SAI PLATFORM ANNUAL EVENT 2019
Next Generation Farming
26-28 JUNE 2019
CHICAGO, IL, USA

Schedule of events

 

June 25 PM – Field to Market Conference and Joint Dinner (open to all): ‘Making Dollars and Sense: Building Shared Value in Agricultural Sustainability Programs’ and joint SAI Platform/FtM dinner. 

 

Please note that the programme of the SAI Platform Annual Event 2019 will be regularly updated, you will receive the final version via mail.

FIELD VISITS

We would like to offer you a range of simultaneous field visits to experience first-hand the various local food, agriculture system and farming practices with a focus on next generation farming. The visits will take place over a day.

DOWNLOAD PROGRAMME PDF

 

 

 

 

SOIL HEALTH TOUR (CROPS)

Date and time: June 26. Departure from Hyatt Hotel: 7:00 am.

Where: Illinois and Indiana

Each of the stops of this tour will demonstrate maximizing efficiencies across farm management to increase soil health, expand market opportunities, and advance the industry.

The tour is limited to max. 18 participants on a first-come first-served basis. 

We have reached the maximum number of participants. Registrations for the Soil tour are now closed.

The Soil Health tour is sponsored in part by PepsiCo.

NUTRIENT INNOVATION TOUR (CROPS)

Date and time: June 26. Departure from Hyatt Hotel: 8:00 am.

Where: Illinois and Indiana

Each of the stops of this tour will demonstrate diversification across production and generational management to decrease risk, increase environmental sustainability and empower the next generation of farmers.

The tour is limited to max. 30 participants on a first-come first-served basis. 

The Indiana Roots & Shoots field visit is sponsored in part by Ingredion.

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY TOUR (CROPS)

Date and time: June 26. Departure from Hyatt Hotel: 9:00 am.

Where: Illinois and Indiana

This field visit is focused entirely about trying to fill a trip with your senses: colourful vegetables, tasty garlic before finishing with the aroma of lavender. All of these farms are unique in how their ‘next generation’ has adopted and engaged in agriculture. Because more and more children are taking over their parents’ farm, these stops will provide a good perspective on the variety and diversity of farming families who are entering and continuing the farming heritage.

The tour is limited to max. 25 participants on a first-come first-served basis. 

The Expanding Opportunity tour is sponsored in part by Netafim.

INSIGHTS TO THE US DAIRY SECTOR | RICK CLARK’S FARM

Date and time: June 26. Departure from Hyatt Hotel: 10:15 am.

Where: Rick Clark’s farm, Warrant County, Indiana.

Rick Clark is a fifth generation farmer in Warren County, Indiana, he is an expert in regenerative agriculture practices and developed an innovative feeding model currently in practice. At Clark’s farm is 7000 acres (2832 Hectares) farm, you will have a fantastic opportunity to see a practical proven example of how the use of non-GMO seeds, crop diversity, and ‘farming green’ can lead to regenerative soil health and profitable cash crops.

Rick Clark has been honored as Danone’s Sustainable Farmer of the Year in 2017.

Optional (8:00 am – 10:00 am at Hyatt Hotel): Panel Discussion: Current Challenges and Opportunities of the US Dairy Industry on Animal Welfare and Workforce Development

INSIGHTS TO THE US DAIRY SECTOR | KUTZ DAIRY

Date and time: June 26. Departure from Hyatt Hotel: 10:15 am.

Where: Kutz Dairy, Jefferson, Wisconsin.

Ron and Pam Kutz started the dairy in 1973 with 10 Holstein cows. Over the years they have gradually increased their milking herd and by 1994 they we’re milking 250 Holstein cows. Today Kutz Dairy LLC milk 2,000 Jersey cows and raise 1,600 heifers. They grow crops on 1,700 acres to feed the cows and their main focus is producing high quality milk. The family farm is owned and operated by Ron and Pam, along with their sons Aaron and Allen.

Their sustainability-focused practices include planting cover crops, no-fill fieldwork, and manure separation with in-vessel composting.

Optional (8:00 am – 10:00 am, at Hyatt Hotel): Panel Discussion: Current Challenges and Opportunities of the US Dairy Industry on Animal Welfare and Workforce Development

US BEEF CHAIN IN A DAY

Date and time: June 26. Departure from Hyatt Hotel: 7:00 am

Where: LaSalle, Illinois and surroundings

We will visit producers involved in three different stages of beef production, namely a cow-calf operation, a backgrounding farm and a covered feedlot.

