Recruit a business associate, peer, or friend as a new NAMA member before November 5 and both of you will be in a drawing for a new GPS!

Tell your friends, peers, and business associates how you benefit from being a member of NAMA – the learning and networking opportunities, skill development, access to agribusiness solutions, etc.

Every NAMA member who recruits a new member between now and November 5 will be included in a drawing for a new GPS. The more new members you recruit – the better your chances. New members will have their names entered, too.

Simply tell your recruit to join on-line at http://www.nama.org/join.html and include your name in the “Referred by” box or have them call the NAMA office at 913-491-6500 to join and remind them to say they were referred by you! Be sure to tell them they’ll be included in the drawing.

When will the drawing take place? During Trends in Agriculture, which takes place November 11 and 12 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City. We’d love to have you there, but you don’t have to be present to win.

The registration for the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, Hot Ideas. Sizzling Solutions. is now open. The conference will take place April 15-17 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Register now to get the payment in your 2008 budget year! Registration rates remain the same as in 2008! Early registration rates will end on March 25, 2009. After that, late rates apply.
For registration information visit http://www.nama.org/amc/registration.html.

To register online now for the conference, visit http://www.nama.org/amc/register.html.
In addition, hotel reservations can now be made online. We are pleased to have this year’s conference at the beautiful Atlanta Marriott Marquis, which has just completed a $185 million renovation.

Hotel rates are $115 single/double (that’s not a type-o folks, it’s really $115!). The hotel cut-off date is March 17, 2009. Reservations made after March 17 will be subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

Once again, we will be offering two room blocks, one for the professionals and one for the students.

To make your hotel reservations under the professional block, visit http://www.marriott.com/professionals.

To make hotel reservations under the student block, visit http://www.marriott.com/students.

We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!

The deadline for submitting nominations for the Agribusiness Leader and NAMA Marketer of the Year awards is January 15, 2009. Both awards will be presented at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 15-17 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Agribusiness Leader of the Year
The Agribusiness Leader of the Year is NAMA’s highest honor. The award honors an outstanding leader in agribusiness, education, government service or other agribusiness related areas. Nominees do not need to be NAMA members.

Fill out the nomination form on-line now at http://www.nama.org/awards/agribusinessform.htm. Or download the Agribusiness Leader Nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format by visiting, http://www.nama.org/awards/agbusapplication.pdf.

Note: The Agri-Marketer of the Year Award was changed to the Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award in 2001. Below is an honor roll of the past Agri-Marketer/Agribusiness Leader of the Year awards.

2008 Rick Tolman, National Corn Growers Association
2007 Dale Ludwig, MO Soybean Assn. & MO Soybean Merchandising Council
2006 George Thornton, Agriliance, LLC
2005 James Irwin, Case IH
2004 Bernie Staller, National FFA Organization
2003 Richard Clauss, Hilmar Cheese Company/Clauss Dairy Farms
2002 A. Charles Fischer, Dow AgroSciences
2001 Emmett Barker, Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers
2000 R.W. “Bud” Porter, Deere & Company
1999 Bruce Bickner, DeKalb-Monsanto Global Seed Group
1998 William Kirk, DuPont Agricultural Enterprises
1997 Arnold Donald, Monsanto
1996 H.D. “Harry” Cleberg, Farmland Industries, Inc.
1995 Edward McMillan, Purina Mills
1994 Dwayne Andreas, Archer Daniels Midland Company
1993 Robert Wichmann, Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
1992 Gary Parker, Lindsay Manufacturing Co.
1991 William Griffith, American Cyanamid
1990 Thomas Dille, Rhone-Poulenc Ag
1989 Nicholas Babson, Babson Brothers Co.
1988 Olin Andrews, Farmers Hybrid Companies
1987 David Garst, Garst Seed Co.
1986 Leo Bontempo, Novartis Seeds
1985 Dr. Kenneth Bader, American Soybean Assn.
1984 John Churchman, Ford Tractor Operations
1983 Owen Newlin, Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
1982 Nicholas Reding, Monsanto Ag Group
1981 Robert Lanphier, AGMED, Inc.
1980 Joe Ecker, Gehl Co.
1979 Robert Book, Elanco Animal Products/Eli Lily Co.
1978 Roland Hendrickson, Pfizer Ag Division
1977 Donald Fritz, Farmers Hybrid Co.
1976 Harold Noren, DeKalb Ag Research
1975 E.W. Cook, Cook Industries
1974 Walt Buescher, Allis Chalmers
1973 Bill Bricker, Diamond Shamrock Chemical
1972 Fred Stines, Successful Farming
1971 Del Walker, Funk Brother Seed Co.
1970 Dr. James Affleck, American Cyanamid
1969 Lyle Yost, Hesston Corp.
1968 Dr. Robert Spitzer, Murphy Products
1967 Emory Dearborn, Ford Tractor Operations
1966 Maurice Turner, Amchem Products
1965 George Varnes, Eli Lily Co.
1964 Morris Reid, J.I. Case
1963 W.J. Jensen, Butler Manufacturing
1962 Don Murphy, Wallace’s Farmer

NAMA Marketer of the Year
NAMA recognizes its active members with senior management of marketing and/or sales responsibilities with the NAMA Marketer of the Year award. This award is the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing directly to ag producers. Nominees MUST be NAMA members.

