The early registration deadline and hotel cut-off date for the 2007 Agribusiness Forum is Monday, October 29. After October 29, registration rates will increase and any hotel reservations made after October 29 are subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

To register for the Agribusiness Forum before the early deadline visit, http://payment.nama.org/forum.htm.

To make your hotel reservations before the cut-off date, contact the Hyatt Regency Crown Center at 816-421-1234. Make sure you mention the “NAMA Agribusiness Forum” when making your reservations.

For more information on the sessions at the upcoming Forum visit, http://www.nama.org/forum.

“It’s a big world out there,” the saying used to go. But increasingly, globalization and technology are making our world smaller and smaller. Events on the other side of the globe impact the way we do business. The internet and cellular technology have revolutionized the pace of communication, presenting new challenges and opportunities for us as marketers.

And that’s not all. Heightened consumer awareness and concern over food safety issues has major implications for agri-business. Consumer trust – what shapes it and how we work to develop it – is more significant than ever.

You can’t afford to have a weak link in your chain. The 2007 Agribusiness Forum will explore the challenges and emerging opportunities that today’s business climate presents to us. You’ll leave with the tools you need to succeed – no matter who’s pulling your chain!

Please make plans to join your colleagues November 13-14 in Kansas City, MO to learn from leading economists, journalists, consumer food experts and more as they share strategies for how you and your business can prosper in today’s global market.

To register for the Agribusiness Forum before the early deadline visit, http://payment.nama.org/forum.htm.

For more information on Agribusiness Forum Sessions visit, http://www.nama.org/forum/index.html.

The NAMA Trade Show – the Connection Point – will be held in conjunction with the Agri-Marketing Conference, April 16-18, 2008, in Kansas City, MO, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center.

Each year, this highly anticipated gathering of leading edge agri-business companies draws over 1,200 agri-marketing professionals and students who want to learn more about new products and services entering the market.

Key players and with real buying power and influence within the companies they represent will be on hand to meet and interact with the over 35 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 in 2008.“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 www.nama.org/amc or email Judy Knoll at [email protected].

To sign up for a Trade Show booth now visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/ts/signup.htm.

NAMA is proud to announce 2 new additions in the Advocate Program. The goal of the new advocates is to help recruit new members and advocate for the organization.

Special thanks to our new advocates:

Mike Butler, archer>malmo
Amber Tjernagel, Paulsen Marketing Communications

For a complete list of NAMA Advocates visit, http://www.nama.org/advocate.

If you are interested in becoming an advocate, you will receive membership materials from the NAMA office to help you get started. In addition, you will get the satisfaction of helping the organization and you’ll be recognized in the NAMA News section of AgriMarketing magazine and NAMA e-news. You’ll also be recognized at the Agribusiness Forum and the Agri-Marketing Conference with a ribbon on your name badge. You will also be invited to the “First Timer/Leader” event at the conference.

Start advocating today! Sign-up at http://www.nama.org/advocate/advocate.

Mark your calendars for the regional/chapter Best of NAMA Ceremonies. These ceremonies are celebrations of those entries that won first or merit in the regional competition.

Entries that win first or merit at the regional competition and score above the minimum point standard are eligible to advance to the national competition in February. Winners of the national competition will be announced at the national Best of NAMA Ceremony which kicks off the 2008 Agri-Marketing Conference, Leading the Charge, April 16 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dates for the ceremonies are below:

January 10 Region III Best of NAMA Banquet in Minneapolis, MN

January 17 Midsouth Chapter Best of NAMA Banquet in Memphis, TN

January 17 Region IV Best of NAMA Banquet in Lake Geneva, WI

January 22 Region II Best of NAMA Banquet in Kansas City, MO

January 31 Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA Banquet in Raleigh, NC

For more information on the regional Best of NAMA ceremonies, keep checking the Best of NAMA Calendar at http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/calendar.htm.

The Eastern, Chesapeake and Carolinas/Virginia NAMA chapters hosted a Tri-NAMA Chapter Agricultural Legislative Update meeting on Monday, October 1, at the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington, DC. Nearly 40 attendees from these chapters received the latest update on the new U.S. Farm Bill and Ag Policy Issues from top legislative, administration and industry officials.

