The deadline for submitting items to the ABEF Silent Auction is March 16 if you want to be included in the auction catalog. 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. 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.

On February 22, twenty judges ventured to Kansas City on a balmy 60 degree day to judge the National Best of NAMA entries. The national entries consist of the first and merit winners from each region. Regional judging was held in Kansas City in November.

National judges awarded a first and a merit award in 60 categories and also awarded three Best of Show awards for advertising; public relations and specialty categories. The results of the national judging will be announced at the Best of NAMA Awards Ceremony, April 11, in Dallas.

Special thanks to all the national judges:

Carol Anderson, Anderson/Fallon
Sally Behringer, Nicholson Kovac
Linda Bumgarner, VML
Leigh Ann Cleaver, Blasdel Cleaver Schwalbe Communications
Mike Dowling, Paulsen Marketing
John Dutcher, Dutcher & Associates LLC
Mike Gustafson, John Deere
Lou Ireland, Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Burke Johnson, Martin Williams
Phil Johnson, Colle+McVoy
Lani Jordan, CHS
Les Kahl, AdFarm
Boo Larsen, Osborn & Barr Communications
Greg Leaf, Group Leaf
Wes Meador, archer>malmo
Jim Myers, Rhea & Kaiser
Colleen Parr, Fleishman Hillard
Brittany Steuer, Charleston|Orwig
Eric Walker, McCormick Company
Catherine Wang, Gibbs & Soell
Winners in the 60 categories will be featured in the April issue of AgriMarketing Magazine. Best of Show winners won’t be featured until the June issue of Agri Marketing magazine. So you’ll have to attend the April 11 ceremony to find out if you’re the “Big” winner.

To register for the 2007 Agri-Marketing Conference visit http://www.nama.org/amc/register.html.

Nearly 120 people gathered at the VooDoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino on January 23 for the Region II Best of NAMA Ceremony in Kansas City.

Hosted by the MoKan chapter of NAMA, the event honored the best work of the Rocky Mountain, Midlands, Gateway, Great Plains, Southwest and MoKan Chapters. The region had 337 entries and the regional judging was held in Kansas City in November.

First and merit awards were given in 61 categories and 3 best of shows were awarded. Best of Show Awards are as follows:

Advertising
Category: Spreads, Series
Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc.
McCormick Company
World Demands

Public Relations
Category: Public Affairs, Issues Management
Diamond Pet Foods
Anderson, Kisner, Fallon PR & Woodruff Sweitzer
Diamond Pet Foods Aflatoxin Contamination Product Recall

Specialty Category
Category: Companion Animal Campaign Element
Diamond Pet Foods
Woodruff Sweitzer
Diamond NutraGold Spread Ad Series

All first and merit winners are eligible to advance to the national competition. Winners will be notified by February 1 on how to advance their entries.

Special thanks to Kyle Bauer (KFRM Radio), AdFarm and Texas Farm Bureau for making this event a success!

For a list of all Regional Best of NAMA Winners visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/regional.htm.

Over 80 attendees turned out to celebrate the Best of Region IV at the Sofitel O’Hare in Chicago on January 18.

Hosted by the Chicago NAMA Chapter, the event honored the best work of the Chicago, Mid-America, Heartland and Badger Chapters. The region had 168 entries and the regional judging was held in Kansas City in November.

Colleen Callahan with Colleen Callahan Communications volunteered her time as emcee and kept the event rolling along.

First and merit awards were given in 61 categories and 3 best of show awards were also given. The Best of Show Awards are as follows:

Advertising
Category: Single Page Ads, Series
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
Stephan & Brady
Chef Ambassador Print Ads

Public Relations
Category: Events – Internal Events
Pfizer Animal Health
Rhea & Kaiser
The Power Of One: EXCEDE Launch Meeting

Specialty Categories
Category: Companion Animal Advertising Campaign
Pfizer Animal Health
Rhea & Kaiser
REVOLUTION Kitty Commitment

All first and merit winners are eligible to advance to the national competition. Winners will be notified by February 1 on how to advance their entries.

Thanks to all of the Region 4 sponsors:

Diamond
ADM
Morgan&Myers

Platinum
Farm Progress

Gold
Bader Rutter & Associates
Charleston|Orwig
High Plains Journal
Hoard’s Dairyman
McDaniels Marketing Communications
Rhea & Kaiser

For a list of all Regional Best of NAMA Winners visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/regional.htm.

Region VI will be hosting a Best of NAMA awards luncheon on Friday, January 26 in Trenton, New Jersey. Winners of the regional Best of NAMA awards in the advertising and public relations categories will be announced. Enjoy an afternoon with other agri-marketing professionals and make new contacts. All NAMA members, colleagues and friends are welcome to attend.

The luncheon will begin at 12:30 p.m. at John Henry Seafood on the corner of Washington and Mifflin Streets in Trenton. Cost for the event is $45 per person. Please RSVP by January 22 to Catherine Wang, cwang@gibbs-soell.com, 212-697-2600 ext. 202 or Matt Coniglio, mconiglio@fastline.com. Please RSVP only if you are sure of your attendance.

For more information visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/region6.htm.
Don’t miss out on other Best of NAMA events!

January 16 – Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA Ceremony
The Carolinas/Virginia NAMA chapter ceremony will take place at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in the new Martin Building. For more information and how to register for the event visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/carvir.html.

January 18 – Midsouth Best of NAMA Ceremony
The Midsouth NAMA chapter ceremony will take place at the Tower Room American Grille in Memphis, TN. Cocktails will kickoff the event at 7:00 p.m.
For more information and how to register visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/midsouth.html.

January 18 – Region IV Best of NAMA Ceremony
This ceremony will take place at the Sofitel Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Cost for the event is $75 per person. For more information and how to register for the event visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/region4.htm.

January 23 – Region II Best of NAMA Ceremony
This event will take place at the VooDoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino & Hotel in North Kansas City, MO. The event will begin with cocktails at 6:00 p.m. Cost is $65 for the event. For more information and how to register visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/region2.htm.

Over 80 attendees braved temperatures in the negative numbers to celebrate the Best of Region 3 at the Marriott Courtyard in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Hosted by the Northern Prairie chapter of NAMA, the event honored the best work of the North Central, Iowa, Cornbelt and Northern Prairie Chapters. The region had 319 entries and the judging was held in Kansas City in November.

Emcees, Roger Reierson, AdFarm and Cliff Meyer, Farm & Ranch Guide/MN Farm Guide, kept the group entertained and the show moving along.

First and merit awards were given in 61 categories and 3 best of shows were awarded. Best of Show Awards are as follows:

Advertising
Category: Brochures, Catalogs-directed to dealers, distributors or sales reps
National Pork Board
The Richards Group
The Other White Album
Public Relations
Category: Customer Events
Minneapolis Grain Exchange
Idea Outpost
Minneapolis Grain Exchange 125th Anniversary Celebration

Specialty Categories
Wyeth Animal Health
Adculture Group Inc.
LeptoVax and Duramune

All first and merit winners are eligible to advance to the national competition. Winners will be notified by February 1 on how to advance their entries.

Thanks to all of the Region 3 sponsors:

Gold Sponsors
Farm & Ranch Guide/Iowa Farmer Today/Minnesota Farm Guide/Tri-State Neighbor
Padilla Speer Beardsley
Strategic America

Silver Sponsors
Adculture Group, Inc.
AdFarm
Broadhead + Co.
CHS Inc.
Farm Progress Companies
J.L. Farmakis
Learfield Communications
Nationwide Agribusiness
Osborn & Barr Communications
Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Successful Farming/Agriculture Online/Living the Country Life
Syngenta
Two Rivers Marketing

Bronze Sponsors
Associations Inc./CNA
Colle+McVoy
John Deere Credit
Morgan&Myers
Paulsen Marketing Communications

The regional and chapter Best of NAMA ceremonies are just around the corner. These ceremonies are celebrations of those entries that won first or merit in the regional competition that took place in November.

Information for the regional/chapter ceremonies is below:

January 11 – Region III Best of NAMA Ceremony
This ceremony will take place in the Grand Ballroom at the Courtyard by Marriott in Moorhead, MN. The event begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $65. For more information on the event and how to register visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/region3.htm.

January 16 – Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA Ceremony
The Carolinas/Virginia NAMA chapter ceremony will take place at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in the new Martin Building. For more information annd how to register for the event visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/carvir.html.

January 18 – Midsouth Best of NAMA Ceremony
The Midsouth NAMA chapter ceremony will take place at the Tower Room American Grille in Memphis, TN. Cocktails will kickoff the event at 7:00 p.m.
For more information and how to register visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/midsouth.html.

January 18 – Region IV Best of NAMA Ceremony
This ceremony will take place at the Sofitel Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Cost for the event is $75 per person. For more information and how to register for the event visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/region4.htm.

January 23 – Region II Best of NAMA Ceremony
This event will take place at the VooDoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino & Hotel in North Kansas City, MO. The event will begin with cocktails at 6:00 p.m. Cost is $65 for the event. For more information and how to register visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/region2.htm.

Entries that win first or merit at the regional competition and score above the minimum point standard are eligible to advance to the national competition in February. Winners of the national competition will be announced at the national Best of NAMA ceremony which kicks off the 2007 Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show, Think Big, April 11, in Dallas, Texas.