The 2010 MoKan Chapter Ag Tour on August 17 was a resounding success.  Not only did the attendees experience a lot of variety, but it also fell during a one-day upper 70s cool down from the two weeks of +100˚ heat that the Kansas City area had been experiencing.

The first stop was at a row crop and hog farm operation owned by Steve and Sharon Oetting, in Richmond, Missouri.  They are the 7^th generation on the farm, which began in 1839.  One of the sows gave birth during the tour, adding a little extra excitement.

The bus then carried everyone to Carrollton, Missouri, to visit Pence Aerial Service at the Carrollton Airport.  After viewing a video from the National Agricultural Aviation Association, Dale Pence answered questions and gave an aerial demonstration with a liquid version of fertilizer.  Attendees were able to view the global positioning system in the cockpit afterwards.  Ag pilots have a 2-to-3 year wait for new air tractors.  Eighty-eight percent of aerial applications are made by airplane and 12% by helicopter.  Pilots, who must wear protective helmets, must have both a commercial pilot’s license and a commercial pesticide license.  There are only 6,000 such operations within the United States.

The final stop was at Ray Carroll County Grain Growers, a combination ag retailer, grain elevator and ethanol plant just outside Carrollton, Missouri.  As the tourists donned hardhats and eye protection, they were taken through the various grain storage areas.  In addition to grain storage, the site also has various pieces of agricultural equipment, which is often rented out to farmers.  The arms on one of the sprayers were extended to their full 120’ span to give a first-hand look at the breadth of that machine’s reach.  Fertilizer prescriptions are another option that farmers take advantage of there.  Adjacent to the grain elevators is an ethanol plant that processes 19 million bushels of corn annually for ethanol.  One hundred percent of the corn comes from the two local counties; and the byproducts of the corn are also processed.  The grain storage portion began 15 years ago, with the ethanol plant going live just 3 years ago.

The ag industry is constantly changing. New channels. New strategies. New information. After hearing from seasoned agri-marketers and candid producers, attendees at the 2010 NAMA Boot Camp (August 17-19) are now at the top of the agri-marketing learning curve.

Boot Camp kicked off with the traditional Ag Tour where some of the attendees actually got to see a litter of pigs being born at Oetting Hog Farms! The tour also included stops at a grain elevator and an ethanol plant.

That night, a networking reception—where attendees were given pointers on how to meet new people and form new contacts— preceded the evening’s dinner. Dave Mehlhaff demonstrated how to listen and look for common ground with colleagues and co-workers. To maintain and continue to develop the relationship, he emphasized, it’s essential to stay in touch.

A full day of sessions began the next day with a producer panel of representatives from row and cattle production operations as well as a wine producer. Moderated by Janelle Buxton, Successful Farming & Agriculture Online, a forthright Q&A session shed light on how producers use the Internet and the challenges they face juggling work, record keeping and staying on top of the latest innovations on the market. Conversations touched on everything from iPhone apps to YouTube and everything in between.

“The panels are always a big hit,” shared Jenny Pickett, NAMA Executive Vice President/CEO. “They provide such an inside view of what’s really going on within the industry and how marketers can best reach their audiences.”

Other sessions covered a wide range of topics, including building a communications plan, marketing to the animal health industry, using digital media, understanding target audiences, managing crises and marketing to the row crop industry.

Attendees had high marks for the in-depth research presented by Jack Semler, president of Readex Research, on the impact of digital media on farmers and ranchers.

Boot Camp also offered some stellar networking opportunities. Panelists and attendees mingled between sessions and attended a social hour at Kansas City’s famous Boulevard Brewing Company. Plenty of one-on-one Q&A sessions were conducted over drinks and appetizers.

First-time attendee Kassi Williams, Public Relations/Account Coordinator for Swanson Russell, was thrilled with her inaugural Boot Camp experience.

“I would recommend NAMA Boot Camp to anyone looking to jumpstart a career in the agriculture marketing industry,” she shared. “The networking opportunities were immense and the sessions were highly beneficial.”

Boot Camp came to a close with the Advocating for Ag Panel. Attendees were challenged to do their part to tell the real story of American agriculture and given concrete steps to help them achieve that goal.

The NAMA Careers Committee met in Chicago, Illinois on August 27 to plan the upcoming year.  Participating in the meeting were:  Wes Meador, Chair, Rhea + Kaiser; Amy Barron, Novus International; Matt Bornhorst, Agriculture Future of America; Janelle Buxton, Successful Farming & Agriculture.com; Jennifer Christie, Student Advisor, John Deere Ltd.; Deron Johnson, Rhea + Kaiser; Carrie Jorgensen, McCormick Company; Sara Thieding, Makhteshim Agan of North America; Michelle Tollefson, Pfizer Animal Health; Jennifer Pickett, NAMA; and Debbie Brummel, NAMA.  Unable to attend were Kristen Marshall, Vice Chair, Nicholson Kovac; Mike Butler, Archer>Malmo; Amy Jolliff, Bader Rutter; Stacey Noe, Student Advisor, Iowa State University; and Paul Redhage, Executive Committee Liaison, FMC Agricultural Products.

The meeting started with introductions of new committee members and a review of the 2009-10 program year.  Comments gathered during the advisors’ and student chapter presidents’ wrap-up meetings from the 2010 competition were also reviewed.  As a result of the reviews, several changes in the 2010-11 program year will be implemented.  In addition, the Committee will be taking advantage of social media to keep students and advisors updated during the course of the year.

Innovations in communication, production and packaging are revolutionizing the agriculture industry. Combined with the dramatic increase in need for safe, plentiful food, today’s agriculture professionals must navigate the challenges of a “Globally Local” World. NAMA’s 2010 Trends in Agriculture conference, October 5-6, in Minneapolis, will help you stay ahead of the curve and gain an edge in the rapidly changing landscape of our global agriculture market.

Registration for Trends In Agriculture is now open, so register today at http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=23.

Take a look at the schedule at-a-glance below for the 2010 Trends In Agriculture conference:

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Agriculture In a Globally Local World
Mark Pearson, Market to Market

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Break

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Feeding the World
Dr. Jay Lehr, Economist & Futurist

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Reception

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Macro Food Trends Panel Discussion
Tom DiBacco, Director of Consumer and Government Relations, Broadhead + Co
Erin Daley, Economist, U.S. Meat Export Federation
Jim Compart, pork producer/owner of Compart’s Boar Store, MN PPA President
Todd M. Stohlmeyer, VP/Commodity Sourcing and Grain Operations, General Mills

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Break

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Creating Effective Digital Brand Communities
Tim Brunelle, Chief Executive Officer, Hello Viking

12:00 Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Professional Development Awards of Excellence Luncheon

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Washington Update: What to Expect in 2011
Jim Wiesemeyer, Senior Vice President, Policy & Trade Issues, Informa Economics, Washington office

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Meet & Greet Reception with the Speakers

For session descriptions and hotel information please visit http://www.nama.org/trends/index.htm.

Get the recognition your company deserves by becoming a sponsor of the 2010 Trends In Agriculture conference, October 5-6, in Minneapolis.

As a sponsor of Trends In Agriculture, your organization will be noted as a front runner in pursuing and obtaining up to the moment industry information. Additional benefits include:

– Recognition in the program booklet, and from the podium during the session.
– Recognition by signage at the sponsored event (if applicable).
– Recognition in post-Trends articles in Agri Marketing magazine and media releases.
– Recognition on the NAMA Trends In Agriculture web site page.
– First right of refusal for sponsorship of the same item for next year’s Trends In Agriculture

To sign up for a sponsorship opportunity, fill out the On-line Sponsorship Form or contact Jenny Pickett at 913-491-6500 or via e-mail at jennyp@nama.org.

New This Year!
Watch the Call for Entries for our new category, the Producer’s Choice Award. In this category, you’ll be able to enter a single page ad that will be judged by 1,000-2,000 producers. This category is made possible by Successful Farming & Agriculture Online and Readex Research.

The Best of NAMA Call for Entries will be available on the NAMA web site at the end of August and will be mailed by September 1.

All entries must be received in the NAMA Office by Friday, October 8, 2010.

The Best of NAMA awards program honors the best work in agricultural communications. Actually, the best of the best, since companies/agencies must first qualify through regional competition in order to advance to the national level. The national awards ceremony will take place April 13, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Best of NAMA operates on a regional judging format. Entries are sent directly to the national NAMA office and judged by industry professionals at a regional level for possible advancement to national competition. A minimum point standard will be used at the regional level. If you place first or merit at the regional competition and score above the minimum point standard, you are eligible to advance to the national competition.

Stay tuned to your email inbox for notification of the Call for Entries on the NAMA web site!

The Indiana State Fair was the site of Mid-America NAMA’s August 10 reception. Those who attended were thankful that the chapter chose the Farm Bureau Building, the only air conditioned building on Fair grounds, for the reception. It was a welcome reprieve from the nearly 100˚ heat. In addition to members from Purdue University, Wabash, IN, and the surrounding area, chapter leaders also welcomed several visitors from the Badger Chapter.