Dan Looker, Successful Farming, was the kick-off speaker for the event. Looker discussed farmer perspectives on the farm bill and the impact of current ag legislation. Looker stated that in today’s farm bill marketing loans are given to encourage farmers to sell. In addition, an efficiency payment was done away with in 1996 and replaced with counter cyclical payments. He also stated that groups such as Farm Bureau, National Farmers Union, National Corn Growers Association, etc., all want something different in the farm bill that gives them support.

Next on the agenda was Dale Moore, Chief of Staff for the USDA, who discussed the direction of ag policy at the USDA. Moore said that some priorities for the administration are Food Safety and Trade Barriers. Ag exports are currently at $79 billion and are expected to reach $82 billion next year. In addition, products that come in to the U.S. from Panama, Peru, Korea, etc., are duty free where as products from the U.S. being brought in to their countries are not duty free and we need to find duty free access to these markets.

According to Moore, proposed changes to the new Farm Bill include allowing specialty crops in the participation of the farm bill; a proposed tax increase; including money for Bioenergy and conservation in the farm bill.

Following Moore’s presentation, U.S. Congressman Bob Etheridge continued with the farm bill and stated that the new farm bill doesn’t have the budget surplus as in the last bill. He included that more money will be put towards conservation and specialty crops in the new farm bill. Etheridge stated that there was a lot of pressure to eliminate Farm Safety issues from the Farm bill but they were saved. In addition, there is more money for conservation in this farm bill than ever before. These are the two most important issues in maintaining our food supply. Funding for research on biofuels will also be included in the farm bill. The bill will extend tax credits on biofuels to get more people involved. Etheridge was asked about his thoughts on homeland security and agriculture safety and inspections. “We’re probably going to see an increase in inspections,” says Etheridge, “because the consumers are going to require it.” He continued, “If we don’t, we lose what I like to call the ‘Gold Seal’ stamp by the USDA.”

The last speaker of the day was Robbie Minnich, Senior Government Relations Representative for the National Cotton Council. Minnich discussed how the new farm bill will affect commodity programs and issues that the Cotton Council will face when the new farm bill is implemented.

Special thanks to those North Carolina State University students who were able to attend the event.

Thanks also goes to the bus sponsors for this event. These sponsors were key in providing transportation for attendees to Washington, D.C. Thanks to:

Quarry Integrated Communications
R.F. Timberlake & Company, Inc.
Southern States
Gibbs & Soell

For more information on chapter meetings and events visit https://www.namablog.org/?page_id=16.

Nearly 50 NAMA members from California, North Central, MoKan and other chapters joined Badger members at a NAMA reception sponsored by the Badger chapter at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin on Thursday, October 4.

Badger NAMA hosted the event as a way for NAMA members from around the country to network and unwind after a long day on the show floor. Non-members were also encouraged to attend as a way to check out what NAMA is all about.

The highlight of the reception was an engaging presentation by Leigh Rubin, creator of the popular Rubes cartoons. Leigh shared insights about the creative process and the ups and downs of developing effective material on a daily basis.

Take-aways from Leigh’s presentation included:

• See humor in everyday occurrences
• Creative ideas often stem from putting a fun twist on situations around us
• Relating to people in simple, direct ways is always best
• Don’t be afraid to push the envelope — sometimes pushing the envelope gets the best reaction

The World Dairy Expo reception was the kick-off to a year of exciting new programs for Badger NAMA. Upcoming events for 2007-2008 include:

• November 19 — NAMA Professional Leaders/Awards Nominations Due
• January, 2008 — Wisconsin Agriculture Outlook Forum, UW-Madison Pyle Center, Madison, Wis.
• January 17 — Region IV Best of NAMA Awards Banquet, Lake Geneva, Wis.
• April/May — Tradeshow Workshop
• May — Badger-Chicago NAMA Golf Outing, Lake Geneva, Wis.
• June — Lambeau Field Tour, Green Bay, Wis.

For more information about the Badger NAMA chapter and upcoming events, contact Betsy Francoeur at (262) 784-7200 or [email protected].