Fill out the nomination form on-line now at http://www.nama.org/awards/namamarketerform.htm or download the NAMA Marketer of the Year nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format by visiting, http://www.nama.org/awards/mktrapplication.pdf.

Please note: This award was created in 2001. Below are the past NAMA Marketer of the Year award recipients.

2008 Dave Rhylander, Delta & Pine Land – Division of Monsanto Co.
2007 Phil Johnson, Colle+McVoy
2006 Tom Davis, Meredith Corporation
2005 Rick Turner, Gustafson, LLC
2004 Raymond Hoyum, IMC Global
2003 James Seaver, AGCO Corporation
2002 Donald Hecht, Elanco Animal Health
2001 Wendell Knehans, Monsanto-Corn States

Over 40 MoKan members and guests attended the fall meeting, From Pistols to Press Releases: Communication Lessons from the Real World on Tuesday, October 14 at Starkers Reserve Restaurant on the Plaza.

MoKan hosted FBI Special Agent, Jeff Lanza who has been an FBI spokesperson during numerous cases, including; 9/11/01; the anthrax scare of 2001; and the Oklahoma City bombing.

In Kansas City, Lanza led the communications effort for the investigation of pharmacist, Robert Courtney, who was convicted of diluting the medications of thousands of patients.

In his presentation, Lanza chronicled failures of leadership, crisis communications, and digital theft. An FBI spokesperson trained in media relations, Lanza presented anecdotes from a career fighting crime that entertained attendees and sent a message on integrity that inspired all who attended.

The deadline for making your hotel reservations at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center for the 2008 Trends In Agriculture meeting is Monday, October 27, 2008. Reservations made after October 27 are subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

To make your hotel reservations, simply call the Hyatt Regency at 816-421-1234 and make sure you mention “NAMA” to receive the group rate.

Early Registration Deadline
The early registration deadline for Trends In Agriculture is also Monday, October 27. After October 27, registration rates will increase.

To register for the 2008 Trends In Agriculture visit, http://payment.nama.org/trends.htm.

Remember: If you have a hotel room reservation, you still need to register for the event. If you are registered for the event, you still need to make a hotel reservation.

Join us for lunch and the Professional Development Awards of Excellence Program on Wednesday, November 12, at Trends In Agriculture!

NAMA honors its members with hands-on responsibility in each of the Professional Development Areas (PDA). This year, awards will be given in the areas of Marketing Communications, Public Relations and Sales. The recipients will share their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in agri-marketing at the luncheon.

The 2008 Awards of Excellence recipients are as follows:

Marketing Communications
Paul Redhage, FMC Communications Manager, FMC Agricultural Products

In his current position with FMC, Paul has overseen marketing communications strategies for the introduction and/or major label expansion of 22 products and new brands in the past two years. The innovative, cost-effective strategies that Paul and his team implement have given FMC a reputation as a savvy, smart and fast-growing player in the very aggressive, competitive agricultural chemical marketplace. Although he works with budgets that are a fraction of the size of his competitors, the creativity and relevancy of the work he oversees for FMC keeps the company and its brands at the forefront of the agricultural chemical industry.

Paul has a long and distinguished record of service to NAMA. He was a member of the Carolinas/Virginia Chapter for many years as well as the Chesapeake NAMA chapter and served in various leader positions for both chapters. He has served on the NAMA Careers Committee and this past April, he received the Dilworth Award for Innovation at the 2008 Agri-Marketing Conference. Paul is currently a Gateway chapter member and is serving as a vice president on the NAMA Executive Committee.

Public Relations
Beth Andersen, Senior Vice President, Managing Partner, Charleston Orwig, Inc.

Beth has combined a keen ability to effectively lead high-level strategy and planning efforts with an exemplary work ethic to direct an issues management team that has turned Smithfield Foods from a seemingly uncaring conglomerate to a highly respected company in the food industry. As team leader for the Charleston Orwig issues management practice, Beth directed development and implementation of a drastic change in the communications program formerly employed by Smithfield Foods. The shift created a proactive platform for meeting potential and existing crises head-on, positioning the company as a leader in several critical areas – environmental stewardship, animal welfare, employee relations and community involvement.

