Postcards From Kansas City

Chuck Zimmerman

Once again this year, Carol Anderson is helping keep NAMA members who can’t attend the conference up to date on what’s happening with a daily email called, “Postcards from Kansas City.”

Here’s the copy from yesterday’s:

Greetings from Kansas City!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The 2008 Agri-Marketing Conference in underway at Kansas City’s Hyatt Regency Hotel. Nearly 1,100 agrimarketers are in attendance at this year’s conference – the largest crowd since 2000.

KFRM’s Kyle Bauer and Northern Ag Network’s Taylor Brown emceed Wednesday evening’s Best of NAMA awards ceremony. Out of 1,271 entries that advanced through regional and national competition, three entries emerged as Best of Show winners at last night’s ceremony. Best of Show winners were: Read More

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Guess Whose Boots

Chuck Zimmerman

Guess Whose BootsWhile you’re looking through AgWired coverage of the NAMA Convention try to guess whose boots these are.

They were seen at Howl at the Moon last night. I know it was kind of dark inside but you should be able to figure this one out pretty quickly.

The first person to correctly guess by posting a comment here gets an “I’ve Been Blogged by AgWired” t-shirt.

Post Update: Dave Mehlhaff correctly guessed Sally Behringer.

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

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Brownfield Howls

Chuck Zimmerman

Brownfield PartyThe happy faces of Brownfield greeted NAMA members last night at Howl at the Moon. I’ve been to more than a few Brownfield NAMA parties and this one ranks up near the top of my list. I think the piano players made out very well. If you had been there you would understand that.

We heard about the Illinois earthquake this morning and I’m just hoping we didn’t cause it last night, or should I say this morning?

The Conference photo album has been updated with contributions from Denny Eilers and includes some photos from last night (although not all).

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Celebrate 70 colorful years of the Appaloosa Horse Club by joining us in Jackson, Miss., for the 2008 Youth World Championship June 23-28, followed by the National Show June 28-July 5. Visit the Web site for more information.
  • The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) would like to congratulate Calizona ApHC as the 2007 Exemplary Appaloosa Regional Club winner! Calizona ApHC will receive $500, along with a certificate and an award proclaiming their Exemplary Appaloosa Regional Club title.
  • Corn and soybean growers have a new option for selective postemergence control of tough broadleaf weeds in corn and soybeans with new Cadet™ herbicide from FMC Corporation. Cadet delivers superior control of velvetleaf, pigweed, lambsquarters, waterhemp and nightshade.
  • Dr. Leonard Bull, professor of animal science and associate director of the Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center, North Carolina State University, was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture. A complete list of elected officers can be found on the Web site.
Zimfo Bytes

Gator NAMA Wins Student NAMA Competition

Chuck Zimmerman

Gator NAMAI’m a graduate of the University of Florida and “How ’bout them Gators?”

The Gator NAMA chapter is the winner of the National Student Marketing Competition.

Cindy’s with them now to take more pictures and get an interview. They will all receive “I’ve Been Blogged by AgWired” t-shirts.

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

Pimp My Combine

Laura McNamara

Rock and Roll BuffaloWe’ve mentioned the Rock and Roll Buffalo on AgWired.com before… but, Chuck ran into Melissa Daugherty with MachineryLink here at the 2008 NAMA “Leading the Charge” Agri-marketing Conference and she told us more about the tricked out combine featured in the company’s Smarter Harvest Tour. Machinery Link wrapped their own John Deere 9770 with a special buffalo wrap and are displaying the machine at trade shows across the country.

I spoke with Melissa about the unique decor and about what MachineryLink is hoping to accomplish with the buffalo on wheels. You can listen to my interview with Melissa here:

nama08-melissa-daugherty.mp3

Be sure to check out the video of the Smarter Harvest Tour on Youtube:

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Iowa State Gets Crazy with Crazy Wings

Laura McNamara

Crazy faces for Crazy Wings. Student competitors from Iowa State University are in the spotlight before NAMA judges as we speak, or shall I say as I type, presenting what they hope is a winning pitch for Crazy Wings, a pork version of the chicken drumstick.

I spoke with the Iowa State Marketing Team Director Josie Rudolphi (pictured second from left) just before the students headed into their final pitch and asked them about their product and what it took to get this far into the NAMA competition. You can listen to my interview with Josie here.

nama08-josie-rudolphi.mp3

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Education, Food, NAMA

NAMA Marketer of the Year

Cindy Zimmerman

Dave Rhylander NAMA AwardA 32-year veteran of Monsanto was honored with the NAMA Marketer of the Year award on Thursday in Kansas City.

Dave Rhylander was presented with the award, sponsored by AgriMarketing Magazine, for being “a visionary leader and highly innovative marketer not only within the ranks of his own company but also throughout the agribusiness industry.” He currently serves as Monsanto’s Marketing Lead for Delta & Pine Land.

Because of Dave Rhylander’s strong support and vision, Monsanto is a pioneer and leader in the use of Word of Mouth Marketing strategies throughout the agricultural marketplace. He deserves to be recognized as NAMA’s Marketer of the Year because of the credible, grower-friendly, high-impact and measurable return on investment these WOMM strategies have generated for producer participants as well as Monsanto’s business.

Congratulations, Dave!

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

NAMA Honors NCGA CEO

Cindy Zimmerman

Rick Tolman NAMA AwardCongratulations from AgWired to the CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, who received the Agribusiness Leader of the Year award at the National Agri-Marketing Association conference in Kansas City on Thursday.

Rick Tolman has been in charge of NCGA for almost eight years, during a time of dramatic changes, new challenges and the highest prices in history for corn growers. He told me that he was fortunate to be able to lead the industry as it began to benefit from some of the decisions that were made more than a decade ago.

Listen to a short interview with Rick here.
nama-08-tolman-edit.mp3

Agencies, NAMA, NCGA

NAMA Best of Show Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Best of NAMA AdvertisingI want to thank Denny Eilers for helping me out with Best of NAMA photos.

To start with we have the Best of Show for the Advertising category. The winner is:

Client: New Holland North America, Agency: Colle+McVoy

The message: New Holland is the innovative brand of the future.

Best of NAMA Public RelationsNext is Best of Show – Public Relations. The winner is:

Client: Dow AgroSciences, Agency: Fleishman-Hillard

The message: To build the market for Dow AgroSciences’ Omega-9 Oils, made from their specially-bred Nexera canola and sunflower, in light of the data that trans fats have been related to coronary events and the cause of several health issues every year.

Best of NAMA SpecialtyNext is Best of Show – Specialty. The winner is:

Client: Merial Limited, Agency: Bader Rutter

The message: RECOMBITEK Equine Influenza Vaccine is proven to protect horses against influenza while significantly reducing viral shedding.

There you have it – The Best of the Best!

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA