As regenerative agriculture reshapes the production of how food is grown, a panel of large-scale organic growers will discuss their involvement with this new method of growing and what it may mean for the future of organic fresh produce at the sixth annual Organic Produce Summit.
"Regenerative Ag 101: Is Regenerative the "New" Organic?" will feature experts from four progressive specialty crop growers offering insights on growing regenerative crops and how the retail community may market these items.
Left to right: Shelby Layne, Eric Morgan
Moderated by Shelby Layne, director of environmental social governance for Bolthouse Farms, the session will include the following panelists: Eric Morgan, vice-president environmental science and resources for Braga Fresh Family Farms; T. Bruce Taylor, vice-president of organic for Taylor Farms; and Vernon Peterson, owner of Abundant Harvest Organics.
“The word regenerative has become part of the everyday vocabulary of many in organic fresh produce. Despite the widespread attention, there is no regulatory definition of what the term means—or what the ramifications and implications of regenerative mean," said Susan Canales, president of OPS. “This session is designed to help the industry better understand what regenerative means, how it’s different from organic and what regenerative products mean for retailers and consumers.”
Left to right: T. Bruce Taylor, Vernon Peterson
OPS 2022 brings together organic fresh produce growers, shippers and processors. The sixth annual event will be held July 13-14 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California.
Other OPS 2022 ed sessions will explore controlled environment agriculture (CEA), branded vs. private label organic offerings, sustainability across the supply chain, organic sales data (from the first half of 2022) and the impact of inflation on consumer purchasing behavior.
OPS 2022 will feature three keynote presentations for OPS attendees. In the first, John Ruane, senior vice-president and chief omnichannel merchandising officer for The GIANT Company, will discuss "The Growth of Omnichannel Merchandising That’s Driving Retail Sales" and how consumers will spend more and become more loyal to a brand with an effective omnichannel merchandising and marketing program.
In the second keynote presentation, David Katz, founder of Plastic Bank, will share how the world’s most progressive companies are stewarding the collection of ocean-bound plastic waste.
The third keynote, "The Future of Grocery Retailing", will be moderated by Walter Robb, principal of Stonewall Robb Advisors, senior executive partner at S2G Ventures and former co-CEO of Whole Foods. Joining the conversation will be Karen Christensen, senior vice-president of merchandising for perishables for Whole Foods, and Madhavi Reese, vice-president of marketing for Whole Foods. This panel will discuss how Whole Foods is addressing supply chain issues, the role of technology and e-commerce, consumer shopping behavior, new formats and innovations in grocery retailing.
More information will be available in the coming weeks. Registration is available here.
For more information:
Matt Seeley
Organic Produce Network
Tel: +1 (831) 884-5092
Matt@organicproducenetwork.com
www.organicproducesummit.com