Iowa NAMA members gathered at Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston on October 13 to hear Dave Patterson share his top ten list for successful B-to-B marketing communications.  Dave, with John Deere Financial, addressed how new technologies continue to provide marketing professionals with expanded, data-driven media options, and unique creative and content-related techniques.

He noted that at the same time, some fundamental marketing principles that were relevant generations ago continue to be relevant today.

Share your marketing expertise with FFA members.

The Marketing Plan Career Development Event committee is looking for volunteer judges for the 2016 competition. The event will be held during the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN, October 20 and 21.

If interested, please contact Mike Gustafson at [email protected].

Nearly 150 agri-marketers traveled to Raleigh, NC last month for the fifth annual NAMA Fall Conference. This event is quickly becoming another “can’t miss” NAMA event and this year didn’t disappoint.

As always, the week kicked off with a local ag tour. North Carolina agriculture production is very diverse which gave the 40 attendees a wide selection. The first stop alone, Barnes Farming Corporation, produces tobacco, peanuts, watermelon and is the nation’s largest sweet potato grower. Attendees learned that over the last 10-15 years, America’s consumption of sweet potatoes has increased from 3 pounds per capita to almost 7 pounds per capita. Next, the tour headed to the North Carolina State Farmers’ Market, a 75-acre operation that’s open year-round. Syngenta hosted the third stop, where attendees saw plants in various stages of growth in this Research and Development facility. The final stop was the Cotton, Inc. World Headquarters where participants got a sneak peek at the color slate for next fall.

After the ag tour, the conference kicked off with a reception sponsored by Bayer CropScience. Darren Willis, VP of North America Communications, welcomed the group to Raleigh. The reception provided attendees the opportunity to network and relax after a busy day.

The Pre-Conference Workshop featured speaker Gerry O’Brion who helped those who attended set clear, attainable goals and shared tips on how to better achieve them. Jay Truitt, Policy Solutions, spoke at the Welcome Luncheon which was sponsored by NAFB. Truitt gave an inside look at the upcoming election and how each candidate could affect the agriculture industry. Gerry O’Brion addressed the entire group at the keynote session, this time discussing what all organizations need to know in order to navigate the ever-changing world of business.

The afternoon consisted of two rounds of breakout sessions including sessions on social media, communicating with growers and how to connect consumers with farmers. There were also two panel presentations; one focused on women in agriculture and how more and more women are getting involved in the industry.

The second panel concentrated on technology and how it will affect the future of ag. Panelists explained the responsibility marketers have to understand all the different technology options so they are able to help growers decide what is best for their own operations.

The day rounded out with a Networking Reception sponsored by Brighton Agency where attendees enjoyed pizza and drinks while mingling with friends and colleagues.

On the last day of the conference, NAMA’s Professional Development Awards of Excellence were presented to the three winners. These awards were sponsored by Penton Agriculture. The 2016 winners were:

•   Marcy Tessman, Charleston|Orwig, Inc.
    Professional Development Award in Marketing Communications.

•   Bill Brozak, Colle+McVoy/Exponent PR
    Professional Development Award in Public Relations.

•   Matt Herman, DTN/The Progressive Farmer
    Professional Development Award in Sales

After the awards, Conor Cunneen shared his powerful business building program with inside tips from McDonald’s and Starbucks. The morning continued with a round of breakout sessions on storytelling and reaching niche audiences. The conference closed with a networking luncheon.

When asked about the conference, NAMA President Matt Coniglio said, “It’s been great. We’ve got great speakers, great networking and that’s really what NAMA is about. It’s about good people getting together inside of this wonderful industry of agriculture and, more importantly, educating ourselves.”

Check out some great photos of this year’s Fall Conference thanks to ZimmComm New Media!

And make sure to mark your calendar now for next year’s Fall Conference. Join NAMA in Milwaukee, WI on September 19-21, 2017.

The deadline to submit your regional Best of NAMA entries is this Friday! In order to be eligible for the 2016 Best of NAMA Regional Judging, entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7.

Entries should be submitted by mail to the National Agri-Marketing Association, 11020 King Street, Suite 205, Overland Park, KS 66210 or online at www.BestOfNAMA.org. 

For more information, visit the Best of NAMA website.  If you have any questions do not hesitate to call the NAMA office,
(913) 491-6500, or email Jenny Pickett.

To thrive in the future, the NAMA community needs to develop and support the next generation of members. Know someone with a bright future in the industry? Now’s the time to shine the spotlight on them!

There’s sure to be at least one person like this in your company… you know, the go-to guy or gal who impresses everyone with their knowledge of hot trends. The one who always goes above and beyond to make sure your projects succeed. Bright young professionals are the lifeblood of the industry and we want to honor them with a special award.

NAMA will select up to five such individuals. Winners receive Complimentary Registration to the 2017 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 26-28, where awards will be presented at one of the opening sessions. Companies or individuals would bear the travel expenses. The group will meet with the NAMA Executive Committee at their April meeting.

Eligibility

•  Nominees must be under 35 years old.

•  Nominees must be NAMA members.

•  Individuals must be nominated by a supervisor or manager within their company or through chapter or national leadership.

•  Individuals are nominated in the following areas:

•  Ag Company, Agency or Media.

•  All nominations must be submitted online.

•  Deadline for nominations is January 1.

•  More than one individual per company may be nominated.

Selection Process

Up to five winners will be selected by the Professional Recognition Committee and Executive Committee liaisons. Previous winners of the award will also be included on the selection panel after the inaugural year.

Winners will be announced on January 31. Winners are awarded a plaque and complimentary registration to the Agri-Marketing Conference where they will be recognized.

Find out more information on the website.

ABEF would appreciate your support by contributing a media package from your organization to help support the efforts of our Student NAMA Chapters. Proceeds from the media auction will help fund scholarships, student NAMA activities and the Student Marketing Competition.

The deadline to submit packages is October 15, 2016.

Please visit the website for a list of guidelines and to donate a media package.

The Agri-Business Education Foundation released a new video last month at the NAMA Fall Conference in Raleigh, NC. This video communicates ABEF’s mission to fuel the Student NAMA program.

Check it out now!

Video produced by broadhead.