There was a thunderous response to the call for Best of NAMA entries with over 1400 submitted for Regional Judging on November 6th & 7th.  This is the  highest amount we have seen since 1999!

Thank you to every agency and company that submitted their best work for consideration.  Every submission strengthens local NAMA chapters and showcases the talent and vitality of NAMA members.

A special thanks to our 40 plus wonderful judges who participated in the judging process that took place at the Sheraton Crown Center in Kansas City.   This program could not be successful without their help and expertise.

We hope to see you at a regional or chapter banquet in January to see the results of your hard work.  Check out  https://www.namablog.org/?page_id=16 for banquet dates and locations.  Be sure to check back often as  details are still being finalized.

Men like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are known for being philanthropic, so why can’t ag companies get the same reputation?  Ken Reiners thinks they can.

Reiners, of Reiners and Associates, spoke to roughly 30 NAMA members and guests on Thursday, Oct. 18, about incorporating philanthropy into our client and/or company budgets.  Reiners added that it is important to set expectations with donations to organizations.

In addition to discussing philanthropy, the group heard from two companies on how they incorporate social media with their organizations.  Lynne Leaf, corporate marketing strategy manager with Land O’Lakes, spoke about the importance of examining how, and if, social media is important for a campaign.  She said the first step is to establish the brand voice and then stay true to that voice in all social media venues.

Brenda Sisung, of Genex Cooperative, Inc., discussed how social media has enhanced business for their company’s sales force.  She said social media helps keep the information fresh for their sales force, as well as their customers.  She said social media is not just pushing products, it is engaging with the customer.

More than 30 NAMA Mid-America members, Purdue NAMA students and participants in Purdue’s Strategic AgriMarketing (SAM) program gathered for Agri-Marketing on Tap, a networking reception held at Harry’s Chocolate Shop, on October 16. Harry’s is an iconic Purdue establishment in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Although the SAM participants are all agri-marketing professionals, many of them are not involved in NAMA. The chapter saw this as an opportunity to recruit new members and network with other industry professionals. Marvin Kokes, National NAMA Executive Committee, attended the reception as part of the SAM program.

The NAMA Mid-America and Great Plains Chapters provided sponsorship for the 2012 National FFA Alumni Tailgate and Benefit Auction, held October 24 at the Indianapolis Convention Center.  FFA alumni and all National FFA Convention tradeshow exhibitors were invited to the event.  Mid-America Chapter members set up NAMA displays that evening and distributed brochures across the venue. They also held a drawing for a free, one-year NAMA membership and concert tickets to the National FFA Concert featuring The Band Perry and Brantley Gilbert. Katie Terrell, director of operations at Magnitude, won the NAMA membership.  Jennifer Walrath, senior admissions advisor at SUNY Cobleskill, and Stephanie Gorman, also with Magnitude, won the concert tickets.  More than 50 people entered the drawing, and many indicated they would like to learn more about NAMA.

The Cornhusker NAMA Chapter gathered at Midwest Laboratories, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 23, for an educational tour of their lab.

The company started in 1975 by testing soils for agriculture. Today, the business has expanded into other areas of testing for agriculture, including: fuels, fertilizer, lime, manure biosolids and compost, pesticides, plant tissue, seed, and microtoxins, along with food and pet food.

The NAMA group witnessed two semis filled with boxes of soil samples as they arrived early in the morning.  Later in the tour, the group saw an unprecedented volume of soil being unpackaged, ground, dried, and ultimately tested for nutrients using state-of-the-art equipment in each stop along the tour.

When tour guide and Midlands NAMA Social Media chair, Brent Pohlman, was asked about the differentiators Midwest Laboratories offers its clients, he stated, “Turnaround time is key. From the time we receive a soil sample to the time we deliver the results to our client is essential to keep farm production running smoothly.”  According to Brent, the company is responsible for testing 20,000-30,000 samples of soil in 2-3 days.

When it comes to spreading the word to the agricultural community, Pohlman said, “We are always looking for a new way to add value to our service delivery.”  The company is under a marketing initiative to bring the lab closer to its clients by utilizing videos and live streaming at shows, in social media and on the web.

Ten members and their guests from the Heartland Chapter got together for a social at the Mackinaw Valley Winery on the evening of October 18.  Wine tasting was part of the evening, as well as getting to know members who were new to Heartland NAMA.

We also learned from the hostess that night that 95% of the grapes that go into their wine originate from their vines.  The winery and grounds serve as the venue for weddings, concerts and other events throughout the year.  Those attending got a sneak preview of our November program.