The hotel cutoff at the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza is Tuesday, July 24. 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 15th annual NAMA Boot Camp, August 15-17, in Kansas City. Register Today!

Wednesday, August 15

7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. — MoKan Ag Tour (optional)
Join us for the MoKan NAMA Ag Tour on Wednesday, August 15! This is a one-day, on-farm experience where attendees will tour and learn about different nuances of agricultural operations in the surrounding area. Breakfast and lunch will be served as part of the tour and is included in the registration cost of $75.

The tour’s first stop will be at Raasch Family Farm, an expansive corn and soybean operation that also includes Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch. Learn all about this interesting outfit. Next, the group will visit Green Dirt Farm in Weston, Missouri, where lunch will be served. This location includes the original barn, along with a dairy parlor and cheese kitchen, and reflects the owner’s commitment to bring the best sheep’s milk cheeses, yogurt and 100 percent grass-fed lamb to market. The last stop is Jowler Creek Winery, Missouri’s premier sustainable vineyard and winery. Attendees will learn about wine making and what goes into this family operation as well as a little wine tasting.

4:00 p.m. —  Boot Camp Registration

5:00 to 6:00 p.m. — Welcome Reception

6:00 to 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.

Thursday, August 16

8:30 to 9:00 a.m. — Continental Breakfast

9:00 to 10:30 a.m. — General Session
Producer Panel
Moderator: Cliff Becker, Farm Journal Media
Producers: to be announced 
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.   

10:30 to 11:00 a.m. — Break

11:00 a.m. to Noon — General Session
Understanding Influence in the Ag World
Janice Person, Monsanto Engagement
When you turn on the nightly news, frequently you hear an anchor reading tweets to you. Ad agencies talk about reaching out to food influencers for Instagram campaigns or fashion influencers on Snapchat. But farmers? How likely are you to have a business proposal that includes mention of farmers who tweet? Surely not. Well actually, you will. Janice Person (JPlovesCOTTON online) leads online engagement for Monsanto and will share insights on what online influencers in agriculture look like, what channels they are using and some of the things you may want to know before you end up in an awkward place asking about whether farmers know their way around an iPad.

Noon to 1:30 p.m. — Luncheon & General Session
Farm Radio Connects
Tom Brand, National Association of Farm Broadcasting 
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.

1:30 to 2:45 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)
Agriculture 101: A Year in the Life
Mindy Ward, Farm Progress
This interactive session will teach you the basics of the industry. You’ll learn about challenges and issues that producers face. You’ll also hear about the decisions they make and actions they take and when. You’ll walk away with an understanding of what a year in the life of a producer is like.

Ag Marketing 101: Basic Marketing to the Latest Trends — Why Ag Marketing is the Best Place to Grow
David Lehman, Kansas State University
Although the principles of marketing have remained relatively constant over time, the marketing environment is always changing. As ag marketing professionals, how do we adapt and grow to succeed in an ever changing and competitive marketplace? This session will help you understand the latest trends and gain a renewed appreciation for why ag marketing is so special and why we love it so much.

2:45 to 3:00 p.m. — Break

3:00 to 4:00 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)
Why Farmers Adopt Products/Practices
Claudine Wargel, Anthro Insights, Inc.
This session will explore research that describes farmers’ decision-making processes as they adopt new techniques and technologies. From studies focused specifically on decision-making, to those exploring specific product adoption behavior, this research can do much to help marketing communicators understand farmers and their business decision drivers. This session will refresh and inform attendees on farmer adoption practices, barriers and drivers – as well as how information and media fit into the adoption process.

Dispelling Negative Messages
Charla Lord, Monsanto
Negative messaging against agriculture runs rampant in today’s world. Learn from a case study presented by the Monsanto Corporate Preparedness team about how to dispel those negative messages and create an open and engaging dialogue.

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Offsite Reception
An air-conditioned trolley will take attendees to the reception at The Granfalloon on the Country Club Plaza. The Granfalloon is a sports bar and restaurant and is convenient to all the Plaza shops and restaurants. www.thegranfalloon.com

Friday, August 17

8:30 to 9:00 a.m. — Continental Breakfast

9:00 to 10:00 a.m. — General Session
From the Experts: Growing a Career in Agribusiness
Sara Steever, Paulsen
Get the best practical career advice shared by over 30 leaders in agribusiness. Paulsen President, Sara Steever, interviewed some incredibly accomplished people in agriculture and brought together their most compelling ideas on scaling the ladder in our industry. From tips on networking to staying relevant to overcoming obstacles, you’ll get guidance from decades of experience in one session.

10:00 to 10:15 a.m. — Break

10:15 to 11:30 a.m. — Closing Session
Mentor Panel – Navigating the World of Agribusiness
Moderator: Sheri Seger, DTN/The Progressive Farmer
Panelists: Jennifer Anderson, John Deere; Deron Johnson, FLM Harvest; and Sue Lee, Fastline Media Group, LLC
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.