The pre-conference workshop for NAMA 2009 on Wednesday was tailor-made for today’s challenging economic climate.
Kevin Ochsner of Adayana Agri Business Group was captain of the ship for “Charting Your Course in Uncharted Waters – Strategic Decision Making in Uncertain Times,” which focused on gaining insight into the key principals of scenario-planning. “Now, more than ever, we have to both personally and professionally have a process that helps us sort through some of that uncertainty to make decisions as good as we can,” Kevin says.
Kevin will also be moderating a break out session on Thursday afternoon on “Thriving During Times of Uncertainty and Change.”
You can listen to my interview with Kevin here:
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NAMA Chapter Leaders had a workshop then a lunch this morning.
I didn’t make it to the workshop but I did make it to the lunch. I have my priorities you know. The workshop presenters were Paige Gilligan, Agrestic Solutions, and Diana Monsen, CAPC. You can see them in the photo bottom left. I interviewed them after lunch to find out what they did during the morning program. Basically, they identified a few chapter leadership challenges and broke the participants up in groups to come up with creative ideas to address them.
You can listen to my interview with Paige and Diana here:
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Our NAMA President-Elect, Susie Decker, Farm Progress Companies, spoke to students at their lunch today. She made a very nice gesture and gave out her “tractor numbers” to the group and told them that whoever found them should bring them to her and she would give them her tractor.
In case you don’t know what that means, AgriMarketing Magazine provides scale model tractors each year in each NAMA Connection Point booth. All registrants get a number and if you find a tractor with your number on it, you get it. This year we have McCormick MTX150 Tractors.
After Susie spoke, luncheon emcee, Curt Blades gave out some of the NAMA student scholarships and announced the student marketing competition semi-finalists. They are competing now and include:
Wisconsin-Madison
University of Florida (Go Gators – I graduated in ‘80)
New Mexico State
Iowa State
Michigan State
Virginia Tech
North Dakota State University
Purdue
Wisconsin-Platteville
Mississippi State
Ohio State
Nebraska
The NAMA registration desk has been very busy this morning and the staff is hard at work as you’ll see in this video clip. We’re having a great time blogging and tweeting here in the Marquis Level at the Marriott.
Sitting out here in the very open ZimmComm/AgWired tweet station I just noticed that Osborn & Barr has:
. . . announced the promotion of Michael Turley to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The announcement represents the agency’s continued commitment to delivering forward-thinking solutions to the agricultural and rural-lifestyle markets by utilizing the knowledge and expertise of its high-caliber employees to provide innovative new strategies. The move enables the agency to continue its consistent growth and stay true to its roots, while pursuing new opportunities.
Turley, who has been with O&B for 17 years, will apply his extensive agricultural and marketing communications background to continue driving the agency’s innovation in the industry. He will lead the agency, providing the strategic vision needed to continue its growth and develop new client offerings.
I just saw Mike a little while ago and will try to find him for an interview.
Gator NAMA is just one of the student NAMA chapters I ran into this afternoon. They were all busy but I did get my alma mater chapter to pose for a quick pick. After all they are the reining champions from 2008!
Advancing Your Career PossibilitiesThe National Agri- Marketing Association is a great way for college students to begin their careers in agribusiness. As a student NAMA member you have unlimited resources at your fingertips to help market yourself in the industry.
* Network with professionals in the industry
* Develop marketing and communications skills
* Expand your skills by serving as a chapter leader
Since 1969, when the first NAMA student chapter formed at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, NAMA has grown to 34 accredited chapters and over 1,200 student members. We attribute this tremendous popularity to the variety of programs initiated to benefit the students.
I have started the NAMA Photo Album which Cindy and I will be adding to over the coming days so check it often.
AgWired coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by: and .
ZimmComm is on location at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Cindy and I are just finishing up a little pre-show booth setup. This is where you go to register for an HP Mini Netbook or desktop cube iPod speaker. The NAMA Connection Point will open up tomorrow evening after awards.
