by Gary Cooper, Southeast AgNet (Florida President)

The leadership core of the Florida NAMA Chapter, continuing its chapter’s membership drive and rebuilding process, will engage student NAMA members to team up for a mentoring project and NAMA discussion/presentation to the Winter Business Meeting of the Florida Fertilizer and AgriChemical Association in Tampa, FL on Friday, January 19th. The night before, several University of Florida NAMA students will join Florida NAMA leaders for the FFAA opening reception and dinner, providing the students an excellent opportunity to make contacts in the professional agri-marketing community.

Also, Florida NAMA president Gary Cooper and new member Katherine Bush recently spoke to student members of the UF/NAMA and UF Ag Economics Clubs at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Cooper presented information about print, broadcast and website entities operated by Southeast AgNet, and Bush discussed the world’s largest citrus grower seminar and trade show event, Citrus Expo, which she manages as part of Southeast AgNet operations.

Upcoming plans include attendance of Florida NAMA leaders, joined by UF/NAMA leaders, at the Florida Ag Hall of Fame banquet at Florida State Fair in Tampa, February 13th. University of Florida NAMA students will be enrolled for the day in a special professional mentoring program as part of the Ag Hall of Fame project.

All Florida NAMA members are encouraged to mark their calendars to join us in Gainesville, FL for the annual University of Florida NAMA golf tournament and Student NAMA Competition Practice Presentation. The date is March 30, the golf tourney during the day will be followed by the BBQ and University of Florida NAMA presentation. 

As for the membership drive ongoing, all Florida NAMA members are encouraged to bring at least one new member into our ranks within the next twelve weeks. Those of you who have mentioned others who should be involved, please give them a call directly and encourage them to send in their dues check at the earliest convenience. If you’ll contact us we will have a membership invoice sent directly to them via e-mail or postal. Don’t delay, make that contact TODAY!

Any Florida NAMA members who would like further details on any of the above events or activities can call Katherine Bush, Citrus Expo coordinator at Southeast AgNet, at 352-671-1909.