association and Demeter Communications for “Midwest Dairy Academy for Retail Excellence.”

All first and merit winners are eligible to advance to the national judging. They received an email from the national NAMA office the next day with instructions on how to advance their entries. Those entries that win at the national judging will be announced at the Best of NAMA Ceremony that kicks off the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 13-15, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Roger Reierson, President and Chairman, AdFarm, has been named the 2011 NAMA Marketer of the Year. The NAMA Marketer award will be presented during the Second General Session of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, “Harvesting Ideas” on Thursday, April 14 at 11:00 a.m. in Kansas City, Missouri and is sponsored by Agri Marketing magazine.

NAMA recognizes its active members with senior management of marketing and/or sales responsibilities with the NAMA Marketer of the Year award. This award is NAMA’s most prestigious honor awarded to active members of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing.

In the early 1990s, the Parker Group based in Canada and Flint Communications in the United States realized they had synergies in the work for a common brand, each representing Flexi-Coil on opposite sides of the border. They began working together on Flexi-Coil for a common purpose and realized the opportunity for further growth in the North American ag marketplace. AdFarm was formed as a partnership of the two companies’ focus on agricultural communications. From its humble beginnings in the early 1990s and under the leadership of partners including Roger, AdFarm has grown to be one of North America’s largest marketing communications firms, unique in the fact that 100% of the company’s business is focused on agriculture.

Roger possesses the type of leadership and charisma that generates energy  for a cause to “get things done.” These abilities have benefited countless clients, organizations, peers and associates, as well as the companies with which he is directly involved.

Roger has played a key role in the growth of AdFarm throughout North America. From the original locations in Calgary, Alberta, and Fargo, North Dakota, AdFarm has grown to now include offices in Guelph, Ontario, Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, and in 2010, Sacramento, California. Additionally, numerous AdFarm employees are deployed remotely throughout North America.

Roger’s vision and leadership contribute to his innovative ability to “make things grow.” The beneficiaries include the many clients, associates, initiatives and organizations who have had the good fortune to work with him. Ask anyone who has served on a committee with Roger, participated in a leadership session facilitated by him or tackled a grass-roots project with him. Roger’s passion for the work is admirable, his commitment infectious and his energy is envious.

Roger’s history with NAMA runs deep. He was part of a core group of individuals who established the Northern Prairie Chapter back in 1986. He has served as Chapter President during the early years and reprised his role again from 2006 to 2009.

He has also served as a Regional Director and in 2005 was a national conference committee member. He has served as emcee for the Region III Best of NAMA awards show and participated on numerous chapter and national level committees related to NAMA.

Commitment to Student NAMA is something that Roger has held in very high regard throughout his NAMA involvement. He has served as a mentor for the North Dakota State University Student Chapter for years and has freely donated the time of his AdFarm employees to mentor and grow student involvement in NAMA. In 2007, he led the planning for a growth initiative within Northern Prairie NAMA designed to place greater focus on the development of Student NAMA Chapters within the Northern Prairie region. That plan is now in place and continues to be executed by fellow Northern Prairie Chapter leaders, members and students.

Donations are needed for the 2011 ABEF Silent Auction held in the Connection Point, April 13-14, in Kansas City, as well as the ABEF Online Media Auction, held March 30-April 6, online.

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.

Please join your agri-marketing peers in supporting this worthwhile effort by donating to the auction. Please donate by March 11 to be included in the Auction Catalog.

Any worthwhile product or service will be gratefully accepted. Some of the most popular items auctioned in past years include:

* Framed and limited edition artwork
* Media packages for broadcast, print & Internet
* Professional services
* Premiums and wearables
* Collectibles
* Sports tickets and memorabilia

The success of the ABEF Silent Auction proves our association is eager to contribute to the growth and enhancement of the profession of agri-marketing. Please show your support and donate what you can (minimum of $50 value suggested). All proceeds from the Silent Auction support the NAMA Student Careers Program which involves 30 collegiate chapters across the US. This program provides scholarships, careers fairs, the Student Marketing Competition in conjunction with the Agri-Marketing Conference, and the Outstanding Student Chapter and Advisor awards. Please note that all media and service packages will be auctioned On-line.

To donate to the auctions please access the pledge form at http://www.nama.org/abef/silentauction/pledgeform.htm.

For more information contact Jenny Pickett in the ABEF/NAMA office at [email protected].

Des Moines weather provided a sunny backdrop for the Welcome to Iowa Ag Tour on Thursday, January 27. The event kicked off with a breakfast and tour of Meredith Corporation, in downtown Des Moines.  The recipes and photos created in their photo studio, 10 galley kitchens, and outdoor grilling area appear in media of all types under the names of a variety of Meredith brands.

Following the tour of Meredith, attendees boarded a bus for the drive to John Deere Works, in nearby Ankeny, where sprayers and other equipment are manufactured.  There, they donned safety glasses and boarded trams for a tour of the facility, which included viewing the different phases of equipment being manufactured, from how the parts are inventoried, to the welding, assembling, painting, that a new piece of equipment undergoes.

The next stop was Pioneer Hi-Bred International, in Johnston, Iowa, which included lunch.  Following lunch and a short video, everyone toured the facility and greenhouses.  All left with a much higher understanding of the process of using genetics to develop seeds and the length of time it takes to develop a disease-resistant product.

The last stop was at the Firestone Ag Tires Plant, back in Des Moines.  There, attendees were able to tour the plant to wrap up their day in time to attend the Region III Best of NAMA Awards Banquet that evening.