The three farms we will visit are focused on sustainable practices which include animal well-being; manure management; soil health and row crop operations.  The farmers involved  also demonstrate  good examples of ‘Next Generation Farming’ as they have had to be creative and innovative in order to convince the next generation to continue in their steps and build their futures on the family farm.

NOTE: Please note that participants on this beef visit should not be in contact with animals (excluding domestic pets) 24 hours prior to visiting each farm.

Participants will be required to wear clean footwear, particularly if they have been on a farm within the previous week.

The tour is limited to max. 25 participants. Place will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. 

Conference ‘Next Generation Farming’ Day 1 – Open to all

DOWNLOAD PROGRAMME PDF

Time Content Speakers
7:00 – 7:20 Running 4 miles with Sven (6:50 Meeting at the lobby)
8:00 – 8:30 Registration & Coffee
8:30 – 8:40 Welcome to SAI Platform Conference
  • Adrian Greet, Director General, SAI Platform
8:40 – 9:00 Keynote speaker
  • Christine Daugherty, PhD, JD, Vice President Global Sustainable Agriculture & Responsible Sourcing, PepsiCo Sustainability Office
9:00 – 12:45

SESSION 1 – RESILIENT FARMING SYSTEMS: PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS AND CASE STUDIES

Climate-related impacts are already reducing crop yields in some parts of the world. Without some thought and planning, producers struggle to remain viable in current production areas, the environment loses, or producers clear the land to produce new crops which are not necessarily adapted to the climate in the area. The learning curves suggests that maintaining production and commodity prices will be difficult in the future hence Business as usual will become increasingly a stretch goal.
9:00 – 9:45 Panel Discussion: Towards Carbon-Neutral and Climate-Resilient Agri-Food Systems
  • Adam Schlosser, Senior Research Scientist & Deputy Director, MIT Joint Program on Science and Policy of Global Change
  • Jay Hill, Farmer & Sustainability Officer, NM USFRA 
  • Dennis Todey, Director – USDA Midwest Climate Hub, USDA

Moderator:

  • Roger Thurow, Senior Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
9:45 – 10:45 Panel Discussion: GeoFootprint: The Maps to Accelerate Sustainable Management of Agricultural Supply Chains
  • Greg Downing, Director of Sustainability, Cargill
  • Jason Funk, Principal & Founder, Land Use & Climate Knowledge Initiative/ World Resource Institute (WRI)
  • Matthew Neyman, Sustainability Accounting Manager, Mars Inc.

Co-moderators:

  • Xavier Bengoa, Sustainability Consultant & Knowledge Manager, Quantis
  • Daniella Malin, Agriculture and Climate Program Leader, Sustainable Food Lab/ Cool Farm Alliance
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45 Breakout Roundtables: Building on Implementation of Different Sustainable Practices – Soil, Animal Welfare and Water Stories from Farmers, Industry and Government

Breakout Roundtable 1 – Soil Health

The Growing Case for Returning to Cover Crops and Small Grains in the Midwest

In this session we will hear from a company, supplier partner, and farmer about what it takes to support farmers to try out new practices and what the limits are to scale. We will discuss what it will take to get to scale.

 
  • Will Cannon, Corn & Soybean Grower
  • Margaret Henry, Director Sustainable Agriculture, PepsiCo

Moderator:

  • Elizabeth Reaves, Senior Program Director, Agriculture and Environment, Sustainable Food Lab

Breakout Roundtable 2 – Animal Welfare

Farm Animal Wellbeing: An Ethical and Economic Win-Win for Farmers and Consumers

In this session we will explore and test the extent of the idea that human and animal interests go hand in hand with improved welfare.

 
  • Dr. Candace Croney, Director of the Center for Animal Welfare Science, and Professor of Animal Behavior and Well-Being, Purdue
  • Robin Ganzert, President & CEO, American Humane
  • Dr. Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University
  • Trent Hendrick, Hub Leader, Cabriejo Ranch & savory

Moderator:

  • Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director, GRSB

Breakout Roundtable 3 – Water Management

California Almonds: Increasing Irrigation Efficiency through Education, Innovation & Adoption

In this session we will learn more about the Almond Board of California, their Irrigation Improvement Continuum and sustainability program (CASP).
  • Spencer Cooper, Senior Manager, Field Outreach and Education, Almond Board of California
  • Gabriele Ludwig, Director Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Almond Board of California
12:45 – 13:45 Networking Lunch
13:45 – 14:25 Roundtables Highlights and Key Takeaways
  • Gabriele Ludwig, Director Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Almond Board of California
  • Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director, GRBS
  • Elizabeth Reaves, Senior Program Director, Agriculture and Environment, Sustainable Food Lab

