The nomination deadline for the NAMA Professional Development Awards of Excellence is Thursday, September 1^st.  Think of a client, customer or a co-worker who deserves the recognition of his or her peers for their outstanding work.  Awards are given in each of the areas of (1) marketing communications, (2) product/species management, (3) public relations, and (4) sales.  You can nominate someone for one of these areas, or different people for each area.

Nominees for these awards must be an active NAMA member and have direct responsibility in the area being nominated.

The nomination process is quite simple.  Just download the nomination form in a pdf format at http://www.nama.org/awards/2011PDAapp.pdf or if you prefer, use the online nomination form located at http://www.nama.org/awards/pdaonlineform.htm.

These awards will be presented during the 2011 Trends in Agriculture program, November 8-9, in Kansas City.

Remember, the nomination deadline is Thursday, September 1^st.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity to give much deserved recognition to a colleague.

Please contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected] or at 913-491-6500 if you have any questions regarding these awards.

Registration is now open for the 2011 Trends In Agriculture, November 8-9 in Kansas City. The theme for this year’s Trends In Agriculture is Progress Through Productivity.

This just in…Jeff Simmons, President of Elanco, will be hosting the closing session that is shared with NAFB! Below is an overview of this session:

A growing wave of food insecurity threatens more than 1 billion people around the world, and the number of malnourished could grow staggeringly as the population reaches 9 billion by mid-century. Solutions exist today to help meet food needs, but consumers don’t want technology used in food production. Right?

Jeff Simmons will explore this modern myth that consumers don’t want modern, efficient technology used in food production.

To better understand consumer opinions, Elanco commissioned a research review of 27 studies accounting for more than 97,000 consumers in 26 countries to further analyze this trend. The results may surprise you.

It’s time to call a truce to the debate on the role of technology in sustainable food production and assure the 3 Basic Rights its use can afford. Learn more about consumer perceptions of technology and the role technology and choice play in feeding a growing population. Join the dialogue today at www.plentytothinkabout.org.

Other sessions at Trends In Agriculture include:

Opening Session – Focus Pocus: 24 Tricks for Retaining Command for Your Day

Trends In Energy/Alternative Fuels

Productivity in the Field

Meeting the Growing Demand for Exports for Trade

Also at Trends In Agriculture, there will be a Networking Reception on Tuesday, November 8. The Professional Development Awards of Excellence Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, November 9. Stick around after the shared session with NAFB for a networking reception with the speakers!

To register for the 2011 Trends In Agriculture, visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=36.

Sponsorships are now available for Trends In Agriculture. If you are interested in sponsoring a session, please contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected] or call 913-491-6500.

Registration is now open for the 2011 Trends In Agriculture, November 8-9 in Kansas City. The theme for this year’s Trends In Agriculture is Progress Through Productivity.

This just in…Jeff Simmons, President of Elanco, will be speaking at the closing session that is shared with NAFB! Below is an overview of this session:

A growing wave of food insecurity threatens more than 1 billion people around the world, and the number of malnourished could grow staggeringly as the population reaches 9 billion by mid-century. Solutions exist today to help meet food needs, but consumers don’t want technology used in food production. Right?

Jeff Simmons will explore this modern myth that consumers don’t want modern, efficient technology used in food production.

To better understand consumer opinions, Elanco commissioned a research review of 27 studies accounting for more than 97,000 consumers in 26 countries to further analyze this trend. The results may surprise you.

It’s time to call a truce to the debate on the role of technology in sustainable food production and assure the 3 Basic Rights its use can afford. Learn more about consumer perceptions of technology and the role technology and choice play in feeding a growing population. Join the dialogue today at www.plentytothinkabout.org.

To register for the 2011 Trends In Agriculture, visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=36.

Sponsorships are now available for Trends In Agriculture. If you are interested in sponsoring a session, please contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected] or call 913-491-6500.

The Professional Development Awards of Excellence honor NAMA members based on outstanding achievement in each of the Professional Development Areas (PDA). Awards of Excellence will be presented in the areas of (1) Marketing Communications, (2) Product/Species Management, (3) Public Relations and (4) Sales.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the Professional Development Awards of Excellence is September 1, 2011. These awards will be presented at the 2011 Trends In Agriculture meeting, November 8-9, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Below is a list of the past Awards of Excellence recipients:

Marketing Communications
2010 – Scott McClure
2009 – Lou Ireland
2008 – Paul Redhage
2007 – Pete Kovac
2006 – Steve Engle
2005 – Bev Larson
2004 – Neil DeStefano
2003 – Sarah Vacek
2002 – Ken Anderson
2001 – Doug Headley

Product/Species Management
2010 – Elena Lindemann
2009 – Gary Robertson
2008 – No award was given in this area
2007 – Klaas Okkinga
2006 – No award was given in this area
2005 – Dennis Gehler
2004 – Wendy Elliott
2003 – Brian Markwardt
2002 – Tony Klemm
2001 – Tony Solon

Public Relations
2010 – Sue Otten
2009 – Deron Johnson
2008 – Beth Andersen
2007 – Greg Smith
2006 – Barry Nelson
2005 – Janice Person
2004 – Kendal Frazier
2003 – Mike Ricciuto
2002 – David Buchholz
2001 – Ken Gordon

Sales
2010 – Marvin Kokes
2009 – Pete Weil
2008 – Vernon Benes
2007 – Bill Heffron
2006 – Anita Vanderwert
2005 – Margaret Wallace Oldham
2004 – Allen Barkve
2003 – Cliff Becker
2002 – Bob Deiss
2001 – Tom Taylor

Nominees for the Awards of Excellence must be NAMA members. Nominators should target individuals with direct planning and execution responsibilities in the respective Professional Development Area from agribusiness and related companies. 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/2011PDAapp.pdf.

