Tis the season for chapter meetings. Take some time out of your busy schedule to attend a chapter meeting and spend some quality time networking with your peers! Take a look at some of the upcoming chapter meetings:

Cornbelt NAMA – September 20
The Cornbelt NAMA chapter invites everyone to a meeting and tour at the recently opened Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, IA, on Thursday, September 20, 2007.

Shannon Textor, director of market development for Iowa Corn will discuss the Iowa Corn Indy 500. Bruce Neeley is the executive director of the Heartland Acres Agribition Center. Neeley will share the inspiration behind the new center, how funds were generated, what’s planned for the future and the initial results that they’ve seen thus far. A tour of the facility is included.

Cost for this Cornbelt event is $15 for members and students and $20 for non-members. This price includes the tour and lunch. If you’d like to attend, please contact Luann Pisarik at [email protected] or 319-895-6723 by Sept. 10.

Mark your calendars for the next Cornbelt NAMA meeting and tour on Thursday, November 1st. It will feature speakers from Diamond V and Kirkwood Community College.

Midlands NAMA – September 20
You are invited to attend the first fall meeting of the Midlands NAMA Chapter on Thursday, September 20 at 4:00 p.m. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, East Campus Union.

Hear from a panel of Ag industry professionals and current students on the value of summer internships and how the experience has helped both groups. The UNL student NAMA chapter will be on hand, so companies could meet potential future hires.

Cost: $21 (includes a $6 University parking pass). Please RSVP by Friday, September 14 if you wish to obtain a parking pass. RSVP to Vernon Benes at [email protected].

Mark your calendars for upcoming Midlands NAMA Events:
October 23 – Low-lin Oil & Healthy Food
November 20 – Generational Employment Gap

North Central NAMA – September 27
Join North Central Nama for their first chapter meeting of the new season, “What’s New with New Media?” panel discussion on Thursday, Sept. 27.

The subject is one in which NAMA members at the North Central and the National levels have expressed high interest. Our panelists include Cindy Bauer, Marketing Manager for Red Wing Software Co.; Jim Brophy and Bob Giblin, Morgan&Myers Digital Services and Knowledge Center Managers; and Jeff Miller, WATT Publishing Online Sales Manager.

Each panelist will give an 8-10 minute oral presentation, followed by audience Q&A. Panelists will share highlights of learnings and observations their company (and business category) is doing in this ever advancing digital world.

The meeting will take place at the Sheraton Hotel (I-494 and Hwy 100/Normandale Blvd–NW corner of the intersection. This is the former Radisson South), 7800 Normandale Blvd, Minneapolis, MN.

Please RSVP to Amy Berge at Adculture, [email protected] by SEPTEMBER 25, 2007.

Chesapeake, Eastern & Carolinas/Virginia NAMA – October 1
The Chesapeake, Eastern and Carolinas/Virginia NAMA chapters would like to extend an invitation to everyone for a legislative meeting at the Phoenix Park Hotel (near Capitol Hill and one block from Union Station), 520 N. Capitol St., NW (corner of North Capitol and F streets) in the Georgian Room, Washington, DC 20001, on Monday, October 1.

You’ll enjoy some networking time with members from Eastern, Chesapeake and Carolinas/Virginia chapters followed by a luncheon and a session on farmer perspectives and the impact of current ag legislation with Dan Looker, Business Editor & Washington Policy, Successful Farming magazine. Next, you’ll learn about the direction of USDA ag policy with Dale Moore, USDA Chief of Staff. Then hear about Congressional Farm Bill issues and decisions with U.S. Congressman Bob Etheridge, House Committee on Agriculture. Lastly, you’ll hear Senate Farm Bill debate highlights with Christy Seyfert, U.S. Senate Senior and Lead Minority Staff Member on commodity programs.

A fee of $70 per attendee for the event and luncheon will be collected via cash or check at the registration table the day of the event.

Please RSVP with your name, company/organization, address, phone and email to: [email protected] by September 24. Feel free to contact me if you have further questions.

If your chapter has an upcoming event planned that is not listed on the NAMA Calendar, please send the program information to Kathi Conrad at the NAMA Office at [email protected].

For a complete calendar listing of events visit, https://www.namablog.org/?page_id=16.