Registration
The registration for the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, Hot Ideas, Sizzling Solutions, is open. The conference will take place April 15-17 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Register now to get the payment in your 2008 budget year! Registration rates remain the same as in 2008! Early registration rates will end on March 25, 2009. After that, late rates apply.

For the latest Agri-Marketing Conference information visit http://www.nama.org/amc.

For registration information visit http://www.nama.org/amc/registration.html.

To register online now for the conference, visit http://www.nama.org/amc/register.html.
In addition, hotel reservations can now be made online. We are pleased to have this year’s conference at the beautiful Atlanta Marriott Marquis, which has just completed a $185 million renovation.

Hotel rates are $115 single/double (that’s not a type-o folks, it’s really $115!). The hotel cut-off date is March 17, 2009. Reservations made after March 17 will be subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

Once again, we will be offering two room blocks, one for the professionals and one for the students.

To make your hotel reservations under the professional block, visit http://www.marriott.com/professionals.

To make hotel reservations under the student block, visit http://www.marriott.com/students.

Connection Point
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. If your target audience includes agrimarketers, you can’t afford to miss the 2009 Connection Point.

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

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.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the Agribusiness Leader and NAMA Marketer of the Year awards is January 15, 2009. Both awards will be presented at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 15-17 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Agribusiness Leader of the Year
The Agribusiness Leader of the Year is NAMA’s highest honor. The award honors an outstanding leader in agribusiness, education, government service or other agribusiness related areas. Nominees do not need to be NAMA members.

Fill out the nomination form on-line now at http://www.nama.org/awards/agribusinessform.htm. Or download the Agribusiness Leader Nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format by visiting, http://www.nama.org/awards/agbusapplication.pdf.

Note: The Agri-Marketer of the Year Award was changed to the Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award in 2001. Below is an honor roll of the past Agri-Marketer/Agribusiness Leader of the Year awards.

2008 Rick Tolman, National Corn Growers Association
2007 Dale Ludwig, MO Soybean Assn. & MO Soybean Merchandising Council
2006 George Thornton, Agriliance, LLC
2005 James Irwin, Case IH
2004 Bernie Staller, National FFA Organization
2003 Richard Clauss, Hilmar Cheese Company/Clauss Dairy Farms
2002 A. Charles Fischer, Dow AgroSciences
2001 Emmett Barker, Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers
2000 R.W. “Bud” Porter, Deere & Company
1999 Bruce Bickner, DeKalb-Monsanto Global Seed Group
1998 William Kirk, DuPont Agricultural Enterprises
1997 Arnold Donald, Monsanto
1996 H.D. “Harry” Cleberg, Farmland Industries, Inc.
1995 Edward McMillan, Purina Mills
1994 Dwayne Andreas, Archer Daniels Midland Company
1993 Robert Wichmann, Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
1992 Gary Parker, Lindsay Manufacturing Co.
1991 William Griffith, American Cyanamid
1990 Thomas Dille, Rhone-Poulenc Ag
1989 Nicholas Babson, Babson Brothers Co.
1988 Olin Andrews, Farmers Hybrid Companies
1987 David Garst, Garst Seed Co.
1986 Leo Bontempo, Novartis Seeds
1985 Dr. Kenneth Bader, American Soybean Assn.
1984 John Churchman, Ford Tractor Operations
1983 Owen Newlin, Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
1982 Nicholas Reding, Monsanto Ag Group
1981 Robert Lanphier, AGMED, Inc.
1980 Joe Ecker, Gehl Co.
1979 Robert Book, Elanco Animal Products/Eli Lily Co.
1978 Roland Hendrickson, Pfizer Ag Division
1977 Donald Fritz, Farmers Hybrid Co.
1976 Harold Noren, DeKalb Ag Research
1975 E.W. Cook, Cook Industries
1974 Walt Buescher, Allis Chalmers
1973 Bill Bricker, Diamond Shamrock Chemical
1972 Fred Stines, Successful Farming
1971 Del Walker, Funk Brother Seed Co.
1970 Dr. James Affleck, American Cyanamid
1969 Lyle Yost, Hesston Corp.
1968 Dr. Robert Spitzer, Murphy Products
1967 Emory Dearborn, Ford Tractor Operations
1966 Maurice Turner, Amchem Products
1965 George Varnes, Eli Lily Co.
1964 Morris Reid, J.I. Case
1963 W.J. Jensen, Butler Manufacturing
1962 Don Murphy, Wallace’s Farmer

NAMA Marketer of the Year
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 the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing directly to ag producers. Nominees MUST be NAMA members.

Fill out the nomination form on-line now at http://www.nama.org/awards/namamarketerform.htm or download the NAMA Marketer of the Year nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format by visiting, http://www.nama.org/awards/mktrapplication.pdf.

Please note: This award was created in 2001. Below are the past NAMA Marketer of the Year award recipients.

2008 Dave Rhylander, Delta & Pine Land – Division of Monsanto Co.
2007 Phil Johnson, Colle+McVoy
2006 Tom Davis, Meredith Corporation
2005 Rick Turner, Gustafson, LLC
2004 Raymond Hoyum, IMC Global
2003 James Seaver, AGCO Corporation
2002 Donald Hecht, Elanco Animal Health
2001 Wendell Knehans, Monsanto-Corn States

Join us for lunch on Wednesday, November 12 at Trends In Agriculture, as we honor the 2008 Professional Development Awards of Excellence Recipients.

NAMA honors its members with hands-on responsibility in each of the Professional Development Areas (PDA). This year, awards will be given in the areas of Marketing Communications, Public Relations and Sales. The recipients will share their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in agri-marketing at the luncheon.

The 2008 Awards of Excellence recipients are as follows:

Marketing Communications
Paul Redhage, FMC Communications Manager, FMC Agricultural Products

In his current position with FMC, Paul has overseen marketing communications strategies for the introduction and/or major label expansion of 22 products and new brands in the past two years. The innovative, cost-effective strategies that Paul and his team implement have given FMC a reputation as a savvy, smart and fast-growing player in the very aggressive, competitive agricultural chemical marketplace. Although he works with budgets that are a fraction of the size of his competitors, the creativity and relevancy of the work he oversees for FMC keeps the company and its brands at the forefront of the agricultural chemical industry.

Paul has a long and distinguished record of service to NAMA. He was a member of the Carolinas/Virginia Chapter for many years as well as the Chesapeake Chapter and served in various leader positions for both chapters. He has served on the NAMA Careers Committee and this past April, he received the Dilworth Award for Innovation at the 2008 Agri-Marketing Conference. Paul is currently a Gateway Chapter member and is serving as a vice president on the NAMA Executive Committee.

Public Relations
Beth Andersen, Senior Vice President, Managing Partner, Charleston Orwig, Inc.

Beth has combined a keen ability to effectively lead high-level strategy and planning efforts with an exemplary work ethic to direct an issues management team that has turned Smithfield Foods from a seemingly uncaring conglomerate to a highly respected company in the food industry. As team leader for the Charleston Orwig issues management practice, Beth directed development and implementation of a drastic change in the communications program formerly employed by Smithfield Foods. The shift created a proactive platform for meeting potential and existing crises head-on, positioning the company as a leader in several critical areas – environmental stewardship, animal welfare, employee relations and community involvement.

Beth has been a NAMA member for nearly 10 years. Throughout her career, Beth has volunteered to participate on various NAMA committees and assisted in judging Best of NAMA competitions. Her insight on ag issues and trends has provided guidance on discussion topics and ideas to NAMA members for the planning of Badger NAMA meetings.

Sales
Vernon Benes, Director of Business Development, Beck Ag, Inc.

Vernon, a 25-year agriculture industry veteran, has a deep understanding of effective sales and marketing strategies in the crop protection channel. As Director of Business Development for Beck Ag, a position he has held for nearly 10 years, he has made grower profitability a top priority. It’s a philosophy that forms the foundation of the successful marketing and sales programs he’s developed that led to long-term adoption of various products and services at the producer level. Through Vernon’s leadership, Beck Ag was able to promote a key Monsanto product and give growers the opportunity to adopt cutting-edge production practices to improve their bottom line. In the process, he cultivated Monsanto loyalty and increased Monsanto revenues.

Vernon has been affiliated with NAMA since the late 90s and has served on the NAMA National Membership Committee. He has taken an active role at the chapter level with his Midlands Chapter membership and currently serves as first vice president of programs for Midlands.

Join us as we honor these outstanding individuals on November 12. The Luncheon is sponsored by Truffle Media Networks and the Professional Development Awards of Excellence are sponsored by Farm Progress Companies.

To register for Trends In Agriculture visit, http://payment.nama.org/trends.htm.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the Agribusiness Leader and NAMA Marketer of the Year awards is January 15, 2009. Both awards will be presented at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 15-17 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Agribusiness Leader of the Year
The Agribusiness Leader of the Year is NAMA’s highest honor. The award honors an outstanding leader in agribusiness, education, government service or other agribusiness related areas. Nominees do not need to be NAMA members.

