Agri-Business Club soon to compete in a national competition
Caroline Black
Issue date: 3/10/09 Section: News
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Focusing on the conference theme "Hot Ideas, Sizzling Solutions," student members of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) are currently preparing original agricultural marketing plans to be presented in stiff competition.
"The National Agri-Marketing contest provides students with the opportunity to present a marketing proposal to industry professionals," Dustin Bass, faculty advisor of the Agri-Business Club, said. "I'm looking forward to ABAC students attending the national conference and getting their feet wet in the marketing competition atmosphere."
This is only the second semester of the Agri-Business Club's existence, and club members have planned to do big things, beginning with the contest entry.
Since October, team members have been searching for just the right agricultural product to market giving consideration a wide range of variables including distribution, promotion, logistics, and profitability. Through this research, ABAC's team chose a local agricultural product known to everyone - the peanut. Students have researched and studied the peanut from creation to consumption. The product features a unique presentation of peanut butter suitable for the school lunch bag.
"Our plan, entitled 'Nuttin' Better Packs,' will market a healthy and fun snack item for kids," Taylor Sills, club president and NAMA team member, said.
After completing the written analysis of the market, the team will prepare to head to Atlanta. At the contest, they will present a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation, explaining and promoting the peanut product, followed by a 5-minute period of questions from a panel of judges. ABAC's team will consist of six to eight speakers, a student technical coordinator responsible for computer image projection, and a few prop and visual aid handlers. ABAC team members can expect to present their project three times if they advance in the competition.
"We are really excited about competing on the national level against top Universities from across the nation," Randi Walden, marketing team member, said.
ABAC will be up against a handful of major four-year universities including the University of Florida, University of Tennessee, California Polytechnic State University, Virginia Tech, University of Wisconsin, and New Mexico State University.
ABAC students who have been involved within researching, writing, and presenting this plan are: Taylor Sills, Sean Blankenship, Micah Conley, Andrew Skidmore, Dan Pennington, Tyler Poole, Melissa Lynch, Lisa Eckhardt, Courtney Cantaberry, Emily McKenna, Randi Walden, Grafton Rabun, Morgan Moser and Adam Jackson.
Though this will be the first NAMA conference and contest attended by ABAC students, they are not walking in to the game blind folded. Dustin Bass, the Agri-Business Club's faculty advisor, has been a part of the National Agri-Marketing Association for five years. He attended two national contests as a University of Florida student and coached the third place national team in 2007.
The National Agri-Marketing Association's conference helps students better understand key drivers to buying decisions in the market place. Conference attendees and competitors will have a chance to experience the latest new services and products entering the agricultural industry.
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