Two teams of students from New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences recently achieved success on a national stage after placing in competitions sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Association.
The students were among the finalists who competed in the Student NAMA Marketing Competition and Student NAMA Sales Competition earlier this month after prevailing in the preliminary and semifinal rounds. All of the students – 19 in total – are active members of the NMSU chapter of NAMA, housed in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business.
The marketing team took second place in the marketing competition, held virtually April 19-22, outperforming teams from Iowa State University, University of Missouri, University of Tennessee and Kansas State University in the final round of competition. The University of Guelph took first place. This year’s competition included 24 teams from the United States and Canada.
Students in the marketing team assembled a marketing plan around an agricultural product of their choice, using research and skills in agribusiness marketing, sales, public relations and advertising. They submitted a written executive summary and gave a professional sales presentation to a panel of NAMA judges during the competition. Their campaign centered on a shelf-stable milk product, Curious Floats, developed in partnership with Curious Heifer LLC and Freanna LLC of Clovis, New Mexico.
Students in the marketing team included: Tylei Bowen, Jackson Compton, Joyce Anne Cooper, Noah Cully, Savannah Dimas, McKenzie Frizzell, Kristie Gallacher, Isaac Galvez-Suazo, Matthew Martinez, Paden McDermid, Annalisa Miller, Lexi Montgomery, Ethan Ortiz-Ulibarri, Morgan Owen, Charles Peraza, Kylie Pruett, Jason Quintana, Wyatt Sandoval and Ashton Treadwell.
“It is very exciting to see the undergraduates realize they can compete and win against other land-grant universities. They did a great job and represented NMSU, New Mexico and the dairy industry very professionally and demonstrated their knowledge of business and marketing,” said Chaddy Robinson, ACES assistant professor, NAMA adviser and marketing team coach.
To watch the marketing team’s presentation, visit https://bit.ly/3gHNi8e.
Dimas and McDermid, both juniors majoring in agricultural economics and agricultural business, also participated in the NAMA sales competition, held virtually April 14-15. McDermid was a finalist in the competition, placing in the top eight of all competitors. A sales-call skills challenge for individual contestants, the competition seeks to advance the practice and professionalism of selling and the sales profession. Both students participated in a preliminary-round scenario where they sold soybean seed to a farmer, then a final-round challenge where they sold a fuel plan to owners of a diversified farming and landscape management operation.
“Our students showcased their incredible tenacity for selling, particularly the ability to quickly build rapport and serve the client in diverse contexts. This was NMSU’s first year participating in the sales competition, and I’m thrilled the students found such great success,” said Nellie Hill, ACES assistant professor and NAMA sales team coach.
For more information about the NMSU chapter of NAMA, contact Robinson at chadelle@nmsu.edu or visit https://aces.nmsu.edu/academics/aeab/students-organizations.html.