With help from the agri-marketing community, Rhea + Kaiser Marketing Communications raised $1,800 for the Agri-Business Educational Foundation during the 2009 National Agri-Marketing Association conference.

Working in partnership with NAMA leadership, R+K unveiled a new sponsored promotion at this year’s NAMA convention, which took place April 15-17 in Atlanta. The promotion, called “R+K Q+A,” consisted of a series of questions that conference attendees were encouraged to answer via text message. With each text message received, R+K donated 50 cents to ABEF, which provides training, internships and scholarships to agri-business students. R+K donated all proceeds of its text message promotion to ABEF.

“We are very grateful for Rhea + Kaiser’s support of ABEF,” said Mick Sibbel, chair of the ABEF board of trustees. “Over the past 18 years, ABEF has been successful due to the strong support within the agri-business community from organizations like R+K. Providing encouragement to college students to pursue agri-marketing careers is one of our main functions, and R+K has added to that legacy with their clever use of new media and by helping us improve the visibility of the foundation’s mission.”

“Rhea + Kaiser sponsors this important industry conference every year. This year, we wanted to do something special to underscore our commitment to the agriculture industry and to the students who are its future,” said Steve Rhea, president and CEO of Rhea + Kaiser. “ABEF is a great organization that deserves our support.”

Commodity Update^SM, a technology service that delivers commodity market data to mobile phones or handheld devices, provided in kind technology support for the promotion.

For the second year in a row, students from the University of Florida took first place at the Student Marketing Competition sponsored by Monsanto. The competition was held April 14-16 in Atlanta, GA.

The University of Florida marketing team had 20 students involved with this year’s project to market “SunFruit,” a grapefruit hybrid that does not interact with medications. The team spent the last several months doing market research, writing the marketing plan, and developing a presentation.

The top six marketing teams this year were: First place, University of Florida; Second place, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Third place, Purdue University. Other finalists included: The Ohio State University; North Dakota State University; and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Students decide on a project and develop a plan to successfully bring the product or service to the marketplace. In developing their marketing plan, students follow the same practices and principles used by today’s marketing professionals. Teams submit a written plan summary prior to the competition and then make a formal presentation of their marketing plan to a panel of judges at the competition. The judges’ panel consists of marketing and agribusiness professionals.

Overall, 30 student NAMA chapters participated in the marketing competition. The competition is part of the annual Agri-Marketing Conference. Over 315 student members attended the conference.

See below for a complete list of all Student Awards and Scholarship Winners.

Scholarship Winners
$4,000 Successful Farming/Fergie Ferguson Scholarship
Jenna Nicole Green, University of Florida

$1,000 Colle+McVoy/New Holland Scholarship
Bret Herndon, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

$1,000 MoKan NAMA Scholarship
Lacey Altwegg, Kansas State University

$1,000 ABEF Scholarships
Laura Witte, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ellen Leibbrandt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Sarah Butterfield, The Ohio State University

$500 ABEF Scholarships
Laura Larson, Iowa State University
Jodi Marshall, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Darrin Rahn, Iowa State University
Brenna House, Delaware Valley College

John Deere Signature Award
5th Place – University of Wisconsin-Platteville – $500
4th Place – University of Nebraska-Lincoln – $500
3rd Place – University of Wisconsin-Madison – $1,000
2nd Place – Iowa State University – $2,000
1st Place – University of Florida – $3,000

Outstanding Student Chapter
First Place – Iowa State University
Second Place – New Mexico State University
Third Place – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Fourth Place – Illinois State University

Outstanding Advisor
David Englund – AIB College of Business

Chapter Improvement Awards
Chapter Management – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Chapter Programs – Iowa State University
Membership Recruitment – Iowa State University
Fundraising/Financial Management – New Mexico State University
Chapter Communications – Iowa State University
Career Development – Iowa State University

Outstanding Professional
Andrea Brossard Martin, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
Andrea was nominated by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Outstanding Professional Chapter
Heartland NAMA Chapter
Heartland was nominated by Illinois State University

Kayla Ammann of Highland, Illinois, has been selected by the IAA Foundation Trustees as the recipient of the 2009 Heartland NAMA Steven Hammerschmidt Scholarship in the amount of $1,500.

Kayla grew up on a small grain and hog farm in Highland, Illinois with her parents and younger sister. She is currently attending the University of Illinois with a major in Ag Economics/Agribusiness where she is actively involved in Sigma Alpha Professional Sorority, Alpha Zeta Honors Fraternity, Collegiate 4-H and also working as an intern for the State 4-H Office. After graduation, Kayla would like to work for a farm management company, and eventually move back to the Highland area and become a local 4-H leader.

On June 18, 2009, the IAA Foundation will host a recognition luncheon for the 2009 scholarship recipients. Scholarship recipients, in addition to meeting with the IAA Board of Directors and donors, will attend an information session learning more about careers in agriculture and agri-business. The luncheon will be held at the Illinois Farm Bureau building in Bloomington. Steven Hammerschmidt was a long time agri-marketing professional with GROWMARK, Inc., and a Heartland Chapter leader.

The NAMA Heartland Chapter, nominated by the Illinois State University (ISU) Student Chapter, was named the 2009 Outstanding Professional Chapter at NAMA’s annual Agri-Marketing Conference, held April 15-17, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. Only one such award is given each year.

The ISU Student Chapter cited several factors that led them to nominate Heartland NAMA for this award:

• The Heartland NAMA Chapter provided financial support and speakers for monthly Student Chapter meetings.
• The Heartland NAMA Chapter provided students with valuable input and feedback in preparing for the National Marketing Competition.
• The Heartland NAMA Chapter invited the ISU Student Chapter to participate in a variety of programs.

According to the ISU Student Chapter and their faculty sponsor, Dr. Rick Whitacre, “Heartland NAMA has gone above and beyond to help the Illinois State University Student Chapter of NAMA to develop from infancy with just a small number of students three years ago to an active and recognized student organization today.”

Congratulations Heartland NAMA Chapter members’.

Approximately 35-40 attendees participated in the Northern Prairie Chapter meeting, held April 30 at the Best Western Fargo Doublewood in Fargo, North Dakota. The meeting kicked off with an introduction of the North Dakota State University student team, who won 5th place out of 30 teams that participated in the 2008-09 NAMA Marketing Competition earlier that month in Atlanta. The students repeated their presentation at this meeting.

Following the presentation, the Northern Prairie Chapter awarded the chapter’s Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award to Collin Peterson, who was unable to attend. Congressman Peterson, who was born in Fargo and raised in Minnesota, serves in the US House of Representatives and is currently chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

The Chapter’s Legacy Award, which acknowledges those who have led the chapter and contributed to the organization on many levels, was presented to Cliff Meyer. Cliff was one of the founding fathers of the Northern Prairie Chapter and remains active in the chapter. He has served on many of the organization’s committees and in numerous offices.

Gator NAMA showed that it’s not just the football and basketball teams that can win multiple national championships. The University of Florida student NAMA chapter won the marketing competition for the second year in a row!

Congratulations to all the finalists for making it to that elite round.

Watch Gator NAMA excitement:

NAMA Photo Album

Hello from the Imperial Room at the Marquis Marriott in Atlanta. We’re live in the student finals room and ready to see the competition. I hope you enjoy it.

Post Update: We had approximately 170 people watch the live stream from the competition today. I think we’ll do it again next year! We’ll plan ahead this time and have a better video feed. Thanks for joining in.

NAMA Photo Album