It’s not too late to register for the 8th annual NAMA Boot Camp, August 16-18, 2011 in Kansas City. Sign up for this program today to learn more about the agri-marketing industry. This year the Boot Camp will take it to a new level expanding on marketing and agriculture basics.

Sessions at this year’s Boot Camp include:

Producer Panel
A Year in the Life of a Row Crop Farmer
Making Social Media Simple
Creating Attention Getting Print Ads
A Year in the Life of a Cow/Calf Producer
Building Your Brand: Creating Lasting Emotional Bonds with Your Customers
Generations Panel
Managing Your Agri-Marketing Career
Today’s Food System, the Ethical Choice for People, Animals & The Planet

There will also be plenty of opportunities for networking during the reception on Tuesday, in addition to during the Opening General Session. Network during lunch on Wednesday and during the reception at the Boulevard Brewery or at the Dine Around that evening!

All attendees will receive a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts, case studies and speaker presentations. This notebook has become one of the most popular aspects of the boot camp experience.

Don’t forget the MoKan NAMA Chapter will be hosting the Ag Tour prior to the kick-off of the Boot Camp. This tour is optional.

Take a look at who’s already registered for the NAMA Boot Camp and the MoKan Ag Tour!

NAMA Boot Camp – http://www.nama.org/11bcreg.pdf
MoKan Ag Tour – http://www.nama.org/11agtour.pdf

You won’t want to miss the 2011 NAMA Boot Camp! To register for the NAMA Boot Camp or the MoKan Ag Tour now, visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=35.

For more information on the MoKan Ag Tour and the NAMA Boot Camp speakers and sessions, visit http://www.nama.org/programs/index.html.

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.

NAMA introduces the new Young Professionals Membership. This membership category offers a discounted membership to recent graduates and new hires under the age of 25, who are already engaged in an agri-marketing business – agency, media, company, etc.

Dues for these Young Professionals would be half the amount paid by regular members until they reach the age of 25 – this is half of national dues as well as half of chapter dues. Once they reach 25, they will pay the full membership dues.

Many businesses pay dues for their more seasoned employees. This will provide a cost-effective means for businesses to provide development and networking opportunities to their entry level employees. The development and networking opportunities would naturally help the younger employees become a bigger asset to their employers.

Send the following link to someone you know who’s under 25 and would like to become a NAMA member! https://www4983.ssldomain.com/nama/register.aspx

On July 13, Florida NAMA and Southeast AgNet hosted a luncheon in conjunction with Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association’s annual meeting in Naples, Florida.  Lisa Lochridge, Director of Public Affairs for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, spoke to the group in her role as the 2011 President of the Ag Institute of Florida.  The Ag Institute promotes the value of Florida agriculture, which produces over 280 different commodities.

Lisa shared how the Institute has revitalized its efforts in educating, encouraging and empowering agriculture businesses and organizations in Florida to market, promote and communicate more effectively on behalf of producers and the industry.  The Ag Institute partnered with the University of Florida’s Public Issues Education Center to research consumers’ perceptions of commonly used terms and graphics – with surprising results.  The results of this ongoing research will lead to a better understanding of how best to deliver messages that matter most to consumers.  More information on the research can be found at their site, aiflorida.org.

HOT was an understatement!  This year’s MoKan NAMA Golf Outing was played Tuesday, August 2^nd.  The actual temp at tee time was 107° with 112° heat index.  We had 28 players signed up, and not one cancelled (not sure what this says about our membership).  The tournament was changed to a 9-hole tournament, in order to avoid dehydration, and there were no complaints.  All were troopers and made it to the finish line.  Next year we will lock in a June date to avoid the excessive heat.

The winners were:  3^rd Place Team – Jake Sanders, Doug Jewell, David Hardy and Cam South; 2^nd Place Team – John Shostak, Jason Weil, Kenlon Johannes and Jeff Sutton; 1^st Place Team – Leigh Ann Cleaver, Kelly Schwalbe, Jeff Jackson and Bob Brunker.

Long time NAMA staff member, Kathi Conrad, is leaving the national office.  She is moving back to her home town of Wichita, KS. Kathi will continue to work as a contract employee through the end of 2011 and possibly past that date.   She will continue to have responsibilities for meeting planning and for web design and updates.  Kathi began her career with NAMA in 1997 and has been a valued and respected employee.  She will be missed greatly by everyone in the national office.  You will continue to see her at national meetings and she can still be reached at her NAMA email, [email protected].