Are you attending the Farm Progress Show? If so, the Iowa and Cornbelt NAMA Chapters are co-sponsoring a reception there for you. They’ll provide an opportunity to take a break and interact with other NAMA members on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Exhibitor Building. Appetizers and drinks will be provided (yes, adult beverages, too).

Look for the big building just outside of gate 6 near the intersection of South Avenue and Sixth Street.

Questions about the reception? Contact Kurt Lokenvitz at [email protected] or at (309) 945-3915.

Word is out that the MoKan Chapter knows how to pick the best weather for their golf outings. Mother Nature delivered a great day for the MoKan Golf Tournament which was held at The Falcon Lakes Golf Course on Thursday, July 24.  Attendees had a great time, but the best part of this event is that all proceeds are used to support NAMA student chapters.

The competition was fierce. The winning team, made up of current Chapter President Scott Lynn of Woodruff Sweitzer; Sam Wineinger of Arysta LifeScience; Justin White and Chris Jones of Woodruff Sweitzer, finished with a smooth 11 under par round. The second place team included Kelly Schwalbe and Kellie Jackson of BCS Communications and Bob Brunker of J.L. Farmakis, Inc.
Congratulations to the winners and the
overall winners will be our student NAMA chapters. The MoKan Chapter looks forward to seeing you all there next year.

The dairy industry drives the economy in America’s Dairyland, contributing more than $26 billion each year in economic activity and providing nearly 5 percent of Wisconsin’s jobs.  Wisconsin leads the nation in cheese production and wins more awards for its cheeses than any other state or nation.  Because dairy is so important to the state, the Badger NAMA chapter recently gave members and young professionals the opportunity to see the industry up-close.

On July 24, about 30 participants attended the Badger NAMA Fond du Lac Farm Tour in eastern Wisconsin.  The day started at Vir-Clar Farm, where the Boyke family milks about 1,300 dairy cows and produces electricity via a methane digester.  Katie (Boyke) Grinstead said the family places immense focus on building good relationships with the local community and educating consumers about modern dairy farming.

Next, the group headed just north of Fond du Lac to visit LaClare Farms, which is owned by Larry and Clara Hedrich.  The farm milks 375 dairy goats and produces national and international award-winning cheeses onsite.  In recent years, the Hedrichs added a retail store and restaurant to the farm so guests can “follow their food” from the milking parlor
to the locally sourced gourmet
meals prepared at the restaurant.

For a sweet end to the day, the group traveled to Kelley Country Creamery.  Karen and Tim Kelley milk 65 cows on their 200-acre farmstead.  Karen always dreamed of opening her own ice cream parlor because the treat is enjoyed by all ages.  Today, the Kelley family greets thousands of guests daily as they choose from a long list of premium ice cream flavors.

After visiting these three diverse farms, attendees appreciated a better perspective of what it takes to produce and market quality dairy products.  One attendee commented, “For those of us that don’t get to a farm very often, it was a great opportunity to learn more about technology, operations
and the innovative spirit that is
keeping the farming industry
alive and prosperous.”

The Careers Committee held its annual summer meeting in the NAMA office on Friday, August 1.  Committee members took this opportunity to review student chapter accreditation requirements and make a few minor changes.

They also discussed feedback received from student advisors and student chapter presidents on the post-conference survey.  This survey, which has been conducted several years now, provides invaluable information to the committee as they work to continuously fine-tune the entire Careers component of NAMA.

Committee members are excited to kick off another year of Careers benefits and opportunities, adding a new opportunity for students to share their résumés with some NAMA professionals.  More information on this added benefit will be shared soon with student chapters.