Put some sizzle into the Agri-Marketing Conference by becoming a sponsor! There are many different sponsorships still available.

Companies with marketing budgets of all sizes can participate. The higher your support, the more benefits you’ll receive….Platinum Plus, Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. In addition, you can get more company visibility by claiming one or more of the sponsorship opportunities.

To view our current sponsors visit http://www.nama.org/amc/sponsor/sponsors.htm.

Please review the benefits and opportunities of sponsorship at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference and confirm your interest by filling out the online sponsorship form at http://nama.org/amc/sponsor/form.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at (913) 491-6500 or e-mail to [email protected].

The NAMA Trade Show – the Connection Point – will be held in conjunction with the Agri-Marketing Conference, April 15-17, 2009, in Atlanta, GA, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Key players with real buying power and influence within the companies they represent will be on hand to meet and interact with the over 30 exhibiting companies on the trade show floor. Marketing executives, ad agency professionals, public relations executives, media representatives and commodity and trade association professionals representing a wide spectrum of industry interests comprise the largest groups of attendees at the Connection Point.

“Our exhibitors are always thrilled with the customers and prospects they meet at the trade show,” shared Jenny Pickett, Executive Vice President/CEO of NAMA. “Again this year we have receptions, drawings and a luncheon right on the floor that give exhibiting companies more opportunities to meet and interact with attendees – it’s going to be a great show!”

In addition to exhibiting in the trade show, high profile sponsorships are also available … and NAMA is willing to experiment again in 2009.“We have sponsorship opportunities available, but we’re happy to work creatively with companies who want to come to us with their own ideas,” said Pickett. “Our goal is to make this a profitable and worthwhile experience for our exhibitors.”

To learn more about getting your company involved in the Connection Point, visit http://www.nama.org/amc or email Judy Knoll at [email protected].

To sign up for a Trade Show booth now or to register for the conference visit, http://nama.org/amc/2009amc/Default.aspx.

For more information on sponsorships visit www.nama.org/amc/sponsor/opportunities.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected] or at 913-491-6500.

The deadline for making your reservations at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis for the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference is March 17. Reservations made after this date are subject to higher rates and potential unavailability. 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 cancelled more than three (3) days prior to arrival.

Atlanta Marriott Marquis
265 Peachtree Center Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
Phone: 1-404-521-0000
Fax: 1-404-586-6128

Room Rates:
Single $115.00
Double $115.00
Triple $133.00
Quad $150.00

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

Student Block – http://www.marriott.com/student

Professional Block – http://www.marriott.com/professionals

Hotel Shuttle/Parking Information

Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport – ATL

Driving Directions: North on I-75/85 take Exit 248C (Andrew Young International Blvd). Turn left on Andrew Young International Blvd. then right on Peachtree Center Ave. Hotel is 2 blocks on the right. // South on I-75/85 take Exit 249A (Courtland St). Go to 3rd light. Turn right on Andrew Young International Blvd. Go 1 block to Peachtree Center Ave. Turn right. Hotel is 2 blocks on the right.

Alternate Transportation: Atlanta Link
Airport shuttle service, on request, fee: 16.50 USD (one way)
Bus service, fee: 16.50 USD (one way)
Subway service, fee: 2.25 USD (one way)
Estimated taxi fare: 25.00 USD (one way)

Parking Information
Valet parking, fee: 26 USD daily
$32 over sized vehicles per day

To register for the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, please visit
http://nama.org/amc/2009amc/Default.aspx.

Region III Best of NAMA
Region III held their Best of NAMA Ceremony on January 15 at the Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston, IA. Agriculture marketing communication agencies and clients brought home top honors for their well-deserved marketing efforts.

The event honored the best work of the Northern Prairie, North Central, Cornbelt, and Iowa chapters.

Taking home the Best of Show at the Region III Ceremony were:

Best of Show Advertising
Iowa Soybean Association (In house)
What’s on Your Plate in 2008

Best of Show Public Relations
BASF Professional Vegetation Management
Padilla Speer Beardsley/Winnercom Inc./Source Publications, Inc.
Lattitude Magazine

Best of Show Specialty
Novartis Animal Health
Colle+McVoy
Epic Play

Region IV Best of NAMA
The Region IV Best of NAMA Ceremony took place on January 22 at the Marriott Chicago Northwest in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The event honored the best work of the Badger, Chicago, Heartland and Mid-America NAMA Chapters.

Taking home the Best of Show at the Region IV Ceremony were:

Best of Show Advertising
ABS Global, Inc. (In house)
2008 Showtime

Best of Show Public Relations
Illinois Farm Bureau (In house)
Saving the RFS

Best of Show Specialty
Merial
Bader Rutter
ULCERGARD® Page Ads

Congratulations to all the First and Merit winners of the Regional Best of NAMA judging. Those who received First Place or Merit awards are invited to advance their entries to the National Best of NAMA Judging. The National Judging will take place February 19-20 in Kansas City. All entries must be advanced by February 13.

To advance your entries visit www.nama.org/amc/advance.htm.

To view a list of all First and Merit winners in each of the six regions visit www.nama.org/amc/regional.htm.

See the Hot Ideas and Sizzling Solutions of 2008 by attending a regional or chapter Best of NAMA Event near you.

Region III
January 15, 2009

The Region III Best of NAMA Ceremony will take place on January 15, 2009, at the Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston, IA. Cost for the event is $65.

A block of rooms has been secured at the Stoney Creek Inn. To book a room, call 1-800-659-2220.
Reception at 5:30 p.m.
Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Awards at 7:30 p.m.

Stoney Creek Inn
5291 Stoney Creek Ct.
Johnston, IA 50131

Region IV
January 22, 2009

The Region IV Best of NAMA ceremony will take place at the Chicago Marriott Northwest, 4800 Hoffman Blvd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60192.

Reception 6:00 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Awards 8:00 p.m.

Cost is $75 per person. For hotel reservations, call the Marriott at 847-645-9500.
To register for a regional Best of NAMA Event, please visit: http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/register.htm.

Carolinas/Virginia
January 22, 2009

Please join us on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at North Carolina’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designed restaurant, Mez Contemporary Mexican Restaurant, as we toast another great year of “well done” local campaigns. Our Best of NAMA Regional winners will be announced and we’ll cheer on those advancing to the national awards ceremony.

Agenda Thursday, January 22, 2009
5:30 pm Registration and Networking Reception
6:15 Dinner
7:00 Program
9:00 Adjournment Target

Location
Mez Contemporary Mexican Restaurant
5410 Page Road
Durham, North Carolina

Cost
$60 members — Early Registration
$70 members — At the Door
$70 guests

To register online visit, http://payment.nama.org/carvir.html.

Midsouth
January 27, 2009

This year, we have reserved a suite at the FedEx Forum for all of us to enjoy a Memphis Grizzlies game!

Instead of the usual, we thought an entertaining outing would be more fun, with the focus not on the awards, but on each other. So, please make plans to join us as the Grizzlies take on the Denver Nuggets, Tuesday, January 27.

We’ve reserved one of the great suites at the Forum and will be serving food and beverages before and during the game. Plus, we’ll have our local winning NAMA entries on display.

The FedEx Forum is located at:
191 Beale Street
Memphis, TN 38103

Please RSVP by January 20 to http://survey.archermalmo.com/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=88K2882.

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.

In today’s world of voice mails and e-mails, the Connection Point offers a unique opportunity for face-to-face contact. Something every business can use!

Research shows a single, personal sales call can cost $500 or more. In some industries—such as ag—that can go much higher, both because of technical expertise needed and because the market is so geographically dispersed. Your participation in the Connection Point will enable you to make sales calls much more economically!

And it is a sales opportunity. In a recent study, 91% of respondents ranked trade shows as an “extremely useful” source for product purchasing information and nearly half had purchased products or services at a trade show.

Connection Point Hours

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Best of NAMA Celebration/Trade Show Grand Opening

THURSDAY, APRIL 16
12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Luncheon
3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Break
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Closing Reception/ABEF Silent Auction

For more information on the Connection Point visit http://nama.org/amc/ts/connection.htm.

To sign up for booth space now visit http://nama.org/amc/ts/signup.htm.

Note: Exhibitors who sign up for a booth by February 4 will receive a complimentary registration for NAMA’s February 5th webinar on Maximizing Your Trade Show R.O.I. with Scott Hanna, Skyline Displays. For more information on this Webinar visit http://www.nama.org/programs/webinars.htm.

Nearly 110 people gathered at the Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City on January 8 for the Region II Best of NAMA Ceremony.

Hosted by the MoKan chapter of NAMA, the event honored the best work of the Rocky Mountain, Midlands, Gateway, Great Plains, Southwest and MoKan Chapters. The region had 428 entries (up 24 entries from last year!).

First and merit awards were given in 61 categories and 3 best of shows were awarded. Best of Show Awards are as follows:

Advertising
The Beef Checkoff and Ketchum for the Menu Destinations Ad Campaign

Public Relations
Bayer CropScience and Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications for FiberMax Public Relations

Specialty Category
Natura Pet Products and Brighton for the Innova Campaign

All regional Best of NAMA winners will be listed on the NAMA web site after Feb. 1.