THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN 2024
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this year's Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems Summit USA.
It was truly a delight to gather in person with 350 leaders at the Regenerative Agriculture & Food Systems Summit USA. Over three days, we engaged in enriching discussions, critical thinking, and optimistic dialogue aimed at revolutionizing our food system.
Key Takeaways
- Acknowledging producers as integral parts of the supply chain fosters rapid adoption of regenerative practices.
- Exploring new financing options is crucial to support investments in regenerative agriculture.
- Improving traceability and data quality at the producer level is essential for progress.
- Setting targets provides a shared goal and drives collaboration beyond sustainability departments.
OUR PURPOSE
Our purpose is to bring together all stakeholders and be a neutral platform that enables open, constructive, and educational discussions to further progress toward the transition to regenerative practices. We believe everyone deserves a seat at the table and that the best way to effectively bring about change is through peer-to-peer sharing, partnership, and collaboration.
WHO ATTENDED?
Consultants/ Investors
Position Yourself as a Market Leader: Position yourself at the forefront of the regenerative agriculture movement by showcasing your expertise and securing new clients and partners.
Thought Leadership: Participate in critical discussions that define the trajectory of the transition to regenerative agriculture and establish your company as a thought leader in the industry.
Regulatory Landscape: Successfully navigate regulatory challenges and opportunities by staying up to date with regulatory changes and understanding the evolving landscape of sustainable and regenerative practices.
Farmers/ Academics
Tell your Story: Share your challenges, experiences, and have your voice heard by CPGs and other vital stakeholders in the room.
Case Studies: Gain insights into real-world challenges faced by farmers and other key supply chain players when transitioning. Successfully adopt evidence-based practices and bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Networking Opportunities: Facilitate collaborative partnerships by sharing experiences and challenges as you exchange ideas with other farmers and researchers.
Service Providers
Market Expansion Opportunities: Identify new business opportunities and expand your client base by offering solutions tailored to regenerative practices.
Showcase Innovative Solutions: Position yourself as a trusted partner by demonstrating your solutions to potential clients and showcasing how your innovation contributes to environmental stewardship.
Network and Collaborate: Enhance your credibility and establish your presence in the industry by participating in discussions and connecting face-to-face with 350+ key agri-food players.
NGOs/ Cooperatives
Advocacy for Policy Change: Engage with industry leaders to promote policies that incentivize and support the transition to regenerative agriculture. Contribute to the development of a framework that encourages regenerative practices.
Showcase Successful Case Studies: Provide tangible examples of how regenerative agriculture has positively impacted communities, ecosystems, and agricultural productivity.
Collaboration and Partnership Building: Amplify the impact of your initiatives by forming alliances with other farmers, NGOs, and businesses.
MNCs/ F&B Brands
- Industry Leadership: Foster partnerships for a collective impact by engaging with decision-makers from across the value chain.
Thought Leadership: Provide real-world case studies of how regenerative agriculture has positively impacted your business and establish your company as a thought leader in the industry.
- Networking: Connect with and learn from 450+ industry leaders from across the supply chain who share your commitment to transforming agriculture for a better future.
Retailers
Industry Leadership: Foster partnerships for a collective impact by engaging with farmers, ingredient suppliers, F&B Brands, and decision-makers from across the value chain.
Knowledge Sharing: Scale your projects by identifying strategic opportunities and forming new partnerships.
Networking: Build connections with 350+ industry leaders from across the supply chain who share your commitment to transforming agriculture for a better future.
ADVISORY BOARD
Our Advisory Board helps steer the direction of the Series and its content to ensure we stay close to our mission throughout.
Our members bring an objective and collaborative approach to their roles and aid in the creation of a platform that is industry-driven and provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to share, network, and leave committed, and ready to make real progress.
Lesley Mitchell
Øistein Thorsen
Jess Newman
Jess Newman is the Senior Director of Agriculture & Sustainability at McCain Foods, the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products and appetizers. Her team of agronomists and field representatives are responsible for all the vegetable crops purchased directly from farmers. They also implement McCain’s 2025 sustainability goals related to agriculture: 100% of farmers implementing regenerative practices, 25% reduction in farming CO2 emissions intensity, 15% improvement in irrigation water use efficiency in water-stressed regions, and the launch of three Farms of the Future.
Jess works remotely from her home state of Michigan and travels frequently to support her team (when covid allows).
Jess is passionate about sustainability in agricultural supply chains. Her philosophy is to meet farmers where they are and help them move along the sustainability spectrum – while creating profitability too! Talking to farmers is what energizes her. Shas worked at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Ecologic Institute, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Booz & Company, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and Anheuser-Busch. She holds a B.A. from Harvard, an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management (with Sustainability Certificate). She loves baking bread, sci-fi/fantasy, and cats.
Pascal Chapot
Megan Rock
Megan Rock is vice president of sustainability and innovation at CHS, the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and an agronomy, global energy, grains and food company.
In 2022, Rock joined CHS as the company’s first VP of sustainability and innovation. Prior to CHS, she served as VP of corporate responsibility and sustainability and global lead of sustainability solutions at Bunge, Inc., and held sustainability and environmental management positions in government and banking.
In her new role, Rock will lead CHS efforts to develop and execute sustainability and innovation strategies across its $48 billion enterprise.
Rock holds a bachelor of science degree in soil, environmental and atmospheric science from the University of Missouri and a graduate certificate in advanced studies in environmental policy and management from the University of Denver.
Rock has served on the board of directors for Field to Market and Ag Future of America. In 2015, she received the Changemaker of Tomorrow award from Keep Akron (Ohio) Beautiful, and she is a member of the St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 under 40 class of 2020. She lives in St. Louis with her three children and two French bulldogs.
Felipe Villela
Martina Henry
Alex Godfrey
Jennifer Simpson
Dionys Forster
INNOVATION SHOWCASE
Congratulations to our
Innovation Showcase Audience Choice Winner
The Innovation Showcase gives commercial startups with unique and interesting technologies, services, and products within the agriculture space the chance to present in front of our audience of investors and strategic partners.
Five start-ups leading the way in the agriculture space were chosen by our Selection Committee, made up of active Investors, to present their vision of the future of regenerative agriculture.
Innovation Showcase Finalists
Interested in applying for our 2025 Innovation Showcase?
Submission Deadline: Friday, February 7 2025.
2024 SELECTION COMMITTEE
Brian Halweil
Cristina Rohr
Cristina Rohr a Managing Director of Investments with S2G Ventures. Cristina’s portfolio work ranges from agriculture focused investments in genetics, crop protection, soil health and digital/IOT to consumer facing brands.
Cristina has nearly 10 years of experience in sourcing, executing, managing and exiting venture and private equity investments. Before joining S2G Ventures, Cristina was a private equity investor with the Edgewater Funds in Chicago and, prior to that, with First Reserve in London, where she focused on leveraged buyout investments in the natural resources industry. Cristina also previously worked for Citigroup Investment Banking Division in London.
Cristina graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences with a double major in Mathematical and Computational Sciences and Economics. She earned her MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.
Parker Hughes
Mitch Rubin
About Kisaco Research
Kisaco Research produces, designs and hosts B2B industry conferences, exhibitions and communities – focused on a specialized selection of topic areas.
Meet industry peers that will help build a career-changing network for life.
Learn from the mistakes of your peers as much as their successes—ambitious industry stalwarts who are happy to share not just what has made them successful so far but also their plans for future proofing their companies.
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