We are so happy that all of you were able to attend the Congress and the Ag Media Summit. We will continue to make entries here with pictures and coverage. If you have something you want to post, let us know so we can create a link to it or post it here. Thanks to everyone for your support — we hope you had a great time!
Please post any questions you have here for details you wish to know about as you finalize your plans to Texas. We are ready for you! Safe travels to everyone.
Here is a repeat post for you that is very important to know:
Some of you have asked for the address and phone number for the headquarters hotel during the IFAJ Congress and Ag Media Summit. Here it is: Worthington Renaissance Hotel, 200 Main Street, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, 76102; Telephone: 817-870-1000 (country code 00+1). Check it out, I think you’ll like it! http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dfwdt-renaissance-worthington-hotel-fort-worth/
We’ll see some of you in less than a week! Safe travels~
I received this note from from our Janet who is coordinating the post-Congress Tours. If you have already sent your passport number to her there is no need to respond. There are only a couple of you who still need to respond, but it is very important!
Reminder: We need your passport number by June 20, if you have signed up for the South Texas tour following the IFAJ Congress. This is because one of the tour stops, the Port of Corpus Christi, has strict security procedures. In order to obtain security clearance prior to the tour, we need to submit visitors’ passport information immediately. Please e-mail this information to me dianej@flash.net or to Janet Hunter (who e-mailed you several days ago requesting this information).
Janet Hunter janet.hunter@farmcreditbank.com
I know what it’s like to decide if I’m going to take my laptop computer with me when traveling so I’m offering some information that might help you make your decision.
First of all, we will have a Media/Press Room that will have computers and printers for you to use. If you do bring your own laptop then you can also plug in to the wired service in that room if that’s easier. The hotel also has FREE wireless internet service in the public area called “Bar Wired” which is a coffee shop/internet cafe located very close to all of the Congress and Summit activities. You can also purchase it for service in your room but since there are a couple of free options, you might as well take advantage of these choices.
Now you can make your own decision.
Please be sure to read through all of our posts because the most important information has already been listed. We’ll continue to update you, but for now we’re just finalizing the details and are getting ready for your arrivals. Still have questions? Your buddy is there for you!
This event is what we consider “business casual”. The following are examples for women to wear: pant suits, light sweaters, khaki pants and summer skirts. Men usually wear very nice pressed jeans, khaki pants but sometimes also wear a sport coat or jacket. Usually men do not wear ties to the workshops and sessions during the day.
Friday night and Sunday night parties will both have a western theme. So plan on blue jeans or shorts and your belts, boots and hat!
For those of you going on the tours: We have been very careful to select locations that do not put you out in a field in the heat of the day. Most will have buildings with air conditioning. Regardless, wear loose fitting clothing that will be comfortable to travel in. We will have plenty of water and other cold beverages for you on all tours.
The only formal night is Tuesday night’s awards dinner. Ladies, we encourage you to bring a nice dress, sparkly sequins are fine! Gentlemen, you will definitely want to wear a suit jacket with ties.
IMPORTANT: Hotels in the U.S. have air conditioning and THEY USE IT! So if you tend to be cold natured or do not like air conditioning, you must bring a wrap or sweater. YOU WILL NEED IT! Have any more fashion questions? Let me know!
On Friday (26 June) I’m going to post a list of everyone who has registered from outside of the U.S. for the Congress. This way you can see who is coming from your country and other friends you have met from other Congresses. I am also going to include your ARRIVAL day because many of you have added on an extra night and we want to be sure that we have that correct. Keep in mind, we are going to pick you up at the airport, so this information is very important for you to check. Keep informed by communicating with your “buddies” too!
NOTE: Go to www.agmediasummit.com download your copy.
Janet Hunter, who is working on our post-Congress tours, sent this to me and even translated it for all of our German speaking friends:
IFAJ friends,
The 2009 Congress is only six weeks from now. If you have any questions about the meeting or the agricultural tours, please e-mail your IFAJ buddy or me. We in Texas look forward to welcoming you to Fort Worth.
IFAJ Freunde,
der Kongress 2009 beginnt in nur sechs Wochen. Wenn ihr Fragen bezüglich des Treffens oder bezüglich der landwirtschaftlichen Führungen habt, bitte sendet eurem IFAJ-Partner oder mir eine E-Mail. Wir in Texas freuen uns darauf, euch in Fort Worth willkommen zu heißen.
Janet Hunter janet.hunter@farmcreditbank.com
Some of you have requested some information on sources for agriculture in the U.S. Here are some links that you can go to prior to coming to the Congress. Steve Werblow, our co-chairman of the program committee furnished this information:
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service publishes great papers on markets and economics. There’s an index online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Browse/. There are papers and articles on many topics, from individual crops to labor to trade issues, other countries, etc.
The USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (http://www.nass.usda.gov/#) is a great place to find data on anything agriculture.
This is the USDA’s 2002 book on topics that are mainly organized around federal programs and priorities such as cultural and economic diversity, Factbook of Agriculture http://www.usda.gov/factbook/
The Texas Department of Agriculture has a fact sheet online at http://www.agr.state.tx.us/gt/channel/render/items/0,1218,1670_1693_0_1692,00.html
——————
As we find more information we will post it here. Want to know more? Let us know how we can help you. Post a comment here!
I’ve noticed many of you are flying on American Airlines and I just received this e-mail that I thought I’d pass on. Check it out and, for those who are flying a different airline, the rules are similar, but please check with your specific airline to be sure of restrictions.
Next week you will be receiving an e-mail describing the final details of our tours for Saturday, Aug. 1 and on Tuesday, Aug. 4th. It will be extremely important that as soon as you receive this you respond back to your buddy with your choice. All of the tours are going to be very interesting and well worth your time, but when each one is filled up, then you may have to move to another one. Watch for this e-mail coming to your mailbox soon!
Oh and also, if you have not made your travel plans and can still go on one of the FANTASTIC post-Congress tours, there is still room but we need to know soon! Think about it and let us know if you still want to see a close up view of South Texas, West Texas or East/Central Texas.
Some of you have asked for the address and phone number for the headquarters hotel during the IFAJ Congress and Ag Media Summit. Here it is: Worthington Renaissance Hotel, 200 Main Street, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, 76102; Telephone: 817-870-1000 (country code 011). Check it out, I think you’ll like it! http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dfwdt-renaissance-worthington-hotel-fort-worth/
We’re working on arrangements for your arrivals so it is very important to get your flight arrival day/time and airline flight numbers to us. By now you should have been contacted by your “buddy” from the U.S. planning committee and you can send your information to them. Not sure who your buddy is? Let me know and I’ll make sure you get connected. They are available to you as you have questions about ANYTHING for the Congress, travel, weather, what to wear…and on and on! The days are bringing us closer to a fabulous event! Questions? Write a comment for everyone or click here: dianej@flash.net
Haven’t registered for IFAJ Congress yet? Well this is your lucky day. Due to a couple of new deadlines, we are going to offer a grace period. We really appreciate everyone who has registered with the April 1 deadline, but if you still want to come to Fort Worth this summer for IFAJ Congress and the Ag Media Summit, we are going to allow you just a few more days to register and save up to $300. However, after April 13 the fees will go up — do not delay.
HERE’S A HINT: contact your credit card company or bank BEFORE you start your registration. Some of you are being protected by your credit card company, but it’s just making you go through some extra steps. So let them know that you are about to make a big transaction before you begin.
Click here to register.
We have updated details on the tours that will start after the Congress is over. There are three different ones to choose from with the West Texas and South Texas tours starting on Wednesday morning (August 5th) and returning to Fort Worth on Saturday August 8th). There is also a tour that is one day shorter for those of you who need to get back home earlier. That tour will go to the beautiful Central and East Texas area including Texas A&M University to see the latest ag research projects.
•Two of the post-Congress tours (West Texas and South Texas) will start on Wednesday, August 5 and go through Saturday, August 8. Your post-Congress tour fee includes hotel accommodations through Saturday as well as airfare and transportation to the location of the tours. Cost for either of these tours is $950 per person single occupancy or $750 per person double occupancy.
•The third tour (Central/East Texas) is one day shorter and will start on Wednesday, August 5, and conclude on Friday night, August 7. This tour includes hotel accommodations through Friday night. Cost for this tour is $700 per person single occupancy or $550 per person double occupancy. If you wish to stay through Saturday night, we can help you with arrangements.
You can download the latest pdf of the Post Congress Tours here: Post Congress Tours Document (pdf)
Just one one week left to get the early price for the IFAJ Congress — I’ve received registrations from Japan, Finland, Austria, Australia, South Africa — and that’s just to name a few! So click here and get registered. The countdown is four months and one week as of TODAY! Questions on anything? Post here and it might help someone else too.
We realize that the registration system is complex so we have tried to make a few changes. Click here to see a simplified registration information page. Remember the early bird rates are only through March 31!
TOURS during the Congress: On Saturday, August 1 (2-7 pm) and Tuesday, August 4 (7 am – 4 pm) there will be tours of the local area. These tours will include a variety of agriculture related stops including horses, dairy cattle, crops, ag business, etc. Your Congress registration includes these two days of tours. On Tuesday, if you would prefer to attend the professional development seminars during the Ag Media Summit, you are welcome to attend at no additional charge. We will be contacting you to confirm your choice on these tours.
POST CONGRESS TOUR DATES:
West Texas Tour: August 5 to August 9
South Texas Tour: August 5 to August 9
Central/East Texas Tour: August 5 to August 8
(more information on tours below)
Hotlink above to tour pages
POST-CONGRESS TOUR INFORMATION:
•All tour agendas are included in the registration process and also available on www.ifaj2009.com.
•Two of the post-Congress tours (West Texas and South Texas) will start on Wednesday, August 5 and go through Saturday, August 8. Your post-Congress tour fee includes hotel accommodations through Saturday as well as airfare and transportation to the location of the tours. Cost for either of these tours is $950 per person single occupancy or $750 per person double occupancy.
•The third tour (Central/East Texas) is one day shorter and will start on Wednesday, August 5, and conclude on Friday night, August 7. This tour includes hotel accommodations through Friday night. Cost for this tour is $700 per person single occupancy or $550 per person double occupancy. If you wish to stay through Saturday night, we can help you with arrangements.