Breakout sessions occur on Thursday, April 20 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. and on Friday, April 21 from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. These sessions will not be repeated.

Ethics in Advertising-When is an Ad an Ad?
Thursday, April 20 ~ 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

This session, presented by Dr. Don Ranly, professor emeritus, Missouri School of Journalism, will take a candid look at ethics in advertising. He will draw on more than 30 years of experience in journalism and media to help clarify the boundaries, give examples and help us put all this in perspective. A representative of the American Agricultural Editors Association will also be on hand to discuss AAEA’s latest standards of integrity.

In addition to teaching writing, editing and publishing, Dr. Ranly specializes in principles and ethics of journalism. He has worked as a newspaper reporter, a magazine editor, a weekly columnist, a radio host and a television producer, director and host. An author of articles and books on writing and editing, he has conducted more than 950 seminars worldwide.

Market Oriented, Cost Conscious, Technology Savvy-Understanding the Next Generation of Producers
Thursday, April 20 ~ 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Two-thirds of the roughly 300,000 commercial farm operators in the United States, who contribute 85 percent of all farm product sales, are over 45 years old. However, the number of producers age 45 or younger is increasing rapidly and they have a much different approach to business, farming operation and use of technology. Find out the key features of this younger set and hear firsthand from a panel of progressive young farmers as they discuss key factors that go into their business and purchasing decisions.

Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh is a professor of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. He also worked as the Cooperative Extension Service state leader prior to his retirement from that position recently. Dr. Flinchbaugh regularly meets with a group of the “Next Generation” of producers under the auspices of the Kansas Wheat Symposium.

Your Gut is Still Not Smarter Than Your Head: Three Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Marketing Performance Tomorrow
Thursday, April 20 ~ 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Companies are understandably obsessed with measuring marketing performance. CEOs and CFOs want “accountability,” and all eyes are on marketers to produce a return on investment. Unfortunately, over-reliance on seat-of-the-pants approaches and unscientific tools to make critical marketing decisions is the cause of disappointing marketing performance and not metrics that are lacking. Dr. Clancy will describe three best practices for developing financially-optimal marketing strategies that marketers can use to dramatically improve marketing ROI.

Kevin Clancy is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Copernicus Marketing Consulting. He has coauthored six books, including two business best-sellers. The American Marketing Association Foundation named his book, Counterintuitive Marketing: Achieve Great Results Using Uncommon Sense, one of the top five books in marketing in the past five years.

Take Your Mind Out for a Jog-Exercise Your Creative Thinking
Thursday, April 20 ~ 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Creativity is no more than stretching our minds, viewing situations from different perspectives, having a healthy attitude about your ability to generate ideas, and having a problem solving philosophy that “anything is possible, anything can be!” This interactive session is the Richard Simmons workout program of mental aerobics.

Abe Goldstien is the director of creative services for Trilix Marketing Group. Goldstien is a wealth of information on a wide variety of subjects and is known for his collection of neon lights, jazz recordings, PEZ dispensers, kaleidoscopes and out-of-tune accordion playing. Dubbed as the “conductor of creative thought,” Goldstien brings a fun, fresh and fascinating perspective to creative thinking.

Consumer Trends Affecting Agri-Food
Friday, April 21 ~ 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

You may have heard the old saying, “you are what you eat.” At no time in history has this statement been more true. Consumer concerns about what they eat, where it comes from and how it has been produced has never been higher. Dr. Randy Westgren, University of Illinois, will discuss current lifestyle and demographic trends and how they affect consumers’ food choices-and the challenges facing marketers as they address these trends.

Dr. Randall Westgren is a professor of food and agribusiness management and agri-food strategic development at the University of Illinois. His research focuses on strategic management within and between firms in the food and agriculture sector including the formation and governance of cooperatives, strategic alliances, supply chains and complex horizontal-vertical structures.

Niche Marketing To Rural Lifestylers-The Quarter Horse Industry Success Story
Friday, April 21 ~ 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

The rapid emergence of the rural lifestyle producer has commanded the attention of most agricultural input companies and service providers. Marketers are searching for information to understand this evolving audience and communicate with them meaningfully. Gain an insightful look at the success of the pleasure horse industry in capturing lifestyler attention and influencing their purchase decisions.

Don Treadway, executive director, Marketing and Member Services of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), will discuss demographics, lifestyle and overall characteristics of horse owners. He will give examples to help define this market and suggestions for overall marketing and promotion. AQHA members are an important segment of the rural lifestyle market, and Treadway will help us saddle up with useful information on how to market to this group.

Colliding Generations-Understanding, Resolving, Collaborating
Friday, April 21 ~ 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Rob Hannam, AdFarm (moderator)
Duane Ross, High Plains Journal
Jean Custer, CNH America
Jamie Moran, Colle+McVoy
Kelly Smyth, Rhea & Kaiser

With the trend towards men and women living and working longer, U.S. employers now count four distinct generations on their payrolls. The leading edge of Generation X hits 40 this year, and they have issues with Generation Y. Boomers have to start taking Gen X-ers seriously. And they all need to figure out how to work with their elders-the Traditionalists.

Generational diversity is rapidly becoming the biggest workplace issue. Join a panel of seasoned and emerging agri-marketing professionals, moderated by Rob Hannam, vice president of Performance Management for AdFarm, as they explore their differences in life and work styles. Learn how these generations work together…or not…and what it takes to foster a productive office environment for everyone.

Special thanks to FMC Corporation and Mosaic Company for sponsoring the Breakout Sessions.