When you come in the entrance just look straight ahead to the left of the DTN booth and there we are. While I was in the Connection Point room I interviewed Gary Bates, George Fern Company. They’ve been the NAMA convention trade show service provider for years. He says they really enjoy working with agrimarketers. I can also say that we’ve enjoyed working with them in the 4 years that ZimmComm has been exhibiting at the convention.
You can listen to my interview with Gary here:
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I’ve already run into multiple student NAMA chapters waiting their turn to compete. They didn’t look nervous at all, just confident.
I’ve already started taking photos and will have an online album started later today. Right now I’m going to try to find the IFAJ/AMS meeting and see what that committee has done without me.
AgWired coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by: and .
Thanks to Brian Reuwee’s phone I got a photo from the Gateway NAMA chapter meeting I missed last week. The chapter hosted the John Brown Scholars of the University of Missouri for a crash course in public relations before heading out to a St. Louis Cardinals game. Almost 60 people attended which would make this meeting one of our largest in a long time.
Osborn & Barr hosted the session and panelists included representatives from Monsanto Public Affairs, Monsanto Social Media Group, Elasticity and Osborn & Barr. looked at crisis communications – both proactive and reactive – and how social media is changing the game. The Mizzou students were asked to share their insights, too.
I see a Facebook and YouTube logo on that screen. Are we talking about anything but social media lately?
Now if we could just get Mizzou NAMA going again . . .
Each of them provide a few of the points that they are planning to make during our session and share how social media has worked for them or a client. I think you’ll enjoy hearing what they have to say and it will whet your appetite for more on Friday morning.
I’d like to say a big thanks to everyone who participated in our pre-conference survey. Your remarks are very helpful and interesting. I’ll share a summary of that at the session. I also want to thank Successful Farming and Novus International for sponsoring AgWired coverage of this year’s Agri-Marketing Conference.
For all you Twitter experts out there, please remember to use the #NAMA hashtag this week in your tweets. I’ll be displaying them during the Connection Point hours in the ZimmComm booth and during our session which starts at 9am edt on Friday.
This week’s program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s a song titled, “Social Competence”, by Peter Moren. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 215 (23 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:
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The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes
AgWired coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by: and .
Speaking of NAMA. I’ll be the NAMA blogger once again this year and you can find posts on the NAMA blog.
As you can see it’s being sponsored by Successful Farming, just like AgWired! Thank you Agriculture.com.
Cindy will be with me and we’ve got help from Michelle Kautz, who is doing free lance writing for us on our Domestic Fuel website. So that’s the ZimmComm crew you’ll find in Atlanta next week.
It’s looking like we’re going to have a great show so rest up. The games begin next Tuesday!
The NAMA Virtual Trade Show is up and running. You’ll be able to find ZimmComm New Media close to the entrance in booth #102. That’s where you’ll need to drop off your entry forms for our drawing to win either an HP Mini Netbook computer or Cube II desktop speaker/dock for your iPod or iPhone. We’ll also have some other take aways that will be Sizzling Hot.
Connection Point Hours:
A Refreshment Station will be available in the center of the Trade Show area during all hours of the Connection Point courtesy of Southeast Ag Net/Citrus Industry Magazine.
Wednesday, April 16
6:00-7:30 p.m. – Best of NAMA Celebration Reception courtesy of DTN/The Progressive Farmer
Thursday, April 17
12:30-2:00 p.m.-Trade Show Luncheon courtesy of USDA/NASS
12:30-1:30 p.m.-Student Mentor Luncheon courtesy of Technekes and MoKan NAMA
3:00-4:00 p.m. – Ice Cream courtesy of Hoard’s Dairyman magazine
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Trade Show Closing/ABEF Silent Auction courtesy of NAFB & John Deere
Here’s a way you can provide support for the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF). It’s the annual online media auction which will run from today through 5pm April 9, 2009.
Here’s a call to action to help Steve Drake out. He’s doing a breakout session at the NAMA Convention on cause marketing. Like me, he wants some feedback before getting there. So . . .
