Remote-controlled robotic crop scouts in the sky? Tiny helicopters with HD aerial video capabilities for recording weed infestations in a field? Yes, it’s happening.

According to a March 2013 report from the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (UAVSI), UAVs have the potential to generate $82 billion in economic activity between 2015 and 2025. It’s predicted that agriculture will be the biggest user of UAVs in the near futureundefinedaccounting for 80 percent of all UAV commercial usage.

As the commercial regulations for these specialty aircraft start to loosen up over the next couple of years, agribusinesses need to be thinking about how to help farmers integrate the technology once they’re cleared for takeoff. The same technology used by the military for reconnaissance missions can be used to scout diseased crops or irrigation issues, help farmers more strategically and efficiently plan when they plant, fertilize, water, and even harvest their crops.

Join us for lunch at The Grove Grill where our own Kelli Polatty, Associate with Entira, Inc. will give us an overview of this exciting new technology and its possible uses and benefits for agriculture.

When: March 20, 2014, 11:30am
Where: The Grove Grill, 4550 Poplar Ave, Memphis
Cost: $25
Pay Online in Advance

We’re amping up some tried and true favorites … and throwing in some new sessions to mix things up. Here’s what you can expect to learn in Jacksonville this April

• The Power of Persuasion. Learn to influence people and build more trust, respect and cooperation with your team, mentors and colleagues.
• Branding From the Inside Out. Hear bold ideas about how to get your team to believe passionately in your brand, live the values in their daily interactions and create a brand that customers will connect to emotionally.
• Marketing to Multiple Generations. Find out how to talk to different generations of customers when you have limited dollars, channels and resources to meet your marketing objectives.

And don’t miss new content on measuring the ROI of social media, the PR revolution, developing compelling creative and consumer influence on business model development.

You can find all the details and register for the conference at nama.org/amc.

NAMA is pleased to announce  Sonny Beck, president, Beck’s Hybrids, as the 2014 Agribusiness Leader of the Year. This award, which is NAMA’s highest honor, will be presented at the Opening General Session of the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference, “A Fresh Perspective,” April 10, 2014, in Jacksonville, Florida. 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.

Sonny Beck, president of Beck’s Hybrids, has led the company to unprecedented growth. As the largest family-owned seed company in the United States, Beck’s Hybrids is now the sixth largest seed company in the U.S. Under Sonny’s leadership, Beck’s Hybrids has experienced a 20 percent increase in sales each year for the last 20 years, doubling in size every four years.

As soon as Beck joined the family operation in 1964, after graduating from Purdue University, he never let grass grow under his feet. Always aiming at building closer, stronger relationships with customers, Beck immediately launched a couple of customer events that are now long-standing traditions.

It was in that same year, Beck started what is now called the Practical Farm Research (PFR)® program. Still today, the PFR program is unlike any other in the seed industry. Focused on farmer’s needs, hundreds of studies are completed at five Beck’s locations in an effort to look at how different management practices perform in different environments. The information is delivered to farmers across the Midwest in a 280-page summary book, website and field shows.

Beck has frequently stated that before 1992 Beck’s Hybrids was a seed producer who happened to do some marketing, but with the arrival of traits, Beck’s became a marketing company who happened to produce most of their own seed.

But it was not just traits that Beck and the Beck’s Hybrids team pursued. In 2001, Beck’s Hybrids was the first to market 100 percent of its seed corn with a seed-applied insect control system called FaSTart®. Over time the seed treatment evolved and in 2009 Beck’s Hybrids became the first seed company to put together a unique set of yield-enhancing products called Escalate® yield enhancement system. Escalate comes standard on all Beck’s corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa products.

Beck’s dedication and passion for agriculture extends far beyond Beck’s Hybrids. He has played an integral role in leading several agricultural organizations, providing each with a unique leadership approach, ultimately guiding them to newer heights.

Join NAMA & AAEA at Commodity Classic

As a NAMA member, you are invited to a joint cocktail reception hosted by AAEA and the National Agri-Marketing Association at Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.

When: Friday, February 28, 2014
Where: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room: 006A
(on the River Level, below street level)
Time: 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Stop by after the trade show closes but before you head out to dinner!

No cost or registration necessary.

Thanks to BASF, Great Plains, Southwest and Rocky Mountain NAMA Chapters.

Find out more about Commodity Classic.

Nominations are due March 15 for the Agricultural Public Relations Hall of Fame, an award program honoring agricultural public relations professionals who have made lifetime contributions to the industry.

The program, sponsored by the Agricultural Relations Council and AgriMarketing magazine, will recognize its third  group of recipients at the June 2014 ARC annual meeting in Madison, Wis.

Previous winners have been:

• Don Lerch
• Lyle Orwig
• John Harvey
• Paul Weller

Nominees must be current or past members of ARC to be considered. Inductees will be selected based on criteria including:

• Years of membership in ARC;
• Service to ARC (president, board member, committee chair, etc.);
• Professional accomplishments/achievements in ag communications; and
• Awards/Recognition in service to ag communications within ARC and also outside of the organization.

“We had a tremendous response to our Hall of Fame award program and another stellar class of honorees will be inducted in Madison next June,” said ARC Board President Mike Opperman. “This is the single-best opportunity for the industry to recognize the professionals who’ve shaped agricultural public relations.”
For 2014, up to two inductees will be chosen. Nominations will be reviewed and chosen by a committee of ARC members.

“We hope all members of the agricultural communications community will consider nominating a deserving individual,” said ARC Hall of Fame committee chair Deron Johnson, of Zoetis. “Recognition of this type not only honors the individual, but validates all of the professionals who work in agricultural public relations every day.”

For additional questions, please call the ARC office at: 952/758-5811. Use the 2014 nomination form or E-mail ARC at arc@gandgcomm.com for more information.

For more information, visit www.agrelationscouncil.org.

Join us this week for one of the chapter’s favorite annual events undefined the NAMA Student Marketing Competition. We will hear presentations from our two university affiliate chapters undefined University of Tennessee – Martin and Mississippi State University. Please be a part of this important meeting as we review their business plans and offer much-appreciated feedback.

When: February 20, 2014, 11:30am
Where: Las Delicias Mexican Bar & Grill, 5680 Quince Road
Cost: $25

RSVPs NEEDED: We had a technical glitch with our website that prevented the delivery of any RSVPs. Please RSVP for this meeting even if you have previously done so. Sorry for the inconvenience.

MidSouth Students are Going for the Gold undefined NAMA Style!

Though all eyes may be on Sochi as the Olympics officially kick off this week, we’re gearing up for a little competition of our own!

Join us this month for one of the chapter’s favorite annual events undefined the NAMA Student Marketing Competition. Our two university affiliate chapters undefined University of Tennessee – Martin and Mississippi State University undefined are in the final weeks of their own training as the prepare for the national New Products Marketing competition in April.  Their eyes are on the prize and we want to do all we can to get them both onto the medal platform at the NAMA national convention.  We’ll hear both groups’ presentations, review their business plans and offer much-appreciated feedback to help them on their course to victory.  Please be a part of this important meeting to help future MidSouth agribusiness professionals.

We will send out a reminder the week of the meeting and hope to include the student’s provided marketing plans in their current state, so they can be reviewed prior to the meeting.

Learn more about the overall student competition.

When: February 20, 2014, 11:30am
Where: Las Delicias Mexican Bar & Grill, 5680 Quince Road
Cost: $25
Pay Online in Advance

Tonight we celebrated the best of the best in the MidSouth NAMA Chapter and beyond! Spirits and enthusiasm were definitely in “Flight” this evening as we learned whom among our group won at the chapter level and which rockstars would go on to compete at nationals in April.

Download a list of the winners.

Download full presentation.

Congratulations to all our winners!

Apparently someone else does too! 34 entries from the MidSouth NAMA Chapter will be advancing to the national judging for the annual Best of NAMA marketing contest.

RSVP and join us at 6pm Thursday, January 23rd at Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar for a fun night of dinner and drinks to find out who deserves to have a big head as their work goes on to compete nationally!

Entries that win at the national judging will be announced at the Best of NAMA Ceremony that kicks off the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 9-11, at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida.

Again, congratulations! We are very proud of our chapter.

Our MidSouth Best of NAMA event is just around the corner!

You did the work…now it is time to brag about it…let it go to your head.  We will celebrate our MidSouth Chapter First Place and Chapter Merit winners and learn which entries will continue on to compete at the national competition in April.

Join us to see who is the best of the best in the MidSouth!

Date:        January 23
Time:        6 p.m.
Location:  Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar

Cost:        $50
Pay Now: Click here