Welcome and we’re glad you’re here. The activities have started with the annual golf tournament and student marketing competition practice sessions. Professionals are being greeted by friendly NAMA staff as they check in for another great conference.

I’ve started a Conference Photo Album and will be adding to is over the next several days so check it often.

We’d like to say a special thank you to Successful Farming for sponsoring the NAMA Blog this year. They can be found in the NAMA Connection Point trade show which opens up after the Best of NAMA awards tomorrow night.

You don’t need to be registered for the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference to attend the ABEF Golf Outing on Tuesday, April 20, prior to the start of the conference! So gather your foursomes together today and sign up to play!

The ABEF Golf Outing will take place at The National Golf Course. A chartered bus will leave the Hyatt Regency Crown Center hotel at 11:30 a.m. to take everyone to the golf course and a boxed lunch will be provided. Tee time begins at 1:00 p.m. An awards ceremony and reception will cap your day on the greens.

Cost is $150 per person. To register for the ABEF Golf outing, please visit, www.nama.org/amc/golfregister.htm.

Hole sponsorships are still available as well, to sponsor a hole contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected].

It’s not too late to register for the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference, From America’s Heartland to the Rest of the World, April 21-23, in Kansas City.

We’re excited to announce that the registration numbers for the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference are up compared to previous years. Don’t hesitate, register today!

Check out who registered for the 2010 conference as of April 6, 2010. Visit http://www.nama.org/amc/2week.pdf to view the registrants.

To register for the conference visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=8.

We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City!

The ABEF Online Media Package auction is underway! The auction started on Wednesday, April 7 and will continue until 5:00 p.m. on April 14. New packages have been added, so don’t miss out on the great opportunities!

To view the online auction media packages visit, http://www.nama.org/abef/silentauction/bidco.htm.

Note: If a bid is received on an item within the last 30 minutes of the auction, the auction will remain open on that item through the next business day until 5:00 p.m. (central time). This process will continue until no bids are received within 30 minutes of the bid closing.

ABEF Silent Auction – Donations Still Needed!

Please join your agri-marketing peers in supporting this worthwhile effort by donating to the auction. Click on the Pledge Form to indicate your donation and/or interest in the project.

Any worthwhile product or service will be gratefully accepted. Some of the most popular items auctioned in past years include:

* Framed and limited edition artwork
* Media packages for broadcast, print & Internet
* Professional services
* Premiums and wearables
* Collectibles
* Sports tickets and memorabilia

Thank you for help in supporting the ABEF!

NAMA is excited to announce some new social media tools that will be implemented at the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference!

Text Updates – Text updates will be available to those who sign up to remind you of what events are happening prior to the start of them.  To sign up for the text updates at the 2010 conference please visit http://www.nama.org/amc/index.html. Thanks to Commodity Update for providing the text updates!

New Digital Signage will be provided courtesy of AGCanada.com Network.

Mobile Program – You will have the opportunity to get the conference program on your phone to better help direct you to sessions, the Connection Point and other conference activities so you don’t miss out on important events. Sign-up information for the mobile program will be provided in the upcoming weeks. The Mobile Program is courtesy of Farm Progress Companies, powered by iNet Solutions Group.

NAMA Blog – in keeping with tradition, the entire conference will be blogged. If you are unable to make it to the conference or if you just want a recap of the day’s events at conference, just visit www.namablog.org. The blog is sponsored by Successful Farming and maintained by AgWired.

The 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference is a little over a week away, but you can get started on who you want to visit in the Connection Point.

Determine where booths will be located and find out more about the exhibiting companies before the event by taking a trip through the Virtual Trade Show at http://www.nama.org/amc/ts/virtual.htm. (Please note: It is best to view the Virtual Trade Show with Internet Explorer.)

Connection Point Hours
Wednesday, April 21
6:00-7:30 p.m. – Best of NAMA Celebration Reception courtesy of Pfizer Animal Health & Woodruff Sweitzer

Thursday, April 22
12:30-2:00 p.m.-Trade Show Luncheon courtesy of Furniture Row Racing/Car of the Heartland
12:30-1:30 p.m.-Student Mentor Luncheon courtesy of SFP
3:00-4:00 p.m. – Ice Cream courtesy of Hoard’s Dairyman magazine
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Trade Show Closing/ABEF Silent Auction courtesy of NAFB & John Deere