We are just one week away from the 13th Annual NAMA Boot Camp, but don’t worry, it’s not too late to register!

The 2016 Boot Camp will take place August 9-11 in Kansas City at the Sheraton Crown Center.

This event is filled with great opportunities whether you are just starting out in the working world or if you’ve been through Boot Camp many times before. If this is your first time in the agriculture business then you are in luck; you will get a beginner’s course about the business including a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts and case studies. If you are a more seasoned veteran, you can choose from a variety of different breakout sessions and pick the one that interests you most.

Aside from the great speakers lined up for you this year, we also have some fun scheduled into the program. The first night of Boot Camp there will be a networking reception where you’ll have the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people. In today’s working world, meeting the right people can make a huge difference in growing your career – you never know who you could meet! The next night we will have an off-site reception at Snow and Company. Enjoy some fun, forzen cocktails, beer and wine while networking with your peers.

Find a complete schedule of this year’s activities on the Boot Camp website. And be sure to sign up today so you don’t miss out on these amazing opportunities. Register online or call the NAMA office at (913) 491-6500.

The 2016 MoKan Ag Tour is the first day of NAMA’s Boot Camp. We will start bright and early on Tuesday, August 9 to make sure we can fit in all the great activities planned. The first stop will be to Heins Dairy Farm in Higginsville, MO. Next, we will visit an Ag-Power Dealership and enjoy some lunch. Then, we travel to Waverly, MO to tour Peters Orchard. Finally, we will wrap up the day at Plattner Farms in Malta Bend, MO before returning to the Sheraton in plenty of time for the kickoff events.

Breakfast and lunch will be served as part of the tour and is included in the cost of registration.

Cost:  $50/person and includes breakfast and lunch (same cost for members & non-members)

Dress: Casual, wear closed-toed shoes (no flipflops or heels).

Time:  8:00 AM depart from hotel, return to hotel at 3:00 PM

Please note: The MoKan Ag Tour is prior to the NAMA Boot Camp. While we hope that you’ll attend both, you do not need to be registered for Boot Camp to attend the Ag Tour. Check out the Boot Camp website for more information on both! Register today!

Start making your plans to join NAMA in Raleigh this September for Fall Conference 2016!

The hotel cutoff date for Fall Conference is earlier than in past years. If you are planning to join NAMA in Raleigh this September, please reserve your room at the Sheraton soon.

August 19 is the cutoff date for the hotel — that’s in 18 days!

You owe it to yourself to soak up some new skills—to steep in success! Make plans now to join NAMA for the 2016 Fall Conference.

Find all the information on the Fall Conference Website. We hope to see you in Raleigh!

Sweet Potatoes, Farmers’ Markets, Cotton and Tech in the Land of Sweet Tea

North Carolina is home to a huge and diverse ag sector. In addition to being a leader in production of a wide range of commodities, it’s also home to some of the biggest names in ag inputs, and the breeding ground for a great deal of innovation in chemistry, biotechnology and textiles.

The Ag Tour will give you insight into this vibrant scene, with an agenda that will span from the field to the lab and beyond. Along the way, we’ll learn about how consumer preferences shape changes in ag production, research and technology.

The cost for this tour is $75. Tour departs the Sheraton at 7:30 a.m. and returns by 4:00 p.m. See below for the schedule of the day’s activities.

Does this sound like a great way to start off your Fall Conference experience? Register Now!

Barnes Farming Corporation | A world leader in sweet potato production, packing and marketing. This large operation, just 45 minutes from Raleigh, has brought many innovations to marketing of the crop and helped to establish North Carolina sweet potatoes as a major player in export markets.

North Carolina State Farmers’ Market | The North Carolina Department of Agriculture for many years has operated a string of farmers’ markets across the state to showcase North Carolina ag products and connect consumers directly to growers. We’ll visit the granddaddy of them all – a 75-acre site with dozens of vendors, wholesale produce distribution and more. We’ll enjoy lunch at one of the the onsite restaurants and allow time for browsing.

Syngenta Biotechnology Inc., Innovation Center | Here, we’ll see how one of the world’s leading agricultural companies is bringing technology to bear on the challenges of providing food and fiber for the world.

Cotton, Inc. World Headquarters | The center for textile research and development to maintain and build cotton’s position as the world’s favorite fiber.

Are you attending the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa?  If so, join other NAMA members at a reception hosted by Cornbelt and Iowa NAMA.

It’s a great opportunity to take a break and interact with other NAMA members on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Exhibitor Food Building, which is located outside of Gate #6 on the south end of Sixth Street and part of the Van Wall building.  Appetizers and drinks will be provided (yes, adult beverages, too).

If you have any questions, please contact Patty Kisner, (319) 981-3511.

Get a jump start on your calendars for NAMA’s Agri-Marketing Conference. We have the schedule set all the way until 2022! Check out where we will be and get a sneak peak at the hotels.

April 26-28, 2017 | Dallas, TX
Sheraton Dallas Hotel
Click here for hotel information.

April 11-13, 2018 | Kansas City, MO
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
Click here for hotel information.

April 10-12, 2019 | Kansas City, MO
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
Click here for hotel information.

April 15-17, 2020 | San Diego, CA
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina
Click here for hotel information.

April 21-23, 2021 | Kansas City, MO
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
Click here for hotel information.

April 6-9, 2022 | Kansas City, MO
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
Click here for hotel information.

On Wednesday, July 20, NAMA’s Careers Committee met in Woodruff Sweitzer’s Kansas City office for their annual summer meeting.

One discussion topic was feedback from student advisors and student chapter presidents on the post-conference survey.  The survey is one of the tools the committee uses to continuously fine-tune the entire Careers component of NAMA.  Student chapter accreditation requirements were also reviewed and discussed with a few minor changes.

Committee members are excited to kick off yet another year of Careers benefits and opportunities.