Moderator:

  • Sasha Twining, Conference Host
14:25 – 15:40

SAI Platform Market Place – Showcasing the Value Proposition of SAI Platform for a Global Market 

  • Towards FSA 3.0
  • Spotlight
  • Livestock
  • Crops Projects
  • Events & Communications
  • Regional Presence
15:40 – 15:50 Wrap up and close of day 1
  • Sasha Twining, Conference Host
15:50 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:15 General Assembly (Members Only) See agenda below
19:30

Conference Dinner at The Dalcy, 302 N Green Street, Chicago, Illinois (18:50 Meeting at the lobby)

Keynote Speaker: Carrie Woolley, Livestock Operations Manager 

 

General Assembly – Members Only

Time Content and Speaker
15:50 – 16:00 Registration and Coffee
16:00 – 16:10
  • Welcome from SAI Platform President, Jan Kees Vis
  • Antitrust Caution Statement
  • Approval of Agenda General Assembly 2019
  • Approval of Minutes General Assembly 2018
16:10 – 16:20 Report from SAI Platform Director General, Adrian Greet
16:20 – 16:25 Update from SAI Platform Australia
16:25 – 16:40
  • Approval of Nigel Davies as ExCo Member Appointment as Treasurer
  • Approval of Yann-Gael Rio and Luc Beerens as ExCo Members
  • Approval of Financial Statement 2018
  • Approval of Budget 2019
  • Approval for Discharge of Executive Committee’s Responsibilities 2018
  • Report from SAI Platform Treasurer
16:40 – 16:50 Report from SAI Platform President, Jan Kees Vis
16:50 – 17:05 Advocacy Discussion
17:05 – 17:15
  • AOB
  • Closing of the SAI Platform General Assembly 2019

 

Conference Day 2 – Open to all

Time Content Speakers
6:45 – 7:15 Outdoor fitness session with Jenny (6:40 Meeting at the lobby)
7:30 – 8:00 Registration & Coffee
8:00 – 10:20

SESSION 2 – DESIGNING RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAINS
8:00 – 8:30 Progressing Sustainably Sourced Corn Across Global Supply Chain
  • Mike Cossins, Farmer
  • Brian Nash, Director Sustainability, Ingredion
  • Jon Radtke, Water Sustainability Program Director, The Coca-Cola Company
  •  

Moderator:

  • Rob Meyers, Sustainability Director, PepsiCo
8:30 – 9:00 SAI Platform B2B Model – Dairy Global Methodology for Sustainability Performance
  • Axelle Bodoy, Global Milk & Farming Sustainability Manager, Danone
  • Autumn Fox, Sustainable Sourcing Manager, Mars Inc.
  • Joe McMahan, Vice President, Sustainability Initiatives
  • Hansel New, Manager, Sustainability Programs Dairy Farmers of America
  • Jaap Petraeus, Corporate Manager Sustainability, FrieslandCampina

Moderator:

  • Rozanne Davis, Head of Sustainability, innocent drinks
9:00 – 9:20 Field to Market – Collaboration on FSA and Value Proposition for Both Members
  • Stefani Grant, Senior Manager External Affairs and Sustainability, Unilever
  • Rod Snyder, President, Field to Market
9:20 – 10:20 The Future of Responsible Supply Chains in the Global South: Corporate Trends and Technologies
  • Daniele Giovannucci, President, COSA

Moderator:

  • Sasha Twining, Conference Host
10:20 – 10:45 Coffee Break
10:45 – 13:00

SESSION 3 –  ENABLING NEXT GENERATION

The Future of Global Farming
10:45 – 11:00 Introduction to Session 3  
11:00 – 12:00 Generational Discussion on Next Generation Farming: Father and daughter will engage the audience in questions about the current and future generation of farming systems.
  • Hal Hamilton, Senior Advisor, Sustainable Food Lab
  • Margaret Henry, Director Sustainable Agriculture, PepsiCo
12:00  – 12:20 Who’s the Next Generation?: “Made by Humans”
  • Shayna Harris, Chief Growth Officer, Farmer’s Fridge
12:20 – 12:45 Who’s the Next Generation?: Millennial Farmer and Entrepreneur
  • Jay Hill, Farmer & Sustainability Officer, NM USFRA 
12:45 – 13:00

Interactive Reflection and Q&A Session

  
13:00 – 13:15 Wrap up SAI Platform Conference 2019 ‘Next Generation Farming’
  • Sasha Twining, Conference Host

 
13:15 – 15:00 Networking Lunch