An agenda built through deep collaboration with our community to ensure every session delivers substance over soundbites. You’ll hear from true subject matter leaders via candid case studies, collaborative roundtables, and varied panel discussions —providing clarity on what’s driving success across the food & ag landscape.
Kick off the day by enjoying a selection of breakfast refreshments and barista coffee while networking with fellow attendees.
As you collect your badge from the registration desk, pick up your Connection Pin. This simple, visual identifier highlights a key challenge, priority, or topic you're looking to explore during the event, making it easier to connect with peers facing similar opportunities and obstacles.
Later in the morning, join a dedicated networking session and be seated alongside attendees who have selected the same pin, creating an opportunity to exchange experiences, share practical insights, and build valuable new connections.
• How Minnesota is positioning itself as a national hub for growth across food, fuel, and fertilizer, strengthening U.S. global competitiveness while advancing initiatives like the Protein Highway to scale the alternative protein sector in partnership with Canada
• Minnesota’s efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience by applying lessons from recent disruptions, investing in regional infrastructure, and supporting innovation through programs such as the Cottage Food Law
• Minnesota's expanding access for new and underrepresented farmers through targeted programs that improve land access, financing, and technical support to build a more inclusive agricultural economy
Thom Petersen, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Scale regenerative agriculture to strengthen farmer resilience, secure ingredient supply, and mitigate growing climate risks
• Align procurement and sustainability strategies to accelerate emissions reduction while protecting business continuity
• Turn climate action into competitive advantage through resilient sourcing, operational efficiency, and stronger farming communities
Biodiversity, water, and nature: not a new frontier in disclosures, but a solution to current crises
• Understand why water risk is becoming a top operational and financial priority in North America
• See how investments in biodiversity and nature-based solutions are already protecting supply chains
• Explore how TNFD frameworks and verification are being applied in practical, commercially relevant ways
• Show how ingredient, commodity, and brand owners are partnering directly with growers to make regenerative practices work economically at the farm level
• Explore how collaboration, innovation, and industry alignment are enabling regenerative agriculture to move from pilots to commercial-scale adoption
• Connect on-farm outcomes such as resilience and ROI with supply chain security, climate goals, and evolving consumer and brand expectations
Camilla Guiguer, Director, Sustainability, North America Manufacturing, Pernod Ricard
Anna Pierce, Director, Sustainability, Tate & Lyle
Keith Bearden, Chief Executive Officer, Alter Eco
• Define what farm-level data is truly necessary for Scope 3, land sector, and resource reporting
• Learn how data can be collected at scale without increasing administrative burden on growers
• Apply insights from carbon measurement systems to future water, biodiversity, and nature metrics
Jay Watson, Senior Director, Sustainability, General Mills
Michel Santos, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Bunge
Julia Kurnik, Senior Director, Innovation Startups, World Wildlife Fund
Beyond fertilizer: how biologicals and precision inputs are cutting costs and building soil resilience
• Evaluate how biologicals and biostimulants reduce input costs and improve nutrient efficiency in real farm settings
• Identify the data and proof points that successfully drive grower confidence and accelerate adoption
• Connect biological inputs, precision agriculture, and seed innovation into an integrated soil and yield strategy
Participants will break into small groups to deep dive into the subject matter discussed in the latest sessions. Tables will be guided by previous speakers, giving you the opportunity to explore the theme 'Turn farm and supply chain data into economic value' in more detail, ask questions, and exchange insights with peers.
Nick Martin, VP, Corporate Sustainability, Post Holdings
Jay Watson, Senior Director, Sustainability, General Mills
Julia Kurnik, Senior Director, Innovation Startups, World Wildlife Fund
As water scarcity, declining water quality, and increasing competition for resources reshape global food and agriculture production, water risk is emerging as a critical business concern. Leading companies are recognizing that water stewardship is no longer solely a sustainability issue but a strategic lever for strengthening supply security, operational resilience, and long-term growth.
This closed-door workshop under Chatham House will explore how businesses can scale water stewardship initiatives to drive both environmental and commercial outcomes.
• Watershed-level action: Identify priority watersheds and sourcing regions where collective action, stakeholder collaboration, and targeted interventions can help secure long-term water availability and build resilience across the value chain
• Integrated nature strategies: Embed water stewardship within broader supply chain management approaches, linking water goals with biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, and ecosystem restoration initiatives to maximize impact and efficiency
• Scaling for impact: Move beyond pilot projects by developing the governance structures, partnerships, financing mechanisms, and metrics needed to scale water and ecosystem initiatives
• Understand how trends in protein, fiber, and hydration are rooted in genuine dietary gaps, and how a human-centric, science-led approach guides when and how consumers can incorporate them into daily routines
• Discover how PepsiCo’s global R&D team turns insights into food and drink innovations that are accessible, enjoyable, and scalable across global markets
• Explore how companies and brands can communicate science in clear and engaging ways that build consumer trust and relevance
Tara Glasgow, Chief Science Officer and EVP, R&D, PepsiCo
• Explore how consumers are balancing their interest in protein with value, convenience, ingredient quality and trust—and which factors genuinely influence purchasing decisions.
• Examine what consumer research reveals about the difference between interest in protein and actual behavior, including where eggs fit within evolving expectations for whole-food nutrition.
• Learn how American Egg Board is translating consumer insights and nutrition science into practical demand-building strategies across retail, foodservice and schools
Emily Metz, President & Chief Executive Officer, American Egg Board
• Identify which consumer signals are genuinely driving purchasing decisions as value, price sensitivity, and trade-offs intensify
• Learn how brands are adjusting reformulation and messaging strategies around nutrient-density, ingredient quality, and protein
• Understand how evolving definitions of “healthy” are shifting away from ultra processed and synthetics, combining with regulatory pressure to accelerate reformulations
Heather Anfang, President, Dairy Foods & EVP, Land O'Lakes
Domenic Borelli, EVP, Retail, Hormel Foods
Briana Bennet, Head, Ice Cream R&D, Ben & Jerry’s and NA, The Magnum Ice Cream
Kelly Beaton, Chief Content Officer, The Food Institute
Why It Matters: Explore how rising consumer expectations are reshaping food markets and what customers increasingly need from partners who can deliver transparency, agility, and consistent execution in a rapidly changing environment.
Discussion Topics:
• Explore how evolving consumer expectations are reshaping food, from personalized nutrition to transparency, value, and convenience.
• Examine why trust is becoming a competitive advantage, and how transparency, consistency, and execution help build confidence across the food system.
• Discuss what customers need from partners during periods of volatility, and how speed, resilience, and deep market expertise enable growth even amid uncertainty.
Gonzalo Petschen, Group President, Food North America, Cargill
• Reframe what clean label signals to consumers when processing is unavoidable
• Learn how brands communicate ingredient complexity without damaging credibility
• Determine when transparency supports growth and when it introduces friction or delist risk
Sam Khoury, VP, Regulatory, QA & Technical, Refresco
This roundtable explores how organisations are measuring the real impact of regenerative agriculture programmes, with a focus on water footprints and carbon sequestration. Participants will share practical examples of what’s working today, where measurement approaches are strongest, and where critical gaps remain.
As the industry shifts towards outcome-based programmes, the discussion will examine what evidence is needed to meet stakeholder expectations, build consumer confidence, and support credible, scalable implementation.
Key discussion points:
• How success is currently being measured across regenerative agriculture initiatives
• What decisions and actions current measurement frameworks can realistically support
• Where the biggest data and model gaps exist, and limitations in current approaches
• Barriers to scaling sampling and direct measurement, and whether it is necessary
• How data collection can evolve to strengthen buyer confidence and sustainability targets
Bennett LaFond, Account Manager - Ecosystem Monitoring, Vaisala
Julia Illman, Head, Business, Vaisala
Join this dynamic breakfast session featuring a series of short talks and breakout discussions from trailblazing women across food and agriculture. From personal journeys to practical insights, this breakfast offers a rich tapestry of experiences designed to empower and engage professionals at every stage of their career. Let's build a dialogue that celebrates resilience, innovation, and the power of female voices.
• Turn stewardship outcomes into measurable value for farmers through procurement, partnerships, and market-based incentives
• Unlock access to financing and land to help producers invest in long-term resilience and generational succession
• Build demand for climate-smart and regenerative products by aligning buyer expectations, stewardship benchmarks, and emerging value chains
Kate Greenberg, Commissioner, Colorado Department of Agriculture
• Clarify what “resilience” actually means for global food systems across security, affordability, environmental limits, and farmer viability
• Examine where supply chain partnerships are sufficient, and where policy direction, regulatory clarity, and standardized approaches are essential
• Confront the real cost of inaction, including who ultimately funds transition from the status quo, over what timeframe, and with what accountability
Norberto Chaclin, EVP, Chief Research & Development Officer, Mondelēz International
Florian Schattenmann, Chief Technology Officer, Cargill
This candid, audience-led session puts the most pressing food system challenges front and center. Drawing on questions raised throughout Day 1, audience members will tackle what's really holding industry progress back. Expect honest perspectives, practical solutions, and fresh thinking designed to move beyond theory and into action. Come ready to challenge assumptions, share hard-won insights, and help shape the conversations that will define a more resilient food system.
As demand surges for renewable energy, data centers, housing, carbon sequestration and nature restoration, agricultural land is increasingly being asked to serve multiple purposes. At the same time, landowners are aging and significant portions of the agricultural land base are expected to transfer hands as part of the “Great Wealth Transfer.” For food and agriculture businesses, the loss of productive farmland represents a growing supply chain risk with implications for food security, sourcing costs and long-term resilience.
This workshop under Chatham House will explore how companies can help shape a future where farmers have sound succession plans and can capitalize on new economic opportunities without permanently sacrificing food production. Participants will discuss how to balance competing land-use priorities while ensuring agricultural landscapes continue to support both people and planet.
• Understand what's driving agricultural land loss: Explore how the impending “wealth transfer” and the expansion of data centers, carbon projects, housing and nature restoration initiatives are reshaping land-use decisions and creating new pressures on productive farmland.
• Identify opportunities to keep farmland productive: Examine innovative models that allow farmers to transfer land to the next generation while maintaining agricultural output and protecting long-term food production capacity.
• Turn land stewardship into a supply chain resilience strategy: Discuss how value chain stakeholders can work with suppliers, farmers and landowners to safeguard productive landscapes, manage sourcing risks and advance food security, climate and nature goals.
Jean Brokerish, Midwest Deputy Director, American Farmland Trust
Angie Doucette, Midwest Senior Farmland Program Manager, American Farmland Trust
• Balance immediate commercial priorities with longer-term breakthroughs, while ensuring innovation is anchored in clear consumer and system needs and designed to scale from the outset
• Embed sustainability within innovation to move beyond trade-offs and position it as a core driver of growth, resilience, and future-ready product development
• Leverage AI, data, and evolving talent models to accelerate test-and-learn cycles and build more agile, responsive R&D functions that can bring ideas to market faster
Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars
Deepali Palta, VP, Global R&D, Global M&M’S, Mars
• Connect R&D innovation with real-world supply chain outcomes, linking product design, sourcing and emissions reduction
• Apply AI and connected data to identify inefficiencies, reduce emissions and improve operational performance across suppliers
• Translate data insights into measurable impact: cost savings, emissions reduction and stronger supply resilience
• Build sourcing strategies that strengthen farmer resilience, secure critical supplies, and reduce exposure to climate and market volatility
• Align procurement, sustainability, and commercial objectives to deliver emissions reductions, operational efficiency, and long-term business continuity
• Create shared-value partnerships across the value chain that improve supplier performance, incentivize innovation, and generate competitive advantage
Arthur Karuletwa, VP, Coffee Procurement, Chobani and La Colombe
• Embed EPR requirements into packaging design decisions, selecting materials, formats, and labelling approaches that improve recyclability and keep valuable materials circulating within the economy
• Understand why circular packaging is increasingly becoming a business imperative, reducing material dependence, improving resource efficiency, and helping brands capture greater value from packaging systems
• Align design, data, and supplier collaboration to build packaging portfolios that support material recovery, lower total system costs, and remain resilient as EPR programs expand across states
• Examine the role of emerging innovation across the food system, from farmer adoption of new technologies to delivering healthy, affordable food choices on the shelf
• Explore the investments and partnerships needed to accelerate agricultural innovation and support farm competitiveness
• Discuss the latest developments in AI, agricultural research, and data security and their impact on food system resilience
• How to prepare for a future where health, longevity, and personalized nutrition become the primary drivers of food choice, reshaping demand, product development, and value creation across the food system
• Plan for conversations on resource scarcity, where water stress, land constraints, biodiversity loss, and climate volatility increasingly shape sourcing decisions, operating models, and long-term business resilience
• Identify which emerging technologies, from AI and predictive intelligence to biotechnology, biologicals, and advanced breeding, will deliver the next wave of productivity, and separate transformative solutions from overhyped innovation
• Scale regenerative agriculture to strengthen farmer resilience, secure ingredient supply, and mitigate growing climate risks
• Align procurement and sustainability strategies to accelerate emissions reduction while protecting business continuity
• Turn climate action into competitive advantage through resilient sourcing, operational efficiency, and stronger farming communities
Biodiversity, water, and nature: not a new frontier in disclosures, but a solution to current crises
• Understand why water risk is becoming a top operational and financial priority in North America
• See how investments in biodiversity and nature-based solutions are already protecting supply chains
• Explore how TNFD frameworks and verification are being applied in practical, commercially relevant ways
• Show how ingredient, commodity, and brand owners are partnering directly with growers to make regenerative practices work economically at the farm level
• Explore how collaboration, innovation, and industry alignment are enabling regenerative agriculture to move from pilots to commercial-scale adoption
• Connect on-farm outcomes such as resilience and ROI with supply chain security, climate goals, and evolving consumer and brand expectations
Camilla Guiguer, Director, Sustainability, North America Manufacturing, Pernod Ricard
Anna Pierce, Director, Sustainability, Tate & Lyle
Keith Bearden, Chief Executive Officer, Alter Eco
• Embed EPR requirements into packaging design decisions, selecting materials, formats, and labelling approaches that improve recyclability and keep valuable materials circulating within the economy
•Understand why circular packaging is increasingly becoming a business imperative, reducing material dependence, improving resource efficiency, and helping brands capture greater value from packaging systems
•Align design, data, and supplier collaboration to build packaging portfolios that support material recovery, lower total system costs, and remain resilient as EPR programs expand across states
• Examine the role of emerging innovation across the food system, from farmer adoption of new technologies to delivering healthy, affordable food choices on the shelf
• Explore the investments and partnerships needed to accelerate agricultural innovation and support farm competitiveness
• Discuss the latest developments in AI, agricultural research, and data security and their impact on food system resilience
• How to prepare for a future where health, longevity, and personalized nutrition become the primary drivers of food choice, reshaping demand, product development, and value creation across the food system
• Plan for conversations on resource scarcity, where water stress, land constraints, biodiversity loss, and climate volatility increasingly shape sourcing decisions, operating models, and long-term business resilience
• Identify which emerging technologies, from AI and predictive intelligence to biotechnology, biologicals, and advanced breeding, will deliver the next wave of productivity, and separate transformative solutions from overhyped innovation
• Turn stewardship outcomes into measurable value for farmers through procurement, partnerships, and market-based incentives
• Unlock access to financing and land to help producers invest in long-term resilience and generational succession
• Build demand for climate-smart and regenerative products by aligning buyer expectations, stewardship benchmarks, and emerging value chains
Kate Greenberg, Commissioner, Colorado Department of Agriculture
• Clarify what “resilience” actually means for global food systems across security, affordability, environmental limits, and farmer viability
• Examine where supply chain partnerships are sufficient, and where policy direction, regulatory clarity, and standardized approaches are essential
• Confront the real cost of inaction, including who ultimately funds transition from the status quo, over what timeframe, and with what accountability
Norberto Chaclin, EVP, Chief Research & Development Officer, Mondelēz International
Florian Schattenmann, Chief Technology Officer, Cargill
• Balance immediate commercial priorities with longer-term breakthroughs, while ensuring innovation is anchored in clear consumer and system needs and designed to scale from the outset
• Embed sustainability within innovation to move beyond trade-offs and position it as a core driver of growth, resilience, and future-ready product development
• Leverage AI, data, and evolving talent models to accelerate test-and-learn cycles and build more agile, responsive R&D functions that can bring ideas to market faster
Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars
Deepali Palta, VP, Global R&D, Global M&M’S, Mars
• Connect R&D innovation with real-world supply chain outcomes, linking product design, sourcing and emissions reduction
• Apply AI and connected data to identify inefficiencies, reduce emissions and improve operational performance across suppliers
• Translate data insights into measurable impact: cost savings, emissions reduction and stronger supply resilience
• Build sourcing strategies that strengthen farmer resilience, secure critical supplies, and reduce exposure to climate and market volatility
• Align procurement, sustainability, and commercial objectives to deliver emissions reductions, operational efficiency, and long-term business continuity
• Create shared-value partnerships across the value chain that improve supplier performance, incentivize innovation, and generate competitive advantage
Arthur Karuletwa, VP, Coffee Procurement, Chobani and La Colombe
• Define what farm-level data is truly necessary for Scope 3, land sector, and resource reporting
• Learn how data can be collected at scale without increasing administrative burden on growers
• Apply insights from carbon measurement systems to future water, biodiversity, and nature metrics
Jay Watson, Senior Director, Sustainability, General Mills
Michel Santos, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Bunge
Julia Kurnik, Senior Director, Innovation Startups, World Wildlife Fund
Beyond fertilizer: how biologicals and precision inputs are cutting costs and building soil resilience
• Evaluate how biologicals and biostimulants reduce input costs and improve nutrient efficiency in real farm settings
• Identify the data and proof points that successfully drive grower confidence and accelerate adoption
• Connect biological inputs, precision agriculture, and seed innovation into an integrated soil and yield strategy
Participants will break into small groups to deep dive into the subject matter discussed in the latest sessions. Tables will be guided by previous speakers, giving you the opportunity to explore the theme 'Turn farm and supply chain data into economic value' in more detail, ask questions, and exchange insights with peers.
Nick Martin, VP, Corporate Sustainability, Post Holdings
Jay Watson, Senior Director, Sustainability, General Mills
Julia Kurnik, Senior Director, Innovation Startups, World Wildlife Fund
• Explore how consumers are balancing their interest in protein with value, convenience, ingredient quality and trust—and which factors genuinely influence purchasing decisions.
• Examine what consumer research reveals about the difference between interest in protein and actual behavior, including where eggs fit within evolving expectations for whole-food nutrition.
• Learn how American Egg Board is translating consumer insights and nutrition science into practical demand-building strategies across retail, foodservice and schools
Emily Metz, President & Chief Executive Officer, American Egg Board
• Understand how price sensitivity, protein demand, and transparency are shaping purchase decisions, and why eggs are uniquely positioned to deliver
• Tap into the growing MAHA narrative around whole, nutrient-dense foods to reinforce eggs as a credible, accessible, and widely trusted everyday staple
• Explore pathways to integrate eggs into public school meal programs, mirroring milk's success to drive habitual consumption and long-term demand
• Identify which consumer signals are genuinely driving purchasing decisions as value, price sensitivity, and trade-offs intensify
• Learn how brands are adjusting reformulation and messaging strategies around nutrient-density, ingredient quality, and protein
• Understand how evolving definitions of “healthy” are shifting away from ultra processed and synthetics, combining with regulatory pressure to accelerate reformulations
Heather Anfang, President, Dairy Foods & EVP, Land O'Lakes
Domenic Borelli, EVP, Retail, Hormel Foods
Briana Bennet, Head, Ice Cream R&D, Ben & Jerry’s and NA, The Magnum Ice Cream
Kelly Beaton, Chief Content Officer, The Food Institute
Why It Matters: Explore how rising consumer expectations are reshaping food markets and what customers increasingly need from partners who can deliver transparency, agility, and consistent execution in a rapidly changing environment.
Discussion Topics:
• Explore how evolving consumer expectations are reshaping food, from personalized nutrition to transparency, value, and convenience.
• Examine why trust is becoming a competitive advantage, and how transparency, consistency, and execution help build confidence across the food system.
• Discuss what customers need from partners during periods of volatility, and how speed, resilience, and deep market expertise enable growth even amid uncertainty.
Gonzalo Petschen, Group President, Food North America, Cargill
• Reframe what clean label signals to consumers when processing is unavoidable
• Learn how brands communicate ingredient complexity without damaging credibility
• Determine when transparency supports growth and when it introduces friction or delist risk
Sam Khoury, VP, Regulatory, QA & Technical, Refresco
Kelly Beaton, Chief Content Officer, The Food Institute
As water scarcity, declining water quality, and increasing competition for resources reshape global food and agriculture production, water risk is emerging as a critical business concern. Leading companies are recognizing that water stewardship is no longer solely a sustainability issue but a strategic lever for strengthening supply security, operational resilience, and long-term growth.
This closed-door workshop under Chatham House will explore how businesses can scale water stewardship initiatives to drive both environmental and commercial outcomes.
• Watershed-level action: Identify priority watersheds and sourcing regions where collective action, stakeholder collaboration, and targeted interventions can help secure long-term water availability and build resilience across the value chain
• Integrated nature strategies: Embed water stewardship within broader supply chain management approaches, linking water goals with biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, and ecosystem restoration initiatives to maximize impact and efficiency
• Scaling for impact: Move beyond pilot projects by developing the governance structures, partnerships, financing mechanisms, and metrics needed to scale water and ecosystem initiatives
This roundtable explores how organisations are measuring the real impact of regenerative agriculture programmes, with a focus on water footprints and carbon sequestration. Participants will share practical examples of what’s working today, where measurement approaches are strongest, and where critical gaps remain.
As the industry shifts towards outcome-based programmes, the discussion will examine what evidence is needed to meet stakeholder expectations, build consumer confidence, and support credible, scalable implementation.
Key discussion points:
• How success is currently being measured across regenerative agriculture initiatives
• What decisions and actions current measurement frameworks can realistically support
• Where the biggest data and model gaps exist, and limitations in current approaches
• Barriers to scaling sampling and direct measurement, and whether it is necessary
• How data collection can evolve to strengthen buyer confidence and sustainability targets
Bennett LaFond, Account Manager - Ecosystem Monitoring, Vaisala
Julia Illman, Head, Business, Vaisala
Join this dynamic breakfast session featuring a series of short talks and breakout discussions from trailblazing women across food and agriculture. From personal journeys to practical insights, this breakfast offers a rich tapestry of experiences designed to empower and engage professionals at every stage of their career. Let's build a dialogue that celebrates resilience, innovation, and the power of female voices.
This candid, audience-led session puts the most pressing food system challenges front and center. Drawing on questions raised throughout Day 1, audience members will tackle what's really holding industry progress back. Expect honest perspectives, practical solutions, and fresh thinking designed to move beyond theory and into action. Come ready to challenge assumptions, share hard-won insights, and help shape the conversations that will define a more resilient food system.
The pressures driving farmland and nature loss are no longer confined to agriculture alone. As demand for land grows from food production, nature restoration, carbon markets, renewable energy, housing and rapidly expanding digital infrastructure such as data centres, organizations face increasingly difficult trade-offs. At the same time, biodiversity decline and ecosystem degradation are raising questions about how land is valued, allocated and managed.
This closed-door workshop under Chatham House will explore how businesses can navigate competing land-use priorities and reconcile food security and nature goals.
• Balance competing demands on finite land: How organizations are navigating trade-offs between food production, nature recovery, infrastructure development, data center expansion, carbon objectives and broader land-use priorities
• Understand the true cost of land-use change: How farmland conversion, habitat loss and ecosystem degradation are affecting supply chains, local economies and long-term resilience, and what current trends suggest for the future
• Bridge policy and local engagement: Ensuring rural communities benefit from changing land-use priorities, including new infrastructure and investment, without accelerating farmland loss or undermining the long-term viability of agriculture
Jean Brokerish, Midwest Deputy Director, American Farmland Trust
Angie Doucette, Midwest Senior Farmland Program Manager, American Farmland Trust
