Join NAMA in Raleigh, September 20-22, and take time out to step away from the desk and refresh your professional skill set. Take a look at the full schedule below to see the exciting and interactive sessions that NAMA has in store for this year’s Fall Conference!

Register for this can’t miss event today!

Tuesday, September 20

7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
North Carolina Ag Tour (optional)
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 and includes breakfast and lunch. 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.

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.

5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Kick Off Reception
Just back from the Ag Tour or just arrived in town? Pop in for a drink with your friends and colleagues at a relaxing welcome reception to start the Fall Conference off right.

Wednesday, September 21

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
ABEF Board Meeting

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. 
NAMA Board Meeting

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Pre-Conference Workshop
Ignite Your Goals
Gerry O’Brion

Simple steps to accomplish more and accelerate your success. What do you want for your business? For your life? The most successful people don’t leave accomplishment to chance. Learn simple steps you can use today to transition from wanting to achieving. Gerry O’Brion is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and marketing expert who helps companies thrive in good times and bad. Learn and discuss the basic things that get in the way of reaching our objectives. This fun, engaging, interactive session will have you learning, thinking and participating. You’ll be up out of your chairs in a fully participative experience. No more just sitting and listening. This session gets you fully immersed in your goals and moves you down the path of accomplishment right here, right now. You’ll leave with a T-shirt you’ve created to reflect your time in this session as a reminder of your goals.

Gerry built his career growing big brands. After earning his MBA at the University of Michigan, Gerry began his marketing career at Procter & Gamble, working with brands such as Crisco, Tide, Mr. Clean, and Spic & Span. Next, he managed Coors Light, became VP of Marketing for Quiznos, and then VP of Marketing for Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. His presentations will help you develop an action plan to make your business stronger now and over the long term.  Gerry will have you look at your business with a fresh perspective. You will re-examine how you are different from your competitors, and why that matters to your customers.  The fun, thought-provoking dialogue will generate real ideas you can use immediately. The presentations are packed with information, strategies and case studies about companies that are doing it right.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Welcome Luncheon
The 2016 Election and the Unknown Outcomes
Jay H. Truitt, Policy Solutions
Sponsored by NAFB

Every four years we as Americans head to the polls, and vote for the next leader of the United States. The road leading up to November 8, 2016, is going to be a wild ride. Jay H. Truitt, a Washington D.C. veteran and political insider, will provide a highlight of policy issues impacting the 2016 Presidential election, and other Congressional races throughout the U.S.

Jay Truitt has been a central figure in the United States livestock and food industry public policy arena for more than 20 years. Prior to Policy Solutions, he served as Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. In that capacity, he led public policy efforts for the beef industry through two farm bill debates and some of the most challenging issues to ever face the industry. Truitt worked as part of the beef industries “BSE Crisis” team that received numerous awards and honors for their handling of the United States’ first case of BSE. In addition, he led industry efforts on animal identification, trade, labeling, tax and income management, energy and the environment over his tenure with the Cattlemen.

Open to all attendees.

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Keynote Session
What Big Brands Know: Navigating Change
Gerry O’Brion
Sponsored by John Deere

To win in business today, it’s no longer sufficient to be faster or better at what you’re already doing. The most successful companies have become adept at navigating change. Effective leaders create companies where every employee has clarity about where they are going and why.

There are four simple, but powerful, questions that every leader should be asking to drive clarity and create an effective strategic navigation plan.

Employees don’t like change. Bold leaders are willing to disrupt their companies, even when it’s unpopular. They do it not for the sake of disruption, but because they see what is possible when others do not. Gerry’s framework is powerful enough to create game-changing strategies, but simple enough that every employee will understand the vision and be excited for what’s next.

Whether you’re B to B, B to C, a big company or small you can use the same strategies as the big guys to attract customers and turn them into powerful advocates of your business.

2:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Break

2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Choose one of three sessions:

Social Media: Understanding Audience Habits
Justin Allen

HOW a piece gets widely trafficked is just as important as WHY a piece gets widely trafficked. We’ll take a look at key digital metrics (clicks, shares and duration of content viewed), and examine what each one means in connection to the other—for example, shares don’t always lead to views and clicks don’t always mean your key messages were even seen. How you interpret your own data, will help you figure out when and what to create, and where and when to distribute it. We’ll use Buzzfeed’s “The Dress” as a case study to help understand and apply data to what you create, when you create it and where you share it.

Repeats from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Working Together to Help Growers: What Agriculture Can Learn from Consumer Marketing
Stacie Marshall, Bayer CropScience

Growers are people too, and best in class is best in class. As agriculture suppliers, manufacturers and publishers, we all have the same customer and want the same thing—to help the grower. But there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel when we should be collaborating for success.

Join us for this thought-provoking session that focuses on what we can do together as an industry to support growers by sharing best practices and new information, especially in the areas of digital and social outreach.

Females Advancing Agriculture

The face of agriculture is changing, and a lot of this has to do with women advancing the industry. Today, more women are getting involved in the industry, on and off of the farm, by taking on new roles and responsibilities. Join a panel of outstanding women working in agriculture as they share their experiences, challenges and opportunities and provide a forecast on the future of women in agriculture.

