The hotel cutoff at the Sheraton Crown Center is Friday, July 21. Reservations must be made by this date in order to receive the discounted NAMA rate. Please reserve your room today!

Join the National Agri-Marketing Association for the 14th annual NAMA Boot Camp, August 8-10 in Kansas City. Register now!

Tuesday, August 8

MoKan Ag Tour (optional)
Join us for the MoKan NAMA Ag Tour on Tuesday, August 8!

The MoKan NAMA Ag Tour is a one-day, on-farm experience where attendees will tour and learn about different nuances of agricultural operations in the surrounding area.

Our first stop will be a 15,000 acre corn/soy operation to learn about new technologies going into today’s agronomy, equipment and farm management.

Next, we will visit Shatto Milk Company and dairy for a full tour and lunch.

We’ll finish at Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery for a look (and taste) of their local grapes and how they market their business.

Breakfast and lunch will be served as part of the tour and is included in the registration cost of $75.

4:00 p.m. — Boot Camp Registration

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. — Welcome Reception

6:00 – 7:30 p.m. — Opening General Session, Dinner & Networking Activity
Kick off the Boot Camp with a networking activity designed to help you get to know fellow attendees.

Wednesday, August 9

8:00 a.m. — Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. — General Session
Managing Up, Managing Sideways
Gail Calhoun, Calhoun Consulting
The ability to identify and adapt to different communications styles within your organization is a critical component to success. Whether you’re new to your career or just looking for some helpful hints, this session will highlight tips for communicating with team members and managing expectations to make sure you’re delivering the best work possible.  Gail Calhoun is president of Calhoun Consulting, Inc., a Minneapolis-based sales communication and executive coaching firm.   

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. — Break

10:30 a.m. – Noon — Producer Panel
Learn how to communicate effectively with producers. The producer panel has become a Boot Camp favorite and attendees won’t want to miss the valuable insights from producers. 

Noon – 1:30 p.m. — Luncheon  

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)

A Year in the Life of a Producer
This highly interactive session will address basics of the industry along with issues and challenges. Hear it straight from the producer.

Lessons Learned from a Career in Crisis Management
Every organization will eventually face the moment when something goes wrong affecting your people, products or reputation. This session will offer practice tips for managing a crisis based on real-life experiences of an ag communicator who has helped manage producer recalls, oil spills, pink slime and the media onslaught that accompanies a crisis.

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. — Break

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)

Farm Economics and the Commodities
Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist, INTL FCStone Financial, Inc. – FCM Division
Gain overall knowledge into economics and the commodities. This session will focus on the global macro-economic factors influencing outside money flow in today’s commodity markets. Learn about broader global developments in China and elsewhere shaping grain fundamentals. You’ll also take a specific fundamental look at corn, soybeans and wheat.

The Secrets of a Strong Client-Agency Relationship
Amy Bugg, Account Supervisor, Woodruff
Just like any relationship, the agency-client partnership relies on many of the same ingredients that make up any successful relationship – trust, communication and chemistry. Building that mutually rewarding relationship takes time and commitment, but the outcomes can be extremely rewarding. Amy Bugg has worked for, and with, some of the leading companies and agencies in agribusiness. She will provide an inside look at ag communications on both the client and agency sides and highlight some of the ingredients for a strong agency-client bond.

4:30 – 6:30 p.m. — Offsite Reception
A shuttle will take attendees to a special outdoor reception at Brick House in the Martini Corner. www.brickhousekc.com

Thursday, August 10

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. — Breakfast Session
Farm Radio Connects
Tom Brand, Executive Director, NAFB
Farmers and ranchers are on the go and farm radio provides current, local relevant news for their operation. Continued industry research showcases the importance of farm radio for the U.S. agriculture industry. Radio is a daily source of ag related news and information producers need and want to know.

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. — General Session
Navigating Your Career in Agribusiness
Moderator: Gail Calhoun, Calhoun Consulting
Panelists: Diane Martin, Rhea + Kaiser and Amy Bradford, Growmark
If your career path is a journey, then are you navigating? Whether you’re just starting out or you’re well down the road, everyone can benefit from an experienced mentor to help them get the most out of their career.

This interactive session will feature three successful agribusiness professionals who will provide practical advice, success stories and tips that you can apply right away for getting the most out of your career in agribusiness. Panelists will share their professional experiences and answer your questions.

10:15 – 11:30 a.m. — Closing Session
Agriculture: What’s to Come
Paul Spooner, USFRA
Today, a positive trend shows that more consumers believe agriculture is moving in the right direction, with more than half that positively perceive U.S. farmers and ranchers’ commitment in improving farming techniques and informing people about how food is grown and raised. However, the loudest voices are still not supportive of modern agriculture. We must work together to change the conversation. In this closing session, find out “What’s to Come” of agriculture and learn how to make an impact in sharing agriculture’s story with today’s consumer.