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

Get your company noticed by becoming a sponsor at the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 13-15, in Kansas City. 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. The high profile Best of NAMA Celebration Reception in the Connection Point is just one of the many opportunities available.

NAMA Sustaining Partner

The NAMA Sustaining Partner would provide maximum exposure for a company seeking to align themselves more closely throughout the year with NAMA.  The program delivers extensive overall promotional benefits and exposure at all three key NAMA events (Conference, Boot Camp and Trends in Agriculture).  The partnership provides the ability to carry marketing objectives to new levels while assuring that NAMA has a more stable means of sponsorship income throughout the year.  The baseline commitment is $10,000 over the course of one full year.

The NAMA Sustaining Partner will receive all the sponsorship benefits of a Platinum Level Sponsor, plus the following:

• Use of Strategic Partner logo in advertising and promotion
• Web banner ad on NAMA web site that rotates with other Strategic Partners on an equal basis
• One comp registration at each of the three key NAMA meetings
• One comp NAMA membership
• Ad on digital signage at annual Conference
• Logo recognition as a partner on promotional materials for all three key NAMA events
• Verbal recognition at all three key events

Who’s already a Sustaining Partner? Take a look!

Adayana
Agri Marketing magazine
Broadhead
Commodity Update
Farm Progress Companies
High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal
John Deere
Paulsen Marketing
Rhea+Kaiser Marketing Communications
Successful Farming
Syngenta
ZimmComm New Media, LLC

Please review the benefits and opportunities of sponsorship at the 2011 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 email to [email protected].

NAMA announced that its annual high level event, Trends in Agriculture, will be held in Kansas City immediately prior to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Annual Conference. In addition, the two organizations will collaborate on a producer-focused session that will close the NAMA event and open the NAFB conference.

“As professional organizations, we share a commitment to helping our members better understand and respond to emerging market issues,” NAMA Executive Vice President/CEO, Jenny Pickett, said in making the announcement. “In addition, because ‘Trends’ focuses on a more strategic perspective, it tends to attract many of the same marketing executives who may be participating in NAFB’s Trade Talk the following day.”

The centerpiece event of the NAFB’s Annual Convention, Trade Talk, affords company and organization participants access to member broadcasters to discuss the issues and topics that are important to them.

“NAFB and NAMA have many people that are members of both organizations,” added NAFB Executive Director, Mark Vail. “This type of planning allows the groups to maximize member opportunities while acknowledging the realities of business travel and meeting time and expense.”

NAMA is the nation’s largest professional association for individuals working in marketing and agribusiness. Trends in Agriculture, to be held November 8 & 9, 2011, is an annual two-day event that offers C-suite executives an overview of emerging industry issues.

The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) is a 501(c)(6) professional association whose mission it is to lead, promote and support growth in agricultural and rural broadcasting for the benefit of its members, audience and industry. NAFB regularly commissions research to explore and measure audience use of farm broadcasting and broader agri-media to benefit members and media-industry professionals. The 67th Annual NAFB Convention will be held November 9-11, 2011.

For more information, contact Jenny Pickett, (913) 491-6500, [email protected] or Mark Vail, (816) 431-4032, [email protected].

written by Amy Beeler Herman, Amy Beeler Herman Communications

High optimism for the agricultural industry was the key take-away message from the opening session of the NAMA 2010 Trends in Agriculture conference, October 5-6. Close to 150 members attended the Minneapolis event and heard Mark Pearson, Iowa Public Television’s Market to Market host, and Jay Lehr of the Heartland Institute cite the expected doubling of the world population by 2050 as the primary reason the agriculture industry will thrive. One of agriculture’s biggest challenges, according to both speakers, is ensuring that adverse public opinion and regulation does not thwart the industry from providing food for the world.

From the standpoint of commodities, Pearson sees bullish markets for each major crop for the next couple of years including corn, soybeans, wheat and rice. “The game changer for corn is ethanol,” he says. Referencing good US oil supplies, Pearson says tax credits given to ethanol blenders may be in jeopardy during the next congressional session. While bullish grain markets benefited crop farmers in recent years, livestock growers endured high feed costs and low market prices. Pearson notes a coming change: “the current cow herd is the smallest since 1950,” he says. “With no new production, beef prices will jump dramatically.” In the hog industry high feed prices and the H1N1 health scare triggered a reduction in sow numbers and eliminated inefficient production facilities to create a more robust pork market in 2010.

In the long term, continued gains in technology add to the productivity and prosperity of the agriculture industry. “Biotechnology is how agriculture will feed the world,” Lehr says. Crop plants improved with biotechnology require fewer inputs including less land and water needed for production. Other high return technological advancements such as precision agriculture and no-till farming reduce wear and tear on machinery, use less fuel and benefit the environment by reducing erosion and improving soil tilth.

Oil and energy supplies will continue to trouble the agriculture industry and the world as populations in China, India and other countries increasingly become middle-class and energy demands grow. “Ethanol, biodiesel, wind and solar power have no future in supplying significant amounts of energy,” Lehr says. “Eventually the whole world will run on nuclear power.”

Both Lehr and Pearson encouraged NAMA members to talk about agriculture and help growers share their stories about farming to counter the influence of environmental activism on public opinion and government policy. “The biggest problem for agriculture is the public does not realize we are environmental stewards,” Lehr says. “As long as the public thinks ag hurts the environment, the industry will be regulated even more.”