Moderator:
Dori Mold, President, American Agri-Women

Panelists:
Morgan Niedermier, Vice President of Marketing, Sunrise Cooperative
Angela Bendorf Jamison, Owner, Communicopia
Lisa Zannoni, Global Head, Seeds Regulatory and Stewardship, Syngenta

3:45 – 4:00 p.m.
Break
Sponsored by National Cotton Council of America

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Choose one of three sessions:

Social Media: Understanding Audience Habits
Justin Allen

HOW a piece gets widely trafficked is just as important as WHY a piece gets widely trafficked. We’ll take a look at key digital metrics (clicks, shares and duration of content viewed), and examine what each one means in connection to the other—for example, shares don’t always lead to views and clicks don’t always mean your key messages were even seen. How you interpret your own data, will help you figure out when and what to create, and where and when to distribute it. We’ll use Buzzfeed’s “The Dress” as a case study to help understand and apply data to what you create, when you create it and where you share it.

Connecting Consumers with Their Food
Katie Pinke, CommonGround North Dakota

Connecting consumers to their food and farmers is increasingly challenging and important within the agriculture sector. Katie Pinke helps coordinate and plan Banquet in a Field in North Dakota with 30 plus CommonGround North Dakota volunteers. The annual event brings together over 100 different non-ag guests with 25 plus farmers and ag leaders to share a meal in a field at Peterson Farms Seed. 12 North Dakota crops are shown and highlighted along with three meats. For three years, Banquet in a Field has bridged the gap between non-ag influencer audiences around Fargo, North Dakota and North Dakota farmers and ranchers.

Additionally, CommonGround North Dakota volunteers hold smaller on-farm events such as Ladies After 5 events, farm tours with moms and schools and speak at local Women’s Health Conferences. Katie will discuss farm to table event planning and how to bring together an event that makes an impact in your community and state from early planning stages, media outreach and lessons learned.

Repeats on Thursday from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

The Future of Agriculture Technology

The world of ag technology is moving fast and continuing to grow exponentially. This is proving challenging for marketers who must communicate the value proposition of ag technology solutions. By sharing successes and challenges in this crowded market place, this panel discussion will seek to answer questions about how the industry is working to get farmers to keep up with the rapid evolution of ag technology and how marketers can help them get there.

Moderator: 
Max Armstrong, Penton Agriculture

Panelists:
Beverly Flores, Manager, Integrated Communications, John Deere ISG
Teddy Bekele, Vice President, IT, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Sean Arians, Marketing Manager, The Climate Corporation

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Networking Reception at Jimmy V’s
Join your colleagues for a networking reception on the patio at Jimmy V’s.
Sponsored by Brighton

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by Rhea + Kaiser

8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
General Session
Leadership Lessons from McDonald’s and Starbucks
Conor Cunneen 

In this powerful business building program, you will learn leadership and marketing lessons from the big guys (and not so big guys) that can be adapted to any organization and budget. Conor will take you through the power of: Clear and Compelling Vision, Micro-Goals, Restroom Marketing , creating an ET (Emotional Transaction) Experience, the Guinness Brand Experience and why profitable Innovation does not have to be groundbreaking. All presented by a former VP of Marketing at Unilever and an award-winning humorist. Not to be missed!

Conor Cunneen is an acclaimed speaker, educator, author and an award winning humorist who provides powerful and memorable business programs via wit and wisdom to Improve People, Performance and Productivity.

Professional Development Awards of Excellence Presentation
Join us as we honor the Professional Development Awards of Excellence award winners.
PDA Awards sponsored by Penton Agriculture

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Break
Sponsored by Agriculture Council of America

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
Choose one of three sessions:

Ditching the Script: Connecting to Your Authentic Message
Jolean Olson, Scenic Road

Storytelling is the latest buzz word in content marketing and communications, but how do you find and tell the best story for your company, project or new campaign?

Jolean Olson, Director of Development for Scenic Road, will share methods that any creative (or not so creative) professional can use to move past writer’s block to deeper engagement with your audience. She’ll discuss tips and tricks from the school of brand journalism, tapping into common themes, and harnessing emotion and authenticity. You’ll also see examples of best practices for using imagery and video that apply to any form of storytelling.

Connecting Consumers with Their Food
Katie Pinke, CommonGround North Dakota

Connecting consumers to their food and farmers is increasingly challenging and important within the agriculture sector. Katie Pinke helps coordinate and plan Banquet in a Field in North Dakota with 30 plus CommonGround North Dakota volunteers. The annual event brings together over 100 different non-ag guests with 25 plus farmers and ag leaders to share a meal in a field at Peterson Farms Seed. 12 North Dakota crops are shown and highlighted along with three meats. For three years, Banquet in a Field has bridged the gap between non-ag influencer audiences around Fargo, North Dakota and North Dakota farmers and ranchers.

Additionally, CommonGround North Dakota volunteers hold smaller on-farm events such as Ladies After 5 events, farm tours with moms and schools and speak at local Women’s Health Conferences. Katie will discuss farm to table event planning and how to bring together an event that makes an impact in your community and state from early planning stages, media outreach and lessons learned.

Reaching Niche Audiences
Kelly Chiricotti, Associate Media Director, Mediavest/Spark

Representing big, well-known brands seems like it would be a breeze getting your digital message out to the target audience, but even big consumer brands and their agency Mediavest/Spark have challenges when reaching niche audiences. Kelly Chiricotti, Associate Media Director at Mediavest/Spark will walk through case studies discussing the digital highs and lows.

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Closing Luncheon Session
Through the Lens of a Leader
Dirk Benson, Head, Seeds Product Development, Corn and Sugarcane, Syngenta
Sponsored by Penton Agriculture

End your Fall Conference experience with a view of major challenges facing ag today and a forecast for what lies ahead from an experienced industry veteran.