Fill out the nomination form on-line now at http://www.nama.org/awards/agribusinessform.htm. Or download the Agribusiness Leader Nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format by visiting, http://www.nama.org/awards/agbusapplication.pdf.

Note: The Agri-Marketer of the Year Award was changed to the Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award in 2001. Below is an honor roll of the past Agri-Marketer/Agribusiness Leader of the Year awards.

2008 Rick Tolman, National Corn Growers Association
2007 Dale Ludwig, MO Soybean Assn. & MO Soybean Merchandising Council
2006 George Thornton, Agriliance, LLC
2005 James Irwin, Case IH
2004 Bernie Staller, National FFA Organization
2003 Richard Clauss, Hilmar Cheese Company/Clauss Dairy Farms
2002 A. Charles Fischer, Dow AgroSciences
2001 Emmett Barker, Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers
2000 R.W. “Bud” Porter, Deere & Company
1999 Bruce Bickner, DeKalb-Monsanto Global Seed Group
1998 William Kirk, DuPont Agricultural Enterprises
1997 Arnold Donald, Monsanto
1996 H.D. “Harry” Cleberg, Farmland Industries, Inc.
1995 Edward McMillan, Purina Mills
1994 Dwayne Andreas, Archer Daniels Midland Company
1993 Robert Wichmann, Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
1992 Gary Parker, Lindsay Manufacturing Co.
1991 William Griffith, American Cyanamid
1990 Thomas Dille, Rhone-Poulenc Ag
1989 Nicholas Babson, Babson Brothers Co.
1988 Olin Andrews, Farmers Hybrid Companies
1987 David Garst, Garst Seed Co.
1986 Leo Bontempo, Novartis Seeds
1985 Dr. Kenneth Bader, American Soybean Assn.
1984 John Churchman, Ford Tractor Operations
1983 Owen Newlin, Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
1982 Nicholas Reding, Monsanto Ag Group
1981 Robert Lanphier, AGMED, Inc.
1980 Joe Ecker, Gehl Co.
1979 Robert Book, Elanco Animal Products/Eli Lily Co.
1978 Roland Hendrickson, Pfizer Ag Division
1977 Donald Fritz, Farmers Hybrid Co.
1976 Harold Noren, DeKalb Ag Research
1975 E.W. Cook, Cook Industries
1974 Walt Buescher, Allis Chalmers
1973 Bill Bricker, Diamond Shamrock Chemical
1972 Fred Stines, Successful Farming
1971 Del Walker, Funk Brother Seed Co.
1970 Dr. James Affleck, American Cyanamid
1969 Lyle Yost, Hesston Corp.
1968 Dr. Robert Spitzer, Murphy Products
1967 Emory Dearborn, Ford Tractor Operations
1966 Maurice Turner, Amchem Products
1965 George Varnes, Eli Lily Co.
1964 Morris Reid, J.I. Case
1963 W.J. Jensen, Butler Manufacturing
1962 Don Murphy, Wallace’s Farmer

NAMA Marketer of the Year
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 the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing directly to ag producers. Nominees MUST be NAMA members.

Fill out the nomination form on-line now at http://www.nama.org/awards/namamarketerform.htm or download the NAMA Marketer of the Year nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format by visiting, http://www.nama.org/awards/mktrapplication.pdf.

Please note: This award was created in 2001. Below are the past NAMA Marketer of the Year award recipients.

2008 Dave Rhylander, Delta & Pine Land – Division of Monsanto Co.
2007 Phil Johnson, Colle+McVoy
2006 Tom Davis, Meredith Corporation
2005 Rick Turner, Gustafson, LLC
2004 Raymond Hoyum, IMC Global
2003 James Seaver, AGCO Corporation
2002 Donald Hecht, Elanco Animal Health
2001 Wendell Knehans, Monsanto-Corn States

Join us for lunch and the Professional Development Awards of Excellence Program on Wednesday, November 12, at Trends In Agriculture!

NAMA honors its members with hands-on responsibility in each of the Professional Development Areas (PDA). This year, awards will be given in the areas of Marketing Communications, Public Relations and Sales. The recipients will share their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in agri-marketing at the luncheon.

The 2008 Awards of Excellence recipients are as follows:

Marketing Communications
Paul Redhage, FMC Communications Manager, FMC Agricultural Products

In his current position with FMC, Paul has overseen marketing communications strategies for the introduction and/or major label expansion of 22 products and new brands in the past two years. The innovative, cost-effective strategies that Paul and his team implement have given FMC a reputation as a savvy, smart and fast-growing player in the very aggressive, competitive agricultural chemical marketplace. Although he works with budgets that are a fraction of the size of his competitors, the creativity and relevancy of the work he oversees for FMC keeps the company and its brands at the forefront of the agricultural chemical industry.

Paul has a long and distinguished record of service to NAMA. He was a member of the Carolinas/Virginia Chapter for many years as well as the Chesapeake NAMA chapter and served in various leader positions for both chapters. He has served on the NAMA Careers Committee and this past April, he received the Dilworth Award for Innovation at the 2008 Agri-Marketing Conference. Paul is currently a Gateway chapter member and is serving as a vice president on the NAMA Executive Committee.

Public Relations
Beth Andersen, Senior Vice President, Managing Partner, Charleston Orwig, Inc.

Beth has combined a keen ability to effectively lead high-level strategy and planning efforts with an exemplary work ethic to direct an issues management team that has turned Smithfield Foods from a seemingly uncaring conglomerate to a highly respected company in the food industry. As team leader for the Charleston Orwig issues management practice, Beth directed development and implementation of a drastic change in the communications program formerly employed by Smithfield Foods. The shift created a proactive platform for meeting potential and existing crises head-on, positioning the company as a leader in several critical areas – environmental stewardship, animal welfare, employee relations and community involvement.

Beth has been a NAMA member for nearly 10 years. Throughout her career, Beth has volunteered to participate on various NAMA committees and assisted in judging Best of NAMA competitions. Her insight on ag issues and trends has provided guidance on discussion topics and ideas to NAMA members for the planning of Badger NAMA meetings.

Sales
Vernon Benes, Director of Business Development, Beck Ag, Inc.

Vernon, a 25-year agriculture industry veteran, has a deep understanding of effective sales and marketing strategies in the crop protection channel. As Director of Business Development for Beck Ag, a position he has held for nearly 10 years, he has made grower profitability a top priority. It’s a philosophy that forms the foundation of the successful marketing and sales programs he’s developed that led to long-term adoption of various products and services at the producer level. Through Vernon’s leadership, Beck Ag was able to promote a key Monsanto product and give growers the opportunity to adopt cutting-edge production practices to improve their bottom line. In the process, he cultivated Monsanto loyalty and increased Monsanto revenues.

Vernon has been affiliated with NAMA since the late 90s and has served on the NAMA National Membership Committee. He has taken an active role at the chapter level with his Midlands Chapter membership and currently serves as first vice president of programs for Midlands.

Join us as we honor these outstanding individuals on November 12. The Luncheon is sponsored by Truffle Media Networks and the Professional Development Awards of Excellence are sponsored by Farm Progress Companies.

To register for Trends In Agriculture visit, http://payment.nama.org/trends.htm.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the Professional Development Awards of Excellence has been extended to Friday, September 5.

Do you know someone in one of the professional development areas that deserves the recognition of his or her peers for their outstanding work? Then nominate them for one of the Professional Development Awards of Excellence!

These awards are open to any active NAMA member, and are awarded in the areas of marketing communications, product/species management, public relations and sales. One NAMA member is honored in each of these four areas. The nominee should have direct program responsibility for the area in which he/she is being nominated.

Nominating someone is easy! Just visit http://www.nama.org/awards/pdaonlineform.htm and fill out the online nomination form. Or visit http://www.nama.org/awards/PDAapplication.pdf and download the nomination form in a .pdf format and fax it to the NAMA office at 913-491-6502.

The awards will be presented at the 2008 Trends In Agriculture meeting, November 11-12 in Kansas City.

For more information on the Professional Development Awards of Excellence visit http://www.nama.org/awards/pdaawards.htm.

Just a reminder that the nominations for the Professional Development Awards of Excellence is September 1.

Nominate someone you know for the Professional Development Awards of Excellence. These awards will be presented at the 2008 Trends in Agriculture fall meeting, November 11-12, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Nominees will be judged solely on their write-ups. Please do not send any other appendices, video-tapes, or samples. There are no entry fees.

The deadline for submitting nominations is September 1. If you have any questions regarding these awards, please contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected].

To download the nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format, visit http://www.nama.org/awards/PDAapplication.pdf.

You can also fill out the form on-line at http://www.nama.org/awards/pdaonlineform.htm.

For more information on the awards, visit http://www.nama.org/awards/pdaawards.htm.