NAMA’s 2009 Trends in Agriculture panel discussed “Living and Working
in the New Ag Community.” One of the panelists, David Cleavinger, is a
fifth-generation Texas farmer/rancher. He talked about how producers
can use a combination of social media and personal connections to
bring greater understanding of the importance of agriculture in their
lives.

Trends in Agriculture “Connecting with the New Ag Community” continues
on Wednesday with discussions on building new community ties, distribution chain reaction and speaking for agriculture.

NAMA’s 2009 Trends In Agriculture kicked off with keynote speaker Dr.
David M. Kohl, who spoke about “Defining the New Ag Community.” Dr.
Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Finance and Small Business
Management, Virginia Tech, outlined the changes that will help U.S.
agriculture producers to reach beyond the traditional communities,
using new technology.

Dr. David Kohl at Trends in Agriculture 2009

Next up: A panel discussion about “Living and Working in the New Ag
Community.”

Our opening keynote speaker is David Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Finanace and Small Business Management, Virginia Tech and President, AgriVisions, LLC. His topic is “Defining the New Ag Community.”

David set up his session with a number of facts and figures including the fact that 70% of North American farm ground will change hands by 2025 and that women and minorities will become major decision makers. Then since we’re all agrimarketers he started talking about the move to the digital world. He asked participants how many were involved in social networking and podcasting. Only a couple of hands were raised for podcasting. I think he was surprised by that.

He offered the 10 C’s of going digital which include: Commitment, Collaboration, Consumers, Customers, Community, Connecting, Competition, Control, Communication and Cost & Capital Return. He offered a parting thought that “success in social media/digital is balance of high tech and high touch.”

You can listen to my interview with David here: David Kohl Interview (mp3)

NAMA Trends In Ag Photo Album

The Trends In Agriculture Conference is underway and I’ll be your NAMA Blogger once again this year. We’d like to thank Paulsen Marketing for being the sponsor of the NAMA Blog.

Here you can see the staff getting members checked in at registration which is located on the upper level in the lobby side hallway. The Board has concluded its meeting and I interviewed member Beth Burgy, Broadhead+Co, about what they decided. It sounds like an initiative to survey members and find out what other professional organizations they belong to and what their preferred methods of communication are will be conducted. Hopefully that will help NAMA better engage with members.

You can listen to my interview with Beth using this link: Beth Burgy Interview (mp3)

I’ve also got a photo album started that I’ll be adding to periodically which you can find here: NAMA Trends In Ag Photo Album

When the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (CHSAS) contacted the National Agri-Marketing Association’s Chicago chapter (Chicago NAMA) for help, the chapter responded — with a new Mac laptop computer and suite of editing software.

The school’s FFA chapter contacted Chicago NAMA in need of a video editing system to enable students to develop and edit videos of their activities, and to create stories that show a broader view of urban agriculture. Chicago NAMA delivered the video editing system to the CHSAS FFA chapter in October.

“One of the most significant contributions we can make to the agriculture industry is supporting tomorrow’s ag leaders and the school systems that nurture them,” said Amy Jolliff, of Rhea + Kaiser and Chicago NAMA president. “We’re confident that this new equipment will increase awareness of the great work CHSAS is doing and create opportunities for its students.”

CHSAS students plan to use the system to develop videos that provide the public with a good understanding of the school’s goal and mission. Videos will document students’ personal growth, career success and leadership, and overall evolution from students into working, active urban agriculturalists. They will also showcase special events and workshops in which students participate throughout their four years at CHSAS.

Those involved include CHSAS students (front row, left to right) Jelyssa Cooper, Anthony White, Naomi Harper and Andrea Harris, as well as (back row) Jim Haist, Rhea + Kaiser/Chicago NAMA, and Lucille Shaw, CHSAS FFA advisor.

About CHSAS
To many a well-kept secret, CHSAS is a coveted destination for many students in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Students must complete a competitive application to be admitted to the Chicago magnet school. With 600 students, the school adds five career pathways to the basic CPS curriculum: Agricultural Finance, Animal Science, Agricultural Mechanics & Technology, Food Science & Technology and Horticulture. In addition, 100 percent of CHSAS students are FFA members.

The 2009 Trends In Agriculture conference is next week, so you still have time to register! Connect with the new ag community at this year’s Trends conference, November 10-11 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Sessions will help define the forces that are expanding the need and ability of farmers to reach outside their previously small sphere of influence. Farmers and livestock producers will describe what it means to live and work in this new market environment. And experienced marketers will share successful efforts to leverage traditional and new media to build trust and become welcome citizens of the new ag community.

Please plan to join us to learn more about how these trends affect your customers’ purchase decisions and to network with your colleagues. In addition, join us as we recognize this year’s recipients of the Professional Development Awards of Excellence.

To register for Trends In Agriculture visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=5.

For more information on Trends In Agriculture visit http://www.nama.org/trends.

We are pleased to announce a new FREE reminder service this year at the Trends in Agriculture session: “Mobile Updates.”

We added this mobile service to improve your conference experience, and to underscore one of the new ways we are Connecting with the New Ag Community. If you carry a cell phone or handheld device, you’ll benefit from these helpful reminder texts on conference events and updates. Please note: your privacy is of utmost importance. Your cell number will not ever be shared or sold; in fact, it will be discarded after the session.

Here’s how it works:
• Sign up for Mobile Updates. It’s FREE. And it’s in the spirit of the session.
• Get timely texts. These tiny texts tell you where you need to be and when.

The Trends in Ag Session has entered the mobile era, thanks to the generosity of our technology provider, COMMODITY UPDATE. Mobile Updates will end at the close of the session, and your cell number will be discarded.

Thank you in advance for taking advantage of this new service!

Commodity Update is the leading provider of Agricultural information to Mobile Phones. The service is On Target, In the Field, and delivered in conjunction with the finest companies in Agriculture.