I’m glad to find out that the Brownfield Network will be sponsoring the internet access at my NAMA breakout session on social media and I thank them. Internet access is really becoming such an important part of everyday life and business that I was determined to find a way to have it.
This brought up an idea that I’m sure isn’t new but I thought I’d throw out there for conversation. If you’re planning a convention or meeting of any kind and sell sponsorships why not create one just to cover the cost of providing internet access? I don’t mean internet access for the media room or for a grouping of computers in a hallway either. I mean, negotiate a deal with your hotel or convention center. Say, “We want wireless access everywhere all the time.” How much would that cost? Why not do it? I don’t care if they’re farmers or not. We all need it today.
So what do you think? Realistic? New sponsor idea? If you don’t think it’s a good idea, why not?
The ZimmComm New Media booth is going to be hot and sizzling at this year’s NAMA Convention! We’re celebrating 5 years in business!
How would you like to have your very own HP Mini Netbook computer? Stop by our NAMA booth and get something tweet (you’ll understand when you get there) and register to win.
We’re providing some hot incentives to stop and see us at booth #102 in the Connection Point at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference. Since I’ll be leading a workshop on social media Cindy and I thought a tool to help you with yours would be a great giveaway at this year’s convention.
This HP Mini has bee tried and tested and upgraded to 2GB of RAM and has a 16GB internal SSD with an additional 8GB SD card and additional HP 2GB memory card!
You will get looks of envy when you pull this out on the plane or in the airport. It’s a cool little machine.
We’ll also be giving away a Cube II desktop speaker/dock for your iPod or iPhone. We’re all about non platform specific media content and even we don’t know how many audio files we’ve created in 5 years that have been distributed all over the world via internet, broadcast, email and mp3 player. A desktop speaker is an ideal must have for your office.
You’ll have to stop by booth #102 to register though and you won’t have to be present to win.
This is shaping up to be a very interesting NAMA convention since marketing and media have changed so rapidly in just the last year and it’s changing the way we do business. Stop and visit with us to learn more about how new/social media can help you and your clients reach customers where they are now.
If you know of someone who will be attending please feel free to forward them the link with a request to take the survey. Then post it on your Twitter feed, Facebook page, blog, mention it in your podcast, heck, you can even create a YouTube video about it!
NAMA has announced two of their big award winners. The awards will be presented at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, “Hot Ideas, Sizzling Solutions,” April 16, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. ZimmComm will be there once again and celebrating 5 years btw.
The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has named Leon Westbrock (pictured), CHS Inc., Executive Vice President and COO, Energy, as the 2009 Agribusiness Leader of the Year. The award honors outstanding leaders in agribusiness, education, government service or other agribusiness related areas who exemplify excellence in agribusiness by their significant contributions to the industry.
The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has honored Jon Anderson, President of OPEN ROADS, with the NAMA Marketer of the Year award. NAMA recognizes its active members with senior management of marketing and/or sales responsibilities with the NAMA Marketer of the Year award. This award is NAMA’s most prestigious honor awarded to active members of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing
At this year’s Agri-Marketing Conference I’ll be moderating a sizzling breakout session on social networking. We’re going to have some hot solutions for all of you who are scratching your heads over Twitter, Facebook, forums, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, Flickr . . . The theme is Hot Ideas, Sizzling Solutions in case you were wondering.
This great looking group will be your panel, (l-r) David Coustan, Vice President, Digital, Edelman Digital, Kyle Flaherty, Director of Marketing and Social Media, BreakingPoint Systems, David Brazeal, General Manager, Learfield Data and yours truly. The session is titled, “Social Media DOES Fit in Your Marketing Decision – Moving Beyond This Decision.” Here’s the session description:
Social media is everywhere these days. It is no longer a question whether social media fits your marketing strategy. Now it’s a decision of, “How? Where? What type?” Learn how to take the first steps in answering these questions and working to complement existing strategies.
