Oregon welcomes the 2009 annual meeting of NACAA

Our Conference Committee Chairs have been very active pulling together this year's show so prepare to dazzle your senses with Oregon's diversity of natural beauty and agricultural production, but plan, too for some major AMPIC changes......

The Pre-conference Livestock Tour starts in Boise, Idaho allowing participants to see a greater diversity of livestock production and geography for a better representation of Oregon than would a tour centering around the conference site.

Plan to enjoy two State's Night's Out, tasting ethnic options on Monday and American style fare on Tuesday. Portland has built a reputation for high quality of fresh products and has attracted some of the finest chefs in the nation, who excell sharing their expertisefor your delight. Light Rail (MAX) and bus transpoortation in most of the area is free and makes travel to and from these establishments a snap. Many choices offer options for large groups, or test one of the smaller (but not less festive) atmospheres offered by these fine dining establishment.

And the Professional Improvement Tours will be conducted on Thursday, September 24 rather than the traditional Wednesday. Thursday's post tour dinner will be the final event for the conference. Be sure to plan your travel accordingly.

Full and varied programs are offered for Life Members, Spouses, and our Sons and Daughters.

Headquarters hotel for the conference is the DoubleTree at Lloyd Center, located directly across the street from the Lloyd Center Mall, Oregon's oldest and still largest mall. (Ice skating is open year around at the Lloyd Center.) Other hotels include the Red Lion Conference Center, (directly across from the Oregon Conference Center, the LaQunita Conference Center (a short block away from the Center), and the Courtyard by Marriott. All four were selected to offer a range of pricing and comfort levels to our visitors.

The area offers easy transportation to and from the airport via Portland's famous light rail system known as the MAX. A quiet twenty minute ride delivers you to the host hotels and makes stops at the Oregon Conference Center, home to the 2009 AMPIC. Additionally, the MAX provide free service to the main shopping and dining experiences in downtown Portland, a short hop across the Willamette River. And, of course, there is NO Sales Tax in Oregon!