Does globalization mean a "Golden Age" for American agriculture? In this session, international economist Don Reynolds, delivers a fast paced overview of major trends in the global economy and how they will impact agriculture. From new economic developments to currencies, energy, interest rates and more, Reynolds will address recent market volatility in the financial markets and how you can prepare for - and profit from - today's changing marketplace.

Don Reynolds served for eleven years as Chairman of the Investment Advisory Board of a $22 billion trust fund that resulted in his appointment by President Bush as Pension Board Chairman with oversight of $120 billion in pension and trust funds. He understands how critical it is for decision makers to have a clear vision of future trends when making long term, strategic decisions.

In 1986, Reynolds founded 21st Century Forecasting, a research company focusing on long term global, economic, demographic and technology trends. He also developed the nation's first graduate business course on the 21st Century.

Reynolds has a masters degree in Public Administration/Planning, a doctoral background in economics, and is a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute of the Wharton School. He has an honorary degree from the University of Moscow and was the first American member of the Moscow Center for Consulting Scientists.

Session sponsored by Cattlemen's Beef Board

Break

Break sponsored by National Cotton Council

The Changing Consumer
Dr. Claudia Mobley, Sam M. Walton College of Business, Center for Retailing Excellence

As the American population ages and changes, so do their habits as customers. How do we adapt to these changes and anticipate - and capitalize on - the trends that are shaping their buying habits? Dr. Claudia Mobley will discuss developing markets, the rise of health and wellness concerns and more. Learn how changing lifestyles and cultural shifts impact your bottom line...and how you can come out ahead!

Dr. Claudia Mobley is the director of the Center for Retailing Excellence at the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Mobley and her team are responsible for developing and maintaining alliances with the retail industry, the development and coordination of outreach initiatives for industry and academia, and educational programs for students and industry.

She has extensive experience in the retail merchandising, buying, management, and wholesale production. Dr. Mobley held faculty positions at the University of Arkansas, University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University, and the Fashion and Art Institute of Dallas prior to accepting her appointment as Director of the Center for Retailing Excellence.

Welcome Reception
View the Best of NAMA entries and enjoy the ABEF Casino Night.

Reception courtesy of John Deere, DTN/The Progressive Farmer, Specialty Fertilizer Products

Continental Breakfast

Breakfast courtesy of High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal and
Hoard's Dairyman Magazine

American consumers have been jolted by food safety scares in the past year ranging from dirty spinach to sickening peanut butter. Yet it was the case of contaminated pet food from China that seemed to galvanize public opinion that something in the system has gone awry. That's just the way it is: consumers and newspaper readers can be fickle, walking away from serious stories about their own health in favor of less weighty pieces about dogs and cats. So how and why does the media react the way it does when it comes to covering food safety-related issues and what implications does that have on consumers?

Sarah Muirhead covers the feed, food, pet and agricultural sectors for Feedstuffs. She has followed the Chinese food scare, the rise of the organic and natural industries, the labeling debate surrounding bovine somatotropin in milk and the food industry's chase for consumer dollars sometimes at the expense of the science and what's in the best interest of the rest of the food chain. Sarah has been covering the issue for Feedstuffs for 25 years. She graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill.

Session sponsored by Osborn & Barr Communications

Break

Break courtesy of CHS, Inc.

The Decision Zone: Six Issues the Food Industry Must Confront in 2008, 2009...
Kevin Coupe, MorningNewsBeat.com

What are the compelling issues confronting the food industry in 2008 and beyond? What kinds of companies can be successful in a tough competitive environment that continually challenges them with issues like globalization and food safety? How will you differentiate your products, services and values in an era of cutthroat competition, when customer needs and priorities seem to shift almost daily?

Kevin Coupe, MorningNewsBeat’s “Content Guy,” addresses each day on his web site…and they are the focus of this presentation. His premise: the stakes are too high, the time is too short, and the customer is too demanding for retailers and manufacturers to put off critical decisions that will define their future and their hopes for survival. You'll walk away with tactics to help your company evolve and stay ahead of the game.

Kevin Coupe is a writer specializing in creating unique portraits of "Main Street"-type businesses in the U.S. and around the world, focusing on the unique dynamic that exists between retailers, manufacturers and consumers. Working in print, video and online, Coupe captures the special relationship between shopkeeper and shopper, especially in a technological society in which the rules and roles are constantly changing. And, as a speaker on these same subjects, Coupe has enlightened and entertained audiences around the globe.

Session sponsored by Padilla Speer Beardsley
Podcast sponsored by Truffle Media Networks

Awards Luncheon
Congratulate the honorees of this year’s NAMA Professional Development Awards of Excellence. Each year, NAMA honors members with hands-on responsibility in marketing communications, public relations, product/species management and sales. Awards will be given in each of these four areas and the recipients will share their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in agri-marketing.

Awards of Excellence Program courtesy of Farm Progress Companies and Specialty Fertilizer Products
Luncheon sponsored by Nicholson Kovac & Truffle Media Networks

Creating a Supply Chain for A "New to the World" Food Packaging Material
Mary Rosenthal, NatureWorks LLC

NatureWorks LLC is the first commercially viable producer of a truly sustainable resource based plastic - NatureWorks® polymer. Made from 100% plant resources, not oil, NatureWorks polymer is being adopted quickly around the globe for use in food packaging, food serviceware, films and fibers under both the NatureWorks and Ingeo™ brand names. But commercialization has not been without it's challenges. Mary Rosenthal will present what has been required regarding supply chain education - including "Smart Care", stakeholder engagement and issues management in order to bring this new material to market both here in North America and globally.

Mary Rosenthal is Global Communications Leader for NatureWorks LLC, a renewable resource based polymer company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cargill, Inc. In her role, Rosenthal leads marketing and corporate communications for the packaging, fibers and emerging application business segments.

With more than 20 years of experience in the food industry, Rosenthal has held various positions in sales, marketing, public relations and business development. In 1999, Rosenthal too the role of President of Morgan&Myers, Minneapolis - a farm to fork public relations firm with focus on issues management in the food industry. Following this, she was lead public relations counsel with Fleishman-Hillard, primarily with Hormel Foods. Rosenthal was a founding member of the Women's Foodservice Forum, a member of the Corporation for the Culinary Institute of America, on the public relations committee for the Chocolate Manufacturers Association and is currently on the public relations committee for International BIO. Rosenthal received a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.

Session sponsored by Elanco Animal Health

Break

Break sponsored by Martin/Williams

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Who is Pulling Our Chain? - Closing Session
Vidya Jwala – Vice President, Supply Chain, Tractor Supply Company

Transportation networks. Inventory forecasting. Imports, advertising and their impact on in-stock planning. Vidya Jwala will explore the elements pulling the chains of today’s retailers. Learn how longer lead times affect ad in-stock planning and how supply chain directors work with suppliers to utilize “lift” information from advertising.

Vidya Jwala is Director of Supply Chain and Replenishment for Tractor Supply Company. Prior to that, he held director-level positions with Lowe’s and Jo-Ann Stores, managing their inventory and planning, product flow and replenishment. Jwala has also worked with Arthur Andersen’s Business Consulting in the consumer product goods division. He holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Session sponsored by Country Living Association