The panelists, from both inside and outside of the agriculture industry, will share real-life examples of social media successes and failures. Take their hot ideas and lessons learned to create sizzling solutions that make your organization stand out!
Dave was one of the first official corporate bloggers for a national brand, serving as blog master and social media strategist for Fortune 1000 Internet service provider EarthLink. He has led best practices sessions on social media strategy and corporate blogging at nationwide events.
Kyle is an experienced social marketing and technology communications professional with a broad range of skills characterized by successes in high-tech marketing communications, public relations, social media, web development, community creation and community engagement.
David Brazeal, General Manager, Learfield Data
After attending J-School at the University of Missouri, David Brazeal worked as a radio reporter and wire service editor. Then the Internet lured him away from the newsroom. Now, he uses his experience to help clients communicate better with their customers and employees through a wide range of social media tools.
And you know who the farm podcasting agriblogger is.
I smiled big when I saw that NAMA will be holding it’s convention in KC, MO the next 4 years. Makes sense to me, how about you? It does seem like we get better participation when it’s held in a central location that is easy for members to get to.
After careful review, the NAMA Executive Committee has announced that the annual Agri-Marketing Conference will be held in Kansas City the next four years. The committee cited two primary reasons: member satisfaction and cost control.
Historically, member participation has been stronger at Kansas City conferences, both in terms of delegate registrations and student competition. This is due in part because its central location makes the city a convenient and affordable travel destination from virtually anywhere in the country.
This year’s convention will be held in Atlanta and I hope to see you there. ZimmComm will be exhibiting once again and it will be in celebration of 5 years in business!
Commodity Classic took place in Anaheim, CA. You'll find all of Chuck, Cindy and Joanna's photos here.
Exposing HSUS
If you're involved in agriculture then you should become familiar with HumaneWatch.org.
HumaneWatch.org is the work of David Martosko and in this week's program you get to meet him via my phone conversation with him. He's compiling a great online library of information on this group.
The pre-conference workshop for NAMA 2009 on Wednesday was tailor-made for today’s challenging economic climate. 
and 
.
NAMA Chapter Leaders had a workshop then a lunch this morning. 
Our NAMA President-Elect, Susie Decker, Farm Progress Companies, spoke to students at their lunch today. She made a very nice gesture and gave out her “tractor numbers” to the group and told them that whoever found them should bring them to her and she would give them her tractor. 
Sitting out here in the very open ZimmComm/AgWired tweet station I just noticed that 
Gator NAMA is just one of the 
ZimmComm is on location at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Cindy and I are just finishing up a little pre-show booth setup. This is where you go to register for an HP Mini Netbook or desktop cube iPod speaker. The NAMA Connection Point will open up tomorrow evening after awards.
Thanks to Brian Reuwee’s phone I got a photo from the Gateway NAMA chapter meeting I missed last week. The chapter hosted the John Brown Scholars of the University of Missouri for a crash course in public relations before heading out to a St. Louis Cardinals game. Almost 60 people attended which would make this meeting one of our largest in a long time.
In this week’s program I interview the panel members of the NAMA breakout session I’m moderating at the end of the week – 
Speaking of NAMA. I’ll be the NAMA blogger once again this year and you can find posts on the 
Here’s a way you can provide support for the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF). It’s the 
The ZimmComm New Media booth is going to be hot and sizzling at this year’s NAMA Convention! We’re celebrating 5 years in business!
We’ll also be giving away a Cube II desktop speaker/dock for your iPod or iPhone. We’re all about non platform specific media content and even we don’t know how many audio files we’ve created in 5 years that have been distributed all over the world via internet, broadcast, email and mp3 player. A desktop speaker is an ideal must have for your office.
I’m wondering if you’ll do me a big favor and take a very short (6 question) 
You can listen to Franck Schuurmans, NAMA opening session speaker at their Trends in Agriculture conference, thanks to 
If you're involved in agriculture then you should become familiar with HumaneWatch.org.
