IN-PERSON SYMPOSIUM (note: all times are Central)

Monday, Feb. 14

• 5 to 6 p.m.
  • Shared reception with Top Producer Summit
• 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Shared Top Producer of the Year banquet with Top Producer Summit

Tuesday, Feb. 15

• 7 to 10 a.m.
  • Symposium registration opens (through 10 a.m. CT)
• 10 to 10:10 a.m.
  • Welcome: Climate-Smart State of Mind: Advancing Progress Through Partnership
  • Speakers: Amy Skoczlas Cole, Trust In Food (confirmed)
• 10:10 to 10:35 a.m.
  • KEYNOTE: Advancing Voluntary Conservation Adoption and Racial Equity in Agriculture With A Climate-Smart State of Mind
  • Speakers: Ariel Kagan, Environmental Initiative (confirmed)
• 10:35 to 11 a.m.
  • Lightning Round: What Climate-Smart Ag Looks Like On My Farm Operation
  • Speakers: Keith Mears, Indiana row-crop farmer (confirmed), Steve McKaskle, Missouri and Arkansas rice and popcorn farmer (confirmed)
• 11 to 11:30 a.m.
  • Keynote: Transforming Our Climate, Our Communities And Our Health Through Environmental Stewardship
  • Speakers: Beth Hoffman, farmer and author, Bet The Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America (confirmed)
• 11:30 to noon
  • PANEL: Human Dimensions in Practice: Unveiling the 2022 State of Sustainable Ag in Row Crops Report And Exploring How To Overcome Barriers In Voluntary Conservation Adoption Among Producers
  • Speakers: Drew Slattery, Trust In Food (confirmed); Scott Herndon, Field to Market (confirmed); LaKisha Odom, FFAR (confirmed)
• Noon to 1:20 p.m. (panel runs 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.)
  • Buffet lunch
  • PANEL: Advancing Dairy Sustainability In Wisconsin And Beyond
  • Speakers: Michelle Rossman, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (confirmed); Lauren Brey, Farmers for Sustainable Food (confirmed); Jim Winn, Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance (confirmed); Greg Siegenthaler, Grande Cheese (confirmed)
• 1:20 to 1:30 p.m.
  • Transition back to conference room
• 1:30 to 1:35 p.m.
  • VIDEO: Preview the new Trust In Beef program
• 1:35 to 1:50 p.m.
  • LIGHTNING ROUND: How Climate Smart Ag is transforming the cattle industry
  • Speakers: Chad Ellis (facilitator – confirmed); Steve Rhines, Noble Research Institute (confirmed); Debbie Lyons-Blythe, rancher (confirmed); Tony Schwarck, farmer (confirmed)
• 1:50 to 2:15 p.m.
  • PANEL: Climate Smart Ag Spotlight: Innovation In Action
  • Speakers: Amy O’Shea, Certis Biologicals (confirmed); Bradford Warner, AGI/Farmobile (confirmed); Brent Smith, Nutrien (invited); Curt Blades, AEM (confirmed)
• 2:15 to 2:45 p.m.
  • KEYNOTE: How Cooperative Extension Is Empowering Climate-Smart Farms and Communities in Tennessee
  • Speaker: Ashley M. Stokes, Dean, University of Tennessee Extension (confirmed)
• 2:45 to 3:05 p.m.
  • PANEL: Mainstreaming Climate-Smart Ag Throughout Our Industries
  • Speakers: Michelle Rossman, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (confirmed); Ashley McDonald, National Pork Board (confirmed); Kira Everhart-Valentin, United Sorghum Checkoff Program (confirmed) ; Nathan Fields, National Corn Growers Association (confirmed)
• 3:05 to 3:30 p.m.
  • KEYNOTE: Stories of Impact: Scaling Climate-Smart Ag Across Working Lands
  • Speaker: Scott Herndon, Field to Market
• 3:30 to 3:45 p.m.
  • Snack break
• 3:45 to 4:05 p.m.
  • PANEL: How We’re Adopting A Climate-Smart State Of Mind At The Enterprise Level
  • Speakers: Kris Johnson, The Nature Conservancy (confirmed); Tricia Beal, Farm Journal Foundation (confirmed); Ben Gordon, Corteva (confirmed); Darren Howie, Trimble (confirmed)
• 4:05 to 4:35 p.m.
  • KEYNOTE: The Climate-Water Nexus
  • Speaker: Jack Bobo, The Nature Conservancy
• 4:35 to 5 p.m.
  • PANEL: How We’re Adopting A Climate-Smart State Of Mind At The Grassroots Level
  • Speakers: John Larson, American Farmland Trust (confirmed); Billy Gascoigne, Ducks Unlimited (confirmed); Jason Jimmerson, SIMPAS (invited); Leslie Garcia, Valent USA (confirmed)
• 5 to 5:30 p.m.
  • CLOSING KEYNOTE: Opportunities For Scaling Climate-Smart Ag With A Farmer-Centered Lens
  • Speaker: Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag (confirmed)
• 5:30 to 8 p.m.
  • Break
• 8 to 10 p.m.
  • Join reception with Top Producer Summit at Ole Red

Wednesday, Feb. 16

• 8 to 9 a.m.
  • Buffet breakfast
• 9 to 1 p.m.
  • Working Session: Human Dimensions of Change Community of Practice
  • Note: Boxed lunches will be provided
• 1 p.m. Symposium adjourns

See speaker bios here

VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM (note: All times are Central)

Tuesday, Feb. 22

• 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • KEYNOTE WITH Q&A: How Conservation Districts Empower Producers To Achieve Environmental and Economic Success With Climate-Smart Ag
  • Speaker: Michael Crowder, National Association of Conservation Districts (confirmed)
• 12 to 1 p.m.
  • Break
• 1 to 2 p.m.
  • PANEL WITH Q&A: Innovative Approaches to Scaling Climate-Smart Ag By Engaging Hearts And Minds
  • Speakers: Linda Prokopy, Purdue, Diverse Corn Belt Project/Purdue University (confirmed); Gabriele Ludwig, Director of Sustainability, Almond Board (confirmed); Gary Adams, CEO, National Cotton Council (confirmed)
• 2 p.m.
  • Day 1 of Virtual Symposium adjourns

Wednesday, Feb. 23

• