New mp3 audio presentations from the 2007 Agri-Marketing Conference in Dallas are now available.

If you were a registered attendee of the conference, you were sent the password to access the files. If you were not a conference attendee, you can order presentations at http://payment.nama.org/07conferencepresent.htm.

If you were a conference attendee and misplaced your password, please e-mail Kathi Conrad at kathic@nama.org.

News of the shooting at Virginia Tech has shocked the nation. We were deeply saddened by the loss of so many students and teachers. We have been trying to keep track of those students who were members of the Virginia Tech Student NAMA marketing team. From what we have heard, all of the student NAMA members at Virginia Tech are safe and uninjured. We are awaiting confirmation of this information from the adviser. Please continue to keep the victims, the families of the victims, as well as all students and teachers at Virginia Tech in your thoughts and prayers.

Students from Kansas State University took first place for the second year in a row at this year’s Student Marketing Competition. The competition was held April 11-12 in Dallas, TX.

The Kansas State University team had 9 students involved with this year’s project to market “Cattlist.” 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, Kansas State University; Second place, University of Wisconsin – Platteville; Third place, University of Florida. Other finalists included: The Ohio State University, University of Guelph, and Sam Houston State University.

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, 31 student NAMA chapters participated in the marketing competition. The competition is part of the annual Agri-Marketing Conference. Over 350 student members attended the conference.

For a complete list of all Student Awards and Scholarship Winners visit, http://www.nama.org/student/student-index.html.

Student NAMA chapters have had a busy year preparing for the upcoming marketing competition in Dallas. The competition takes place April 11-12 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. If you are attending the Agri-Marketing Conference, stop by and see the presentations that the students worked so hard to put together. You may see some of your future employees among those students!

Teams that will be competing this year are as follows:

American Institute of Business
Arizona State University
Colorado State University
Delaware Valley College
Illinois State University
Iowa State University
Kansas State University
Michigan State University
Mississippi State University
New Mexico State University
N. Carolina State University
N. Dakota State University
The Ohio State University
Pennsylvania State University
Purdue University
Sam Houston State University
Texas A&M University
University of Alberta
University of Delaware
University of Florida
University of Guelph
University of Hawaii
University of Minnesota
University of Nebraska
University of Saskatchewan
University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee – Martin
University of WI-Madison
University of WI-Platteville
University of WI-River Falls
Virginia Tech

The Northern Prairie Chapter held a benefit fundraiser for the North Dakota State University Student NAMA Chapter on Thursday, February 22, during the International Crop Expo in Grand Forks, ND. The featured speaker, Mark Dillon of the Golden Growers Cooperative, presented “An Overall Perspective on Ethanol Today and Tomorrow.” Mark shared with the group where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we are going within the ethanol industry.

Mark has served the past seven years on the board of the American Coalition for Ethanol, and for three years on the Northern Crops Institute Industry Advisory Board. He and others formed ProGold, a high fructose corn syrup processing plant in 1996, and also created Golden Growers Cooperative, a group of 2,100 corn growers who own a percentage of ProGold.

Some highlights from Dillon’s presentation were: Where We’ve Been – Henry Ford built the Model T to run on ethanol; this concept disappeared for about 8 decades and then came Gasohol in the 90’s; Where We Are Now – Today, there will be approximately 6.2 billion gallons of ethanol produced in 2007, which is an increase of 2,500% in 27 years. There are roughly 117 ethanol plants in operation and approximately 70 under construction; Where We Are Going – With the two legal blends of ethanol today, E10 and E85, blender pumps may possibly be the next hot topic. Consumers would have the option to select the % of ethanol versus gasoline they want to put into their vehicles at the pump. The biggest challenge – the automotive industry working with the ethanol companies.

Nineteen local Northern Prairie NAMA members attended the meeting, raising $450 for the North Dakota State University’s Student NAMA chapter’s upcoming April trip to the National NAMA conference and competition in Dallas, TX.

The primary mission of the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF) is to provide today’s agri-business students the tools they will need to succeed tomorrow. These tools include industry knowledge, leadership skills, networking abilities, public speaking experience and critical analysis skills.The ABEF has endorsed a wide array of programs and activities geared at fostering the careers of agri-marketing students. Each program helps meet the very particular needs of today’s college students. Through NAMA, ABEF awards over $10,000 in scholarships each year.

One of the many activities provided by the ABEF to raise money for the Student NAMA Careers Program is the ABEF Silent Auction. During trade show hours, attendees can bid on items available. Items donated range from prints suitable for framing to corporate logo items. All proceeds from the auction benefit NAMA’s Student Careers Program.

Please join your agri-marketing peers in supporting this worthwhile effort by donating to the auction. Fill out the on-line Pledge Form at http://www.nama.org/abef/silentauction/pledgeform.htm to indicate your donation and/or interest in the project by March 16, 2007, to be included in the auction catalog. Any worthwhile product or service will be gratefully accepted.

Please show your support of the ABEF and donate what you can (minimum of $50 value suggested). All proceeds from the Silent Auction support the NAMA Student Careers Program.

Please note that all media and service packages will be auctioned on-line. The on-line auction will take place at the end of March.

For more information on the ABEF and the Silent and On-Line Auctions visit, http://www.nama.org/abef/abef-index.html.

To make a pledge to the Auction visit, http://www.nama.org/abef/silentauction/pledgeform.htm.

For more information about the 2007 Agri-Marketing Conference visit, http://www.nama.org/amc.

Iowa State University is looking ahead to more excitement in 2007! At meetings held throughout the semester, members heard from professionals in the ag industry who shared tips on writing resumes, interviewing, and finding a job or internship.

The marketing team worked hard to select a product, conduct research and put together a rough draft before Christmas break. Odor Cell 2000, a product from Heartland Air Technologies is an odor-reducing cell most commonly used on hog confinements and was the product selected by this year’s marketing team.

To raise funds for the competition, members picked up cans during tailgating activities and picked grapes for an area winery making frozen wine.