Students compete in National Agri-Marketing Association competition

The National Agri-Marketing Association Club at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Agriculture recently traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to compete in the National Agri-Marketing Association Student Competition. There, students presented their marketing plan for an agricultural product, EasyEatz, not yet on the market. EasyEatz is dehydrated beef turned into flakes to facilitate the consumption of beef for elderly people. The students competed against 25 universities from around the country and Canada.

To prepare for this event, the NAMA club had to obtain approval for their product by the competition board before they could start developing a marketing plan. Once approved, they moved ahead with their primary and secondary research and prepared a five-page executive summary of the marketing plan, which was submitted in February, prior to the competition. Once the summary was submitted, the NAMA club prepared a presentation for a panel of judges. After the first round of the competition, the teams received feedback on their work and presentation from the judges.

Along with the presentation, students had the opportunity to network with other teams and professionals in the agriculture industry, as well listen to a keynote speaker discuss the business world.

Dr. Lucie Kadjo, associate professor of agribusiness and NAMA advisor, says attending this event provides many benefits for students, including hands-on experience in marketing, networking with students and professionals across the country and Canada, and public speaking and communication skills.

"When asked about their favorite part of the competition, students said that watching other teams present was very entertaining," said Kadjo.

The NAMA Club thanks SUFAC and GROWMARK for sponsoring the trip. GROWMARK funded the trip through Glenn Webb Education funds.