The early registration deadline and hotel cut-off date for the 2006 Agribusiness Forum is October 26. Registration rates will increase after October 26 and any hotel reservations made after that date are subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

To register for the Agribusiness Forum before the early deadline visit, https://nama.org/forum/register.htm.

To make your hotel reservations before the cut-off date, contact the Hyatt Regency Crown Center at 816-421-1234. Make sure you mention the “NAMA Agribusiness Forum” when making your reservations.

For more information on the sessions at the upcoming Forum visit, http://www.nama.org/forum.

Special Note: The closing session of the NAMA Agribusiness Forum has been programmed in partnership with the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). This session also serves as the business program of the NAFB Convention for their broadcast, management and allied industry councils. We’re pleased to join the NAFB members in this combined session.

Take a look at the 2006 Agribusiness Forum sponsors or sign-up to be a sponsor! Just visit, http://nama.org/forum/sponsorship/sponsorship.htm.

It’s time to update your membership directory information. If you’ve moved or changed phone numbers, etc., make sure we have your correct information so that you will be listed in our membership directory appropriately.

Just visit the membership directory on the NAMA Web site and check your record, if changes need to be made, simply click the “submit change” button and make any changes you need. The deadline for updating your record is October 6.

To look up your record visit, http://www.nama.org/directory/index.html.

Did you move to a new company and know of co-workers who would benefit from NAMA? Just send their contact information to Linda Schaefer at the NAMA office at lindas@nama.org and she’ll send them information on NAMA and how to join!

There’s only 2 weeks left to enter your work in the Best of NAMA competition. Entries must be RECEIVED by Friday, October 13 and there will be no extensions on entry or payment submissions.

Entries are sent directly to the NAMA office and judged by industry professionals at a regional level for possible advancement to national competition. A minimum point standard will be used at the regional level. If you place first or merit at the regional competition and score above the minimum point standard, you are eligible to advance to the national competition. The national awards ceremony will take place April 11, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.

To view the Best of NAMA Call for Entries or download the entry form visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/index.htm.

Judges are still needed for the Regional Best of NAMA Judging, November 13-14. If you have 3 or more years of experience in the agribusiness industry and are a NAMA member, you’re eligible to be a judge.

The judging will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City. This will be convenient for those of you attending the 2006 Agribusiness Forum at the Hyatt and/or the NAFB Convention at the Westin.

Judging Schedule
Monday, November 13 from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 14 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Travel arrangements are to be paid for by the judge, but NAMA will cover one night’s hotel stay. The deadline for signing up to judge is Friday, September 29. If you are selected as a Best of NAMA judge, you will be notified by October 6.

To sign up to be a regional Best of NAMA judge visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/judging.htm.

The first Iowa NAMA chapter luncheon meeting was held on September 8th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston, IA. Thirty-one members attended to hear guest speaker, Lucy Norton of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. Norton provided great information on the future of ethanol and biodiesel.

The first Membership Mania drawing was held during the meeting. Congratulations to Whitney Rounds with Kemin Industries for winning $100 at the September meeting. All NAMA members who RSVP for the October meeting will be entered into a drawing for $100. You must be present to win.

Also during the September meeting, Brittney Roorda, president of Iowa NAMA, presented a check for $1,300 to Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. The money was raised during the annual Field to Food Run.

The Field to Food Run is a unique race in central Iowa that is designed to increase awareness about the interdependence of food production from our Iowa farm fields to the quality of food products consumers enjoy from our grocery stores.

Allan Johnson, USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Rural Development, addressed an early morning meeting at historic Bonanzaville USA. The meeting was scheduled to coincide with the second day of the Big Iron Farm Show. The Northern Prairie Chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) hosted the event. More than 35 members and guests arrived by 7:30 for the presentation.

Johnsons’ opening remarks were an overview of the Rural Development Division of the USDA, allowing those in attendance greater insight into Rural Development’s role in today’s rural America. Rural Development acts in part as a bank, it’s the primary lender for rural electric cooperatives and rural mortgages. Most rental properties(assisted living and senior citizens facilities) in rural areas fall under the responsibility of Rural Development.

The area of work undertaken by Rural Development that is grabbing the most headlines today are its efforts to develop renewable energy resources. A biodiesel plant in North Dakota recently received $500,000 in funding from the department. Johnson said that although renewable fuels won’t replace oil and coal in North Dakota, replacing 1 billion barrels of imported oil with renewable fuels, at $60 or $70 per barrel, would alone exceed today’s total farm revenue.

Johnson said that Rural Development supports the advanced energy initiative. A goal has been set to replace 30% of current oil use with renewable sources by the year 2030.

In the near future, energy and water will be the two highest areas of demand globally. In an effort to stay ahead of this trend, Rural Development is investigating other sources for “celluosic” energy. Celluosic energy research is intended to find more crops or inputs for the production of ethanol and other renewable fuels.

The expansion of broadband internet access, expanding both wind and celluosic energy and undertaking projects that will stabilize rural population numbers are also areas of interest and involvement for Rural Development.

Johnson asserted that this is an interesting time for agriculture. “Moms and Dads are telling their kids to stay home, or come back home, because of entrepreneurship, renewable energy and things happening with broadband”, he said. “Young people can come home, they can compete and have comparable jobs to what their urban cousins have and still live and enjoy the wonderful benefits and quality of life from living in small town America.”

All in attendance were urged to consider attendance at the Renewable Energy Conference that Rural Development is sponsoring in St. Louis, MO on October 12 & 13, 2006. More information on that conference may be found at http://www.advancingrenewableenergy.com/.

Johnson is a North Dakota native and prior to joining the USDA in 2003 was President of Farm Progress Companies. Farm Progress publishes magazines and websites for farmers and the agriculture industry.

By now you should have received your brochure for the 2006 Agribusiness Forum, November 14-15 in Kansas City. Join us as we hear from noted economists, innovative producers, consumer food marketers, commodity leaders as well as bio-fuels experts, as they set the stage for how your business will add value to this evolving system now and in the future.

Special Note: The closing session of the NAMA Agribusiness Forum has been programmed in partnership with the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). This session also serves as the business program of the NAFB Convention for their broadcast, management and allied industry councils. We’re pleased to join the NAFB members in this combined session.

We’d like to take a moment to thank the following sponsors of the Agribusiness Forum:

AgriMarketing Magazine
Associations, Inc.
Beck Ag Com, Inc.
Cargill
Cattlemen’s Beef Board
CHS, Inc.
Colle+McVoy
DATACORE Marketing, Inc.
Diamond V
DTN
Farm Industry News – The Corn & Soybean Digest
Fastline Publications
High Plains Journal
Hoard’s Dairyman
John Deere
KFRM Radio – The Voice of the Plains
McCormick Company
National Cotton Council
Osborn & Barr Communications
Padilla Speer Beardsley
Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
Prism Business Media
Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications
Successful Farming

For more information about the Agribusiness Forum visit, http://www.nama.org/forum.