Beth has been a NAMA member for nearly 10 years. Throughout her career, Beth has volunteered to participate on various NAMA committees and assisted in judging Best of NAMA competitions. Her insight on ag issues and trends has provided guidance on discussion topics and ideas to NAMA members for the planning of Badger NAMA meetings.

Sales
Vernon Benes, Director of Business Development, Beck Ag, Inc.

Vernon, a 25-year agriculture industry veteran, has a deep understanding of effective sales and marketing strategies in the crop protection channel. As Director of Business Development for Beck Ag, a position he has held for nearly 10 years, he has made grower profitability a top priority. It’s a philosophy that forms the foundation of the successful marketing and sales programs he’s developed that led to long-term adoption of various products and services at the producer level. Through Vernon’s leadership, Beck Ag was able to promote a key Monsanto product and give growers the opportunity to adopt cutting-edge production practices to improve their bottom line. In the process, he cultivated Monsanto loyalty and increased Monsanto revenues.

Vernon has been affiliated with NAMA since the late 90s and has served on the NAMA National Membership Committee. He has taken an active role at the chapter level with his Midlands Chapter membership and currently serves as first vice president of programs for Midlands.

Join us as we honor these outstanding individuals on November 12. The Luncheon is sponsored by Truffle Media Networks and the Professional Development Awards of Excellence are sponsored by Farm Progress Companies.

To register for Trends In Agriculture visit, http://payment.nama.org/trends.htm.

Take a look at the schedule of events for the upcoming Trends In Agriculture fall meeting:

Tuesday, November 11
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. – Trends Welcome/Kick-Off Session

Testing Your Current Strategy
Franck Schuurmans, Decision Strategies International

Most organizations already have strategies and tactics in place. But is your current strategy ‘future-proof’? In this type of engagement, Schuurmans focuses on different external future scenarios that might unfold and then tests how your current strategy would fare under these different scenarios. He then helps you identify which areas of your strategy might require adjustment and monitoring as the future unfolds. Most companies pursue fragile strategies that will not easily survive a shift in how the wind is blowing. Many organizations have optimized their strategy for the present, not the future! Inadvertently, they have sacrificed long-term prosperity for short-term gain. He will assess how vulnerable your strategy is to external change, competitive forces and shifts in consumer demand.

3:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Break

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – General Session

Rural Lifestylers: Where Are They Now? Where Are They Headed?
Dan Duffy, United Country Real Estate

Dan Duffy will discuss current trends in rural lifestyle marketing. Using case studies, he’ll give concrete examples of what’s working when it comes to resonating with this growing market. Find out why people are living in or moving to the country, who are they, what drives them, what motivates them.

5:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Welcome Reception/Best of NAMA Entry Viewing/ABEF Sports Night

Wednesday, November 12

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. – Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Morning Session

Connecting With The Rural Lifestyler
Susan Spaulding, Market Directions
Courtney Yuskis, Country Living Association

Gain a deeper understanding of customer touch points including the impact of new media. Information will be based on an attitudinal survey and Rural Lifestylers’ collection and perception of communications about products, services, and interests related to the Rural Lifestyle.

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. – Break

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – General Session

Utilizing Your Brand to Build Loyal Customers
Craig Elbert, Hallmark Cards

When your markets change from traditional ag customers to a new type of customer, it impacts your marketing decisions. Craig Elbert, Marketing Strategy Manager, Hallmark Cards, will present an approach to building long-term loyalty through three key elements: knowing your history, building from your product’s usage cycle and holistically defining your go-to-market plan.

Learn about the key tools you need, including a consumer care cycle (a model which shows a consumer’s mindset and how it relates to your product/brand) and a brand value star which includes key points such as equity, experience, energy, money, product and communications.

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Professional Development Awards of Excellence Luncheon

Luncheon sponsored by Truffle Media Networks, Professional Development Awards of Excellence sponsored by Farm Progress Companies.

1:30 – 3:00 p.m. – Joint Meeting with NAFB Attendees

Making the Sale: Marketers and Retailers Share Their Experiences in the Changing New Rural Community
Moderator: Bruce Thomas, Rural Lifestyle Communications Consultant
Panelists:
Jon Chase, John Deere
Preston Shaw, Cabela’s
Tim Nix, Morton Buildings
Brad Mallow, Carthage Farm Supply
Maggie Mell, Thehaughtyhorse.com

The rural lifestyle market has been pegged at a composite value of $32 billion—yet this growing segment overlaps established markets in more than just geography. Established marketers and retailers are positioning to attract and influence the new buyers while still serving their traditional producer customers, with growing inroads by entrepreneurial merchants. This panel will offer a fast-paced “roundtable” discussion of what it is taking to cater to rural lifestyle needs and expectations.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Meet & Greet with the Speakers Reception

Sponsored by Quarry Integrated Communications & MoKan NAMA

To register for Trends In Agriculture visit http://payment.nama.org/trends.htm.