Deadline for Entries: October 10, 2008.

Whet your Appetite
Have you served up some hot ideas and sizzling solutions in the past year? If so, submit your most choice work for consideration for a Best of NAMA award! The Best of NAMA awards program honors the most prime work in agricultural communications. You might say it recognizes la crème de la crème, actually, because companies/agencies must first qualify through regional competition in order to advance to the national level. The national awards ceremony will take place April 15, at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta.

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. The NAMA office will notify you by February 1, 2009 regarding entries eligible for advancement. An entry fee at the regional and national level is required. If your entry advances to national, however, it will not be necessary to create another entry.

Your Entries Nourish Your Local NAMA Chapter.
Your local chapter receives $25 per regional entry. So, enter your work in Best of NAMA and nourish your local chapter at the same time.

What’s on the Menu?
If you’re a NAMA member you’re eligible to serve up your company’s sauciest communications materials, prepared for first use in 2008. (If entered in 2007, the EXACT SAME entry will not be eligible in 2008.) Additions or modifications to an ongoing campaign will not be eligible year after year. Entries are open to agricultural, ornamentals, turf, livestock veterinarians and any other ag-related products or services whose primary audience is farmers, ranchers and growers (except as otherwise noted). Please submit translations where necessary. Each entry should be submitted through one region only.

It’s All in the Presentation (Entry Submission Tips)
Entries should be served up to the National Agri-Marketing Association, 11020 King Street, Suite 205, Overland Park, KS 66210. It is mandatory that the entry identify the chapter of the company or agency (note space on entry form). (Members-at-large, Canadian members and other council members not affiliated with a NAMA Chapter should identify your nearest chapter.)

Don’t be stale -- the exact same entry may not be entered into two different categories. However, ingredients (or elements) of a campaign can be entered in separate categories. Please do not enter the exact same entry through different chapters. Work directed at Canadian audiences can be entered in any category. The Best of NAMA committee reserves the right to disqualify or change the category of any entry if deemed appropriate. Entry fees for disqualified entries will not be returned. Decision of the Best of NAMA committee is final.

Check, Please! (Information about Entry Fees)
The regional entry fee is $100 PER ENTRY. If you are submitting multiple entries, please send only one check for the total amount. If your entry qualifies to advance to national competition you will be contacted. At that time a $100 fee PER ENTRY will be required.

Serve it Up Fresh!
The regional entry deadline is October 10, 2008. No extensions will be granted on entry or payment submission.

Careful Preparation is Key!
A typewritten entry form and TWO EXTRA photocopies of the entry form must accompany each piece. Please make sure entry forms are filled out with proper company names, correct spellings, etc., as winners’ plaques will be engraved from this information. Also, please be sure to include e-mail addresses on entry forms, as all communication will be by e-mail. All entries become property of NAMA and cannot be returned. Please do not send original art or one-of-a-kind samples. Please follow closely the entry preparation requirements noted with each section. Entries score higher when they follow the correct preparation instructions. For category clarification please contact the NAMA office at (913) 491-6500 or e-mail jennyp@nama.org.

The Top Choice of NAMA - Best of Show!
At the national level, three Best of Show categories have been established. One will be awarded in each of the following categories, at the discretion of the judges:

Advertising • Public Relations • Specialty Categories