Program

Hosted by:

• From corporate restructuring and evolving market dynamics to geopolitical shifts, 2024 was a year of change. As we move into 2025, how will discussions and actions in agriculture, food, and climate evolve?
• What tangible results are we seeing from policy initiatives globally, and how will the regulatory landscape develop in the coming years?
• How are science and technology leveraged as key vehicles for ensuring food production meets world needs? What do innovation pipelines look like, and how are they designed to meet key objectives?
• How are roles and powers across the agri-food system shifting? How do we generate increased collaboration, incentives, and accountability to achieve shared goals?

Chair:
Joby Young, EVP, AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Speakers:
Jessica Christiansen, SVP, Head of Bayer Crop Science and Sustainability Communications, BAYER
Paul Rea, SVP Agricultural Solutions North America, BASF
Joe Cornelius, CEO, GATES AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS (GATES AG ONE)
Leah Anderson, President, WINFIELD UNITED
Tom J. Vilsack, CEO, WORLD FOOD PRIZE FOUNDATION

• What are the key headwinds to accelerating agricultural innovation, and how can we overcome them to scale solutions and meet industry-wide goals?
• How are shifts in corporate investment activity impacting the M&A landscape, and how will corporations pursue acquisitions that benefit both parties as we move ahead?
• What alternative innovation models exist, and how can they be leveraged to create enterprise value?
• In the seed and crop protection industries specifically, where do we see the biggest growth areas and what is the role of external innovation?
• What do these developments mean for early- and growth-stage companies? How can they continue to meaningfully engage with agribusinesses?

Chair:
Jeffrey Price, Global Co-Head of Chemicals Investment Banking, J.P. MORGAN

Speaker:
Brook Cunningham, SVP & Chief Strategy Officer, CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE

Hosted by:

• What AI and GenAI capabilities exist today and how are they incorporating users’ objectives? How are businesses reimagining their workflow through AI and GenAI? What can and can’t these models do?
• What infrastructure is being built horizontally, and what infrastructure needs to be established vertically by the agriculture industry? How can we build and scale hardware?
• The race for talent has begun. What human capital is needed where? What operational changes are we seeing? How are companies building capacity internally?
• AI is as good as the data it is trained on, so how do we produce golden data sets? How do we aggregate and harmonize existing data stored in disparate places? How do we identify and fill gaps? How can we verify data sets to ensure quality? Do data requirements change as GenAI advances?
• Considering that a true recommendation comes with financial risk, how far are AI and GenAI models going today? How can we better understand their zone of interest and chain of thought reasoning?
• As the AI and GenAI landscape evolves, what IP, data privacy, and security considerations must remain at the forefront? How are regulatory frameworks and safeguards shaping up?

Chair:
Ilias Tagkopoulos, Director and Principal Investigator, AI Institute for Food Systems, UC DAVIS

Speakers:
Feroz Sheikh, Group CIO and CDO, SYNGENTA GROUP
Ranveer Chandra, CTO Agri-Food & General Manager M365 Copilot, MICROSOFT
Tim Murnin, Head of Industry Solutions, AWS
Sy Choudhury, Head of Business Development, AI Partnerships, META

• Considering the historical and current context of agriculture in North America and other regions, what are farmers’ objectives and decision-making processes? How can manufacturers align with these parameters to drive adoption as farm margins tighten?
• What capabilities do smart vehicles offer today and what do trial results reveal across different conditions? Where are autonomous vehicles in their commercialization journey?
• As autonomous vehicles mature and adoption rises, what logistical challenges related to farm navigation arise, and how can we address them?
• What are the regulatory frameworks for autonomous vehicles across various regions and how can we establish standardized frameworks in key markets?
• What impact is autonomy having on farming systems, and what new practices or processes are being implemented alongside autonomous solutions to transform agriculture?

Chair:
Jessie Scott, Editor in Chief, SUCCESSFUL FARMING

Speakers:
Jay Schroeder, CTO, CNH
Andrew Sunderman, Vice President and General Manager of PTx Trimble, AGCO
Praveen Penmetsa, Founder & CEO, MONARCH

• What robotic innovations are available for various aspects of the growing process, and how are they alleviating workforce pressures?
• Can these solutions be effectively implemented on farms as proposed? Do they require further engineering, and must the cultivation environment be adapted for full automation?
• How scalable are these solutions and where do they stand on their path to commercialization? Can we accelerate the process and what are realistic timelines?
• In a competitive innovation landscape, how can early- and growth-stage companies incorporate farmer insights into their R&D to better address growers’ needs and build confidence in the sector?

Chair:
Vonnie Estes, VP of Innovation, IFPA

Speakers:
Pål Johan From, Founder & CEO, SAGA ROBOTICS // THORVALD
Walt Duflock, VP of Innovation, WESTERN GROWERS
Scott Komar, Senior Vice President of Global R&D, DRISCOLL’S
Kristen Smith Eshaya, President, JV SMITH COMPANIES

Hosted by:

• What new specialty and broadacre crops are being developed to meet consumer preferences and market needs? How can we grow varieties with higher nutrient density, unique product characteristics, or improved resilience?
• What does the commercialization roadmap for these technologies entail? What advancements are feasible today, and which case studies illustrate their applicability, scalability, and impacts across the supply chain from seed to shelf?
• As consumer acceptance of these technologies grows with tangible products, how can we accelerate commercialization? How are regulatory frameworks evolving to support this process?
• How do gene editing and breeding technologies fit into corporate pipelines across the agri-food supply chain? Where are we seeing collaborations and partnerships, and what new business models are emerging?

Chair:
Sylvia Wulf, EVP & Head of Agriculture & Environment, BIOTECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ORGANIZATION (BIO)

Speakers:
Tom Adams, Co-Founder & CEO, PAIRWISE
Edward Fish, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Varietal Solutions, BAY STATE MILLING
Todd Rands, CEO, ELO LIFE SYSTEMS
Jennifer J. Petersen, EVP & Chief Science Officer, SUN WORLD INTERNATIONAL

• Across biostimulants, biocontrol and bionutrition, which active ingredients demonstrate the greatest potential for efficacy, predictability, and consistency?
• How can input companies support rigorous mode of action studies as part of product development to validate efficacy claims?
• How is AI supporting the discovery process and increasing the likelihood of success? In what ways can AI drive innovation in bioprotection by identifying, prioritizing, and designing novel molecules for R&D?
• How is delivery technology, such as encapsulation, improving thermostability and shelf life, and what is the impact on the biologicals market?
• How are input companies delivering effective, cost-efficient biological solutions to growers, and what is their impact on farms’ bottom lines?
• As the industry’s focus shifts from ‘chemistry versus biology’ to a synergistic approach, how are input companies supporting growers in integrating synthetic and biological solutions to achieve economic and environmental objectives?

Chair:
Vipula Shukla, Senior Program Officer, Agriculture R&D, GATES FOUNDATION

Speakers:
Seva Rostovtsev, CTO, FMC CORPORATION
Thomas Laurent, CEO, MICROPEP TECHNOLOGIES
Zach Hedge, Vice President, Innovation & Business Development, OCP NORTH AMERICA
Eli Ziskind, Partner, AQUA CAPITAL

Hosted by:

• Digital solutions can transform agricultural efficiency, productivity, and profitability if applied in the correct context. Given today’s complex innovation ecosystem, how can we better connect farmers to technologies addressing their problems?
• As growers collect more and more data, what farm-level data strategies are being implemented? What data sources are being utilized and how can we better support their analysis? How will the integration of AI allow for military-grade precision and enhanced farm management?
• Geospatial imagery has enormous potential for understanding the historical and current performance of operations in relation to exogenous threats. How can we automate the process of turning geospatial imagery into granular insights?
• How do we combine data from different sources, run better analytics, and allow for more precise, real-time decisions? What will be the impact on environmental management and farm economics?

Chair:
Renée Vassilos, Director of Agriculture Innovation, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Speakers:
Brad Drake, EVP & COO, GROWMARK
Manish Arya, Co-Founder & CTO, TAVANT
Manoj Regmi, VP, Technology, FARMERS EDGE
Prue MacKenzie, Director of CPG & Retail, GOOGLE CLOUD

• Where along the agri-food value chain are new technologies driving innovation, and what challenges do they address? How are these initiatives improving environmental and economic resilience from farm to fork?
• How are corporations incorporating digital tools into their workflows to enhance supply chain visibility, predictability, and efficiency? What new data-driven business models are emerging, and what economic and environmental outcomes do we expect to see along the agri-food supply chain?
• What partnerships and collaborations are driving progress? Where are the gaps?

Chair:
Lee Addams, Agribusiness Strategy Leader, EY-Parthenon, EY

Speakers:
Carole Hill, CIO, WILBUR-ELLIS
John Brubaker, CEO, SMARTWYRE
Ken Barham, Regional General Manager, North America, NUFARM

• As science and technology change what’s possible in agriculture, how are these vehicles allowing us to make food production more efficient and sustainable?
• Can technology automate the discovery process of identifying and combining genetic markers for desired outcomes? What are the implications for plant breeders and farmers?
• How can we progress these technologies on their journey to commercialization? What market channels are needed?
• How does the regulatory landscape support or hinder innovation, and what policy changes do we expect to see as new administrations get to work across the world?

Chair:
Tyler Nuss, Co-Founder, THE MODERN ACRE

Speaker:
David Friedberg, CEO, OHALO

• Is the economic downturn a turning point for the industry? What new investment approaches and models are being developed and implemented to achieve capital efficiency and create lasting value?
• How are investors balancing their portfolio responsibilities with new investments? How can we ensure a consistent flow of seed- and growth-stage financing?
• How can early- and late-stage start-ups navigate the tougher funding environment and meet rising investor expectations? What distinguishes today’s funded companies to those two years ago?
• What financial patterns observed in other industries are emerging in agriculture and food? How do these patterns shed light on which companies are likely to thrive in the coming years?
• How can we establish markers for success? What characteristics will define the winners, and how will these companies address the most pressing challenges across agriculture and food?

Chair:
Adam Anders, Managing Partner, ANTERRA CAPITAL

Speakers:
Cristina Rohr, Manging Director, S2G INVESTMENTS
Clay Mitchell, Farmer & Co-Founder and Managing Director, FALL LINE CAPITAL
Po Bronson, General Partner, SOSV & Managing Director, INDIEBIO
Brook Porter, Partner, G2 VENTURE PARTNERS
Kiersten Stead, Managing Partner, DCVC BIO

Hosted by:

• How are public and private stakeholders across the agri-food supply chain collaborating to achieve climate and nature goals? How do we meet competing demands for food, feed, and fuel while reducing emissions and regenerating natural resources?
• How are agribusinesses, food brands, and the wider ecosystem approaching MMRV to understand their environmental footprint? What methodologies for Scope 3 GHG emissions reporting exist? What technologies, processes, and controls to produce accurate, verifiable, and defensible data are being implemented?
• How are agri-food players aligning with government to reduce emissions and restore natural resources at the landscape level? How are businesses working with partners and competitors in shared environments?

Chair:
Crystal Davis, Global Director, Food, Land & Water (FLW) Program, WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE

Speakers:
Jason Trusley, SVP, Chief Strategy Officer, LAND O’LAKES
Shobha Shetty, Global Director, Agriculture and Food Global Practice, WORLD BANK GROUP
Michael Doane, Global Managing Director Freshwater and Food Systems, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Lila Preston, Head of Generation Growth Equity, GENERATION INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Daniel Ryan, President and CEO, CIBO TECHNOLOGIES

• What challenges does agricultural finance face? How are advancements in digital solutions re-shaping the financial landscape for farmers?
• As climate- and market-related risks increase, how can we ensure the economic viability of farms? What tailored insurance options are available to meet the specific needs of different growers, and which case studies illustrate their impact?
• What barriers are hindering capital flow within the system? How are Farm Credit initiatives and emergent solutions facilitating access for farmers? How can we ensure transparent and fair loan decisions?
• The one-size-fits-all approach in online consumer banking does not apply to agricultural finance. How can we effectively digitize agricultural banking and payment systems to align with growers’ needs? How can we connect the dots across the supply chain to streamline innovation and provide simple, comprehensive finance solutions to farmers?

Chair:
Renée Vassilos, Director of Agriculture Innovation, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Speakers:
Kelly Miller, Director of AgTech, COMPEER FINANCIAL
Dave Gebhardt, SVP Data Analytics & General Manager, EARTHDAILY AGRO
Dalynn Hoch, Head of RCIS, ZURICH INSURANCE
John Coleman, Managing Director of Origination, Agriculture, North America, MUNICH RE

• What does the current agri-food investment landscape look like, where are the gaps, and what types of capital are needed?
• Where is CVC emerging as a critical player in fostering innovation, and how is this influencing deal structures?
• How are corporate funds balancing their innovation pipelines with portfolio responsibilities? What strategies are they using to ensure that growth-stage financing remains accessible?
• How do the objectives and timelines of corporate venture capitalists align or diverge from entrepreneurs, and what implications does this have for start-ups seeking funding?
• What are the characteristics of successful partnerships between different types of investors including CVC and founders? How are these relationships reshaping industry dynamics?

Chair:
Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, TENACIOUS VENTURES

Speakers:
Erin VanLanduit, Head of Corporate Ventures, CARGILL
Hadar Sutovsky, VP Corporate Investments, ICL GROUP & General Manager, ICL PLANET STARTUP HUB
Michael Lee, Managing Director, Ventures, SYNGENTA GROUP
Sebastien Pascual, Director, TEMASEK

During this smallholder spotlight, we will explore how science and technology can help to address intensifying climate challenges in the Global South. From nutritional value and yield to pest and disease resistance, we will look into R&D breakthroughs and how they are driving resilience. We will discuss how scientific innovations, developed and implemented by industry collaborations, can help to adapt regional staple crops and their environments to changing conditions.

Chair:
Howard-Yana Shapiro, Distinguished Senior Fellow, CIFOR-ICRAF

Speakers:
Jessica Christiansen, SVP, Head of Bayer Crop Science and Sustainability Communications, BAYER
Elisa Bertini, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer, PUNA BIO
Matt Crisp, Principal, CRISP & COMPANY

• Biological products have the potential to reduce synthetic fertilizer use, lowering carbon and nitrous oxide emissions. How can we scale biological products to meet the sustainability goals of agribusinesses and food brands?
• The path to commercialization begins with efficacy. What infrastructure is needed to test and compare products with different modes of action? How can we establish a validated biologicals sector and build trust among stakeholders?
• How can we support collaboration in a highly competitive environment? How can we enable entrepreneurs to work together to solve farmer and industry challenges? What partnership models are emerging?
• As the global regulatory environment becomes increasingly complex, how can we prevent the formation of innovation islands across different regions? How can businesses navigate these different go-to-market frameworks and timelines?
• How can the industry be monetized against all odds? What does it take to develop a breakout biologicals product and build an attractive company for buyout in times of crisis? With corporate margins tightening, who are the likely acquirers? Should venture capitalists prepare start-ups for potential buyouts by private equity instead? What can we realistically expect from the exit environment in the next few years?

Chair:
Tom Brennan, Partner, MCKINSEY

Speakers:
Gloverson Moro, CTO, AGRITHORITY
Kevin Helash, CEO, BIOTALYS
Richard Fox, Scientific Advisory Board, INSCRIPTA
Jacqui Campbell, Global Head Technology & Partnerships Biologicals, SYNGENTA

Elevate your knowledge and engage in meaningful conversations with industry experts. Join focused, interactive discussion groups to deep dive into industry critical topics most relevant to you and your business.

• Nutrient Use Efficiency: Monitoring Nitrate Levels in Real Time
  Host: Kathleen Glass, VP of Marketing, AQUASPY
• Open Innovation: Developing Partnerships & Accelerating Investment
  Host: Alessandra Frizzi, Science Fellow, External Innovation & Partnerships, BAYER CROP SCIENCE
• Building Partnerships & Innovation Ecosystems in Biologicals
  Hosts: Fred Gruis, Director, and Babu Raman, External Collaborations Portfolio Leader, CORTEVA CATALYST
• Gene Editing: State of Play & Where from Here
  Host: Justin Kern, Partner, DCVC BIO
• Crop Protection Technologies: Aligning Producers and Tech Providers
  Host: Michael Seagraves, Director of Plant Health, DRISCOLL’S
• Navigating Agtech Fundraising in a Challenging Market
  Host: Yanniv Dorone, SVP, FALL-LINE CAPITAL
• Bio-Inputs: What Does Success Look Like?
  Host: Aoife Dillon, Principal Scientist Crop Protection, FERA SCIENCE & Damian Mallins, Director Strategic & International Growth, FERA SCIENCE
• Catalyzing Investment in Sustainable Agriculture
  Host: Erin Dunn-Franklin, VP Sustainable Investing, GOLDMAN SACHS ALTERNATIVES
• AI-Powered Ag: How are Corporate Investors Driving Innovation?
  Hosts: Hadar Sutovsky, VP Corporate Investments, ICL GROUP, General Manager, ICL PLANET STARTUP HUB & Eyal Ben-Chanoch, CEO, AGREMATCH
• AI in Agriculture: Harnessing Innovative Solutions for Growth
  Host: Steve Brody, President and CEO, BIOCONNECT IOWA
• Regen Ag: Funding the Transition to Scale Acres
  Host: Jess Newman, Senior Director of Ag & Sustainability, MCCAIN FOODS
• Scaling Sustainable Agri-Tech: Collaboration, Investment & Impact
  Host: Danny Bernstein, CEO, THE RESERVOIR
• Rewriting the Rules: AI & Robotics are Changing the Way We Farm
  Host: Léo Carvalho, Chief Global Strategy Officer, SOLINFTEC
• Investors: Where Are We Headed?
  Host: Michael Lee, Managing Director, Ventures, SYNGENTA GROUP
• Chitosan in Crop Protection: Not all Chitosan is Created Equal
  Host: Dr. Ramesh Raliya, Chief Scientific Officer, TIDAL GROW AGRISCIENCE
• AI in Ag Supply Chains: Managing Cost, Risk, Resilience and Sustainability
  Host: Andrew Wilcox, Associate Director Sustainable Sourcing and Digital Programs, UNILEVER
• Making U.S. Ag Greenhouse Gas Negative: 5 Areas of Opportunity
  Hosts: Kevin Burkum, CEO, US FARMERS & RANCHERS IN ACTION & Chip Bowling, President, BOWLING AGRI SERVICE, Vice Chair, USFRA & Former President, NCGA
• Automation Technology: Understanding the Impact on Farm Economics
  Host: Ben Palone, Senior Director, Commercialization and Innovation, WESTERN GROWERS
• Farming as Experimentation: How AI Can Unlock Insights from On-Farm Trials
  Hosts: Maya Sripadam, Senior Product Manager, Blue River Technology, JOHN DEERE and Emily Paris, Senior Product Manager, Blue River Technology, JOHN DEERE
• Advancing Resiliency in the Agribusiness Supply Chain with AI
  Host: Piyush Swain, AVP, Americas Head of Agribusiness, INFOSYS
• Unlocking the Future of Biofuels
  Host: Justin Gayliard, Head Digital Farming North America, BASF
• Corporate Venture Capital: Building a Thriving Innovation Ecosystem
  Host: Erin VanLanduit, Head of Corporate Ventures, CARGILL
• Biocontrol: Driving Microbial Innovation to Increase Adoption & Farmer ROI
  Hosts: Isabel Vercauteren and Rubik Sommerhalder, CEO & COO, APHEA.BIO
• Growing Start-Up Revenue & Defining a Path to Profitability
  Host: Ivy Nguyen, Principal Investor, AUTOTECH VENTURES
• Fundraising in a Complex Geopolitical Landscape
  Host: Wilson Acton, Managing Partner, TALL GRASS VENTURES
• Collaboration & Partnership: The Catalyst for Agri-Tech Innovation
  Host: Jiunn Shih, Chief Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability Officer, ZESPRI INTERNATIONAL FOR THE ZAG INNOVATION FUND
• Hydrogel Technology: Improving Agricultural Yields & Enhancing Soil Health
  Hosts: Argina Mardiyan and Alaverdyan, Zarzand, Co-Founder & CEO, GREEN EVOLUTION TECHNOLOGIES

• Agriculture can become a significant provider of carbon and ecosystem services. What role do regenerative practices play in establishing these supply chains?
• What tangible impacts are existing regenerative programs having, what insights have we gained about the feasibility of the regenerative journey, and what challenges need addressing to move forward?
• What public and private financing is available to derisk and incentivize regenerative agriculture on the ground? Does the capital offered encourage quality? When do farmers receive capital through these initiatives, and how do tailored loan and insurance solutions fit into the equation?
• How can we standardize measurement and verification of soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and GHG emissions outcomes? What solutions exist and how integrated are they?
• How can we effectively monetize carbon and ecosystem services, turning them into low-cost, high-value opportunities for farmers? What strategies can we implement to build credible, scrutinized off-take markets while ensuring equitable access?

Chair:
Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, President, FIELD TO MARKET

Speakers:
Jess Newman, Senior Director of Ag & Sustainability, MCCAIN FOODS
Lars Dyrud, CEO, EARTHOPTICS
Jack Roswell, CEO & Co-Founder, PERENNIAL
Patrick Smith, CEO, LOFTUS RANCHES

• What renewable feedstocks are essential for biofuel production? Byproducts versus land conversion, how are these feedstocks produced and how do we balance demands for food, feed, and fuel while meeting climate goals?
• What do biofuel supply chains look like? Who are the key stakeholders, what roles do they play, and how can collaboration enhance these efforts?
• What role do cover crops play in scaling biofuel production? What cover crops are suitable for producing renewable feedstocks and what new varieties are being developed?
• How can farmers access biofuel supply chains profitably and sustainably? What risks do growers and the broader agri-food industry face and how can we effectively address them?
• Section 45Z of the IRA provides tax credits to fuel producers purchasing feedstocks from low-carbon farms. What is the status of section 45Z and what does it mean for the agri-food sector?
• What government and corporate safeguards are necessary to facilitate a sustainable expansion of biofuel production?

Chair:
David Doherty, Head of Oil and Renewable Fuels Research, BLOOMBERG NEF

Speakers:
Christian Guffy, Partner, KEARNEY
Mike DeCamp, President, CEO and Board Member, COVER CRESS
Noah Verleun, CEO, GLOBAL CLEAN ENERGY HOLDINGS
Faisal Syed, CEO, VISION BIOENERGY OILSEEDS (SHELL JV)

• What R&D initiatives are emerging from universities, research institutes, and corporations, and what challenges do they aim to solve? What trends or technologies in R&D, such as precision agriculture or biotechnology, show the most promise for transforming the agricultural landscape in the coming years?
• How are these innovations funded? What finance models are most impactful, and where do we see gaps?
• How are breakthroughs being translated into industry application? How can these processes be improved to facilitate faster adoption? Where do we need new mechanisms?
• What can we learn from successful collaborations among universities, research institutes, investors, corporates, and governments that have transformed discoveries into practical solutions addressing real-world challenges?

Chair:
Mary Shelman, Founder SHELMAN GROUP & Previous Director, Agribusiness Program HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Speakers:
Derek Norman, VP, Investments, LEAPS BY BAYER
Benjamin Z. Houlton, Ronald P. Lynch Dean, CORNELL CALS
Eoin Brodie, Senior Scientist & Deputy Director, Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, BERKELEY LAB
Ryan Rapp, Operating Partner, FLAGSHIP PIONEERING