Register now for the NAMA Boot Camp, August 19-21 in Kansas City. Whether you’ve just entered the rough working world or one who’s been through the NAMA Boot Camp drill before, sign up for this program today to learn more about the agri-marketing industry.

Check out the schedule below:

Tuesday, August 19

7:00 a.m. – Registration

7:30 a.m. – MoKan Ag Tour (optional)
The 2014 MoKan NAMA Ag Tour is an opportunity for participants, new or seasoned in the industry, to experience the different nuances of agriculture in the Kansas City area.  Our first stop will be to a 15,000 acre corn/soy operation to learn about new technologies going into today’s agronomy, equipment and farm management.  Next, we will visit Shatto Milk Company and dairy for a full tour and lunch.  We’ll finish at Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery for a look (and taste) of their local grapes and how they market their business.

5:00 p.m. – Boot Camp Registration

5:00-6:00 p.m. – Welcome Reception

6:00-7:30 p.m. – Opening General Session & Dinner
Gardner Hatch, Bader Rutter
Kick off the Boot Camp with a networking activity designed to help you get to know fellow attendees.

Wednesday, August 20

8:00 a.m. – Continental Breakfast

8:30-10:00 a.m. – General Session
Managing Up Managing Sideways
Gail Calhoun, Calhoun Consulting
The ability to identify and adapt to different communications styles within your organization is a critical component to success. Whether you’re new to your career or just looking for some helpful hints, this session will highlight tips for communicating with team members and managing expectations to make sure you’re delivering the best work possible. Gail Calhoun is president of Calhoun Consulting, Inc., a Minneapolis-based sales communication and executive coaching firm.

10:00-10:30 a.m. – Break

10:30 a.m.-Noon – General Session
Producer Panel
Moderator: Greg Horstmeier, Editor in Chief of DTN/The Progressive Farmer
Learn how to communicate effectively with producers. The producer panel has become a Boot Camp favorite and attendees won’t want to miss the valuable insights from producers.

12:00 Noon-1:30 p.m. – Luncheon
Farmers and Media: How Media Usage is Changing and What This Means
Jack Semler, Readex Research

The world of communications is changing every day. Digital communications channels in particular provide information to all of us at light speed. How are these evolving channels affecting farmers and ranchers, and what is the impact on mainstay traditional channels? Every other year, the Agri Media Council of American Business Media updates its tracking study, which measures media usage habits amongst farmers and ranchers. The 2014 survey is complete, and Jack Semler of Readex Research will present the findings. Come and learn how the world is changing in ag, and what this means for agribusiness in the future.

1:30-2:45 p.m. – Breakout sessions (choose one)

Ag 101
Dr. Dan Thomson, Kansas State University Vet School & a Producer
This highly interactive session will address basics of the row crop and livestock industry along with issues and challenges.

Lessons Learned from a Career in Crisis Management
Daren Williams, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Every organization will eventually face the moment when something goes wrong, affecting your people, products or reputation. This session will offer practical tips for managing a crisis based on the real-life experiences of an ag communicator who has helped manage producer recalls, oil spills, pink slime and the media onslaught that accompanies a crisis.

2:45-3:00 p.m. – Break

3:00-4:00 p.m. – Breakout Sessions (choose one)

Ag 201
Dr. Dan Thomson, Kansas State University Vet School & Producer from the panel
Delve even deeper into agriculture with this 201 Session.

Three High-Tech Creative Techniques to Blow Away Your Ag Competitors
John Harrington, Blackbox Advertising
Join us for an exciting overview of innovative, new creative tools that can give your agri-marketing an edge over the competition. Get a high level look at how Google Glass, drones and augmented reality can take your marketing to a whole new level.

4:30-6:30 p.m. – Reception off-site
A shuttle will take attendees to a special reception at Snow and Company. Snow and Company is an artful frozen cocktail bar located in the heart of the Crossroads Art District of Kansas City, MO. Check it out at www.snowandcompany.com.

Thursday, August 21

8:30 a.m. – Breakfast

9:00-9:30 a.m.
Leverage the Powerful Reach of Radio
Mindy Oberly, Marketing & Communications Manager for NAFB
New research proves farmers are still listening to and using radio as a source for daily farm information. With your next media plan, learn how radio can make a big impact in generating product awareness, and how to kick-start the planning process.

9:30-10:30 a.m.
Developments in Digital Marketing
Moderator: Dave Mehlhaff
Panelists:
Geoff Pickering, Director of Client Services, DEG
Karl Ploeger, Account Group Director, Salva O’Renick
In late 2013, Abobe released a study titled “Digital Distress: What Keeps Marketers Up at Night?” The lead statistic confirmed what those of us in marketing feel daily: 76% of marketers think marketing has changed more in the past 2 years than the past 50.

The compressed pace of change has marketers scrambling to keep up. The combination of devices, software and connectivity has driven unprecedented interaction between buyers and brands, changing marketing forever.

How do we as communication professionals help support our sales team? How do we facilitate the conversation with effective and powerful pieces of communication utilizing the world’s new technology?

10:30-10:45 – Break

10:45-11:45 a.m. – Closing Session
Sharing the Story: “Farmland” – The Movie
Randy Krotz, USFRA
Most Americans have never set foot on a farm or ranch or even talked to the people who grow and raise the food we eat. “Farmland,” a film from award-winning Director James Moll, takes you inside the world of farming for a first-hand glimpse into the lives of young farmers and ranchers, their high-risk/high reward jobs and their passion for a way of life that has been passed down from generation to generation, yet continues to evolve. During this presentation, Randy Krotz, Chief Executive Officer at the US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), will provide the story behind the video and explain how it is helping tell the industry’s story to nonagricultural audiences. USFRA consists of more than 80 farmer- and rancher-led organizations and agricultural partners representing virtually all aspects of agriculture, working to engage in dialogue with consumers who have questions about how today’s food is grown and raised.

11:45 a.m. – Adjourn

To register for the Boot Camp visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=62.