NAMA has named Ed Peck, President and Owner of Filament, as the 2018 NAMA Marketer of the Year.

This recognition is the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing. The NAMA Marketer of the Year award will be presented during the Second General Session of the 2018 Agri-Marketing Conference on Thursday, April 12, in Kansas City, Missouri, and is sponsored by Agri Marketing magazine.

Ed Peck founded Filament with the sole focus of staying involved in the agricultural industry and to be a conduit for clients. Thirteen years later, the agency has grown from a single-man shop into a forty-person enterprise with over twenty-five clients.

As a dairy and beef cattle owner himself, Peck immerses himself in the agricultural industry and the daily fluctuations which affect the livelihood of those farmers around him, as well as the companies who serve them. Peck encourages his team members to stay involved in the agricultural industry – whether it’s with their own farms or industry organizations and causes. Employees are encouraged to attend industry events.

Outside of the agricultural industry, Peck is passionate about encouraging employees to participate in professional development so team members continue to grow together as a business and expand their marketing expertise and knowledge.

Peck has been an active member of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) for decades. Involved at both the regional and national level, he has spoken at regional NAMA events and is a regular judge for National Best of NAMA. He also supports employee memberships and involvement in the organization.

According to Sullivan Higdon Sink’s proprietary SHS Foodthink research, only one-third of consumers trust the agriculture and food manufacturing industries. While the use of shared values in communications is a starting point to earning consumer trust, companies and organizations across the food system must go further to realize success in their implementation.

Join Ali Mahaffy, co-CEO, and Erika Chance, Associate Director of Brand Strategy, as they share how to address consumer skepticism and build trust with consumers via four key steps.

Cost: $40 NAMA Members and $50 Non-members

Date: Thursday, April 26, 2018

Time: 2:00 p.m. Central Time

Click here to register!

The primary goal or mission of the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF) is to provide today’s agri-business students the tools they will need to succeed tomorrow.

Celebrate agriculture on March 20 for National Ag Day 2018! Whether you are attending the events in DC or celebrating in your local community, make sure you get involved next week.

National Ag Day Schedule:

Taste of Ag Reception
5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Montpelier Room at the Library of Congress
James Madison Memorial Building
Independence Avenue, between 1st and 2nd Streets
Washington, DC 20540

​Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01) invites you to join him to celebrate National Ag Day!

Doug LaMalfa is a fourth generation rice farmer and business owner who has lived in Northern California all his life. He and his wife, Jill, along with their four children make their home on the family farm in Richvale.

​Click here to register.

​Other Events in DC

​Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit
March 21
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill
Click here for more details and to RSVP.

Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) Issue Paper Release
Regulatory Barriers to the Development of Innovative Agricultural Biotechnology by Small Businesses and Universities
March 22
3:30 to 5:00 p.m. (presentation and panel discussion)
March 23
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (presentation only)
Click here for more details and to RSVP.

Find great resources to promote National Ag Day at www.agday.org!

And check out the 2018 Ag Day Blog for great articles that celebrate American agriculture.

Join the Iowa NAMA chapter for an educational luncheon featuring a presentation from Clint Chaffer, Director of Product Marketing at The Climate Corporation. Clint joined Climate in 2014 as a business manager in northwestern Illinois, and having grown up on a farm in the same region has always had a passion for agriculture and technology.

WHEN: Thursday, March 22 at 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

WHERE: FFA Enrichment Center, 1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA 50023

COST: $25 for members; $35 for non-members; $15 for recent grads; and free for current students

REGISTER NOW!

Join the Cornbelt NAMA Chapter to Celebrate Agriculture on Wednesday, March 28th.

Speaker: Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, President of Iowa State University.
Dr. Wintersteen was recently selected to serve as Iowa State University’s 16th president and is the first female president in the university’s history. Dr. Wintersteen’s career at Iowa State spans nearly 40 years, where she most recently served as dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station from 2006-2017.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 28 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM

WHERE: DoubleTree Convention Complex, Exhibit Hall A, 350 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, IA

COST: Free for NAMA members!

Click here to RSVP.

The Midsouth chapter gathered on Friday, March 2, to support the Mississippi State chapter in their Student NAMA competition efforts. The backdrop for this meeting was the Midsouth Farm & Gin Show.

The student committee had the great idea to align with an event that, conveniently, many NAMA members already attend, but also one that the students would benefit greatly from attending. Twelve members attended, including some special guests – Scott McClure, the chapter’s executive committee liaison, and the National NAMA President, Amy Bradford. There was lively discussion and helpful comments for the students.

The chapter would like to give a special thanks to Tim Price and the Southern Cotton Ginners Association for giving us the space at the show to meet.