Visit  http://www.nama.org/student/archives.htm  for the most recent publication of  NAMA on Campus Student Newsletter.

Five Reasons We Loved the Sporting KC Tour

The MoKan NAMA Chapter was excited to tour the Sporting Kansas City Stadium, Wednesday, September 25, and we definitely learned a thing or two!

1.  Sporting KC is 100 percent locally-owned. The owners decided they wanted their suite to be in the corner because corner seats are often the hardest to sell. There is one silver seat in the owner’s suite that is designated for a different child each game (chosen through the Victory Project) that is either battling cancer or has beaten cancer.

Read about the owners here: http://www.sportingkc.com/club/ownership .

Learn more about the Victory Project here: http://www.victorykc.org/

2.  Sporting KC players are the only soccer team that participates in Shakeology. Player’s blood is drawn at the beginning of the year and shakes are created with vitamins and nutrients specific to their needs. They drink the custom shakes before, during and after games.

3.  The players and coaches sit in custom-designed chairs during the game, which cost $2,000 apiece. They are designed by the same company that designs the seats used in Ferraris!

4.  Sporting KC sold more merchandise than the LA Galaxy when David Beckham was on their roster.

5.  The three practice fields at Swope Park offer three different types of turf and grass, so that the players are prepared when they are on the road. The field they practice on depends on their upcoming game schedule.

North Central NAMA members gathered Wednesday, September 4, for a boat cruise on Lake Minnetonka, MN.  The event kicked off with a cocktail reception where members networked and caught up with fellow professionals.

Ed Usset,  Grain Marketing Specialist who teaches a Commodity Marketing class at the University of MN, facilitated a discussion on the current state of the industry comparing it to the last “Golden Age of Agriculture” 10 years prior to WWII.  Mr. Usset detailed the concept of parity pricing – the purchasing power of a particular commodity relative to a farmer’s expenses.  With the recent commodity prices and production levels at historical levels, Mr. Usset believes we are experiencing another golden era.  The challenge will be in how marketers prepare for when the good times come to an end.  The cost of production versus the price/bushel will inevitably change and marketers need to be ready for how they will deal with that.  Members then had an opportunity to ask questions and Mr. Usset detailed various international trends that influence the industry including China’s increasing demand for meat, South America’s increasing role in soy exports and GMO issues.

Afterwards, members enjoyed appetizers, cocktails and a cruise of the shores of Lake Minnetonka.

Welcome Our New Members for the month of August:

BADGER
Zach  Hetterick
Kimberly Miller

CAMA ONTARIO
Jan Kennema

CAROLINAS/VIRGINIA
Kathryn Boys
Mary Marchand

CORNBELT
Emily Achen

GATEWAY
Sue Dillon

IOWA
Sarah Erdman

MISSOURI-KANSAS
Lindsay Hayes
Jenna Jordan
Megan Whitesell

NORTH CENTRAL
Michael  Hinton
Michael O’Brien

ROCKY MOUNTAIN
William  Sirico

A number of NAMA members took advantage of a reception hosted by Heartland NAMA during Farm Progress August 28, in Decatur, Illinois.  As is typical, the day was hot but a constant breeze flowing through the tent’s openings, along with cold beverages, helped everyone relax while they shared stories and caught up on news.  Members from all over the United States and Canada attended.

NAMA Boot Camp 2013 explores these topics and more during annual event.

“This is your audience.”

 “This is your market.”

The words from the intro video that kicked off the first full day of NAMA Boot Camp 2013 said it all. Those in attendance were there to discover new ways to connect and resonate with growers and producers. The next two days of Boot Camp delivered on that promise and then some.

The producer panel had some younger faces this year and they discussed the challenges agri-marketers face when deciding how to best communicate with a grower population comprised of farmers of the baby boom generation and the millennial generation. Panelists also shared their views on brand loyalty, the farm bill and how they prefer to receive information.

Danielle Smith of Woodruff Sweitzer is a first-time Boot Camp attendee and thought it was well worth a day away from the office. “I really enjoyed this conference. The speakers and sessions were informative and relevant to current industry topics,” she shared. “It’s perfect for anyone entering into the agricultural industry or anyone looking to sharpen their professional skills.”

Breakout sessions rounded out the rest of the day, giving attendees the choice between learning the ropes of agency and client communications or hearing about the basics of row crop and livestock production in Ag 101. True to Boot Camp form, the sessions were fast paced and engaging, with presenters urging input from the audience and veering off script to answer questions and share real-life examples.

Afternoon breakouts picked up after the luncheon keynote provided by well-known ag radio personality, Max Armstrong, who shared his reflections on the state of agriculture today and his views on what ag’s biggest concerns will be in the years ahead. He cited the farm bill, immigrant labor and food safety regulations as key factors the industry will concern itself with in the near future.

After winding down the first day of Boot Camp with Ag 201 or learning about how to best profit from trade shows, Boot Campers enjoyed a reception at Kansas City hot spot, Snow & Co. The chance to network and meet new colleagues in the ag industry was a favorite part of his first Boot Camp adventure for Michael Kirk of Ag Hub.

“The NAMA Boot Camp was a great experience all around. It was an awesome networking experience, and I had the opportunity to meet some very influential people,” he said.

The second and final day of Boot Camp got underway with a presentation on the evolution of social business. Thought provoking conversation and debate were ignited as those in the audience discussed consumer expectations and sharing the story of American agriculture through social media tools and online communities.

A closing session on how to perfect communication skills by taking the time to understand one’s own communication style and that of others capped Boot Camp 2013. The high energy of the conference lasted until everyone made their way out of the Sheraton to head back home or back to the office.

Visit agwired.com or the NAMA Flickr site to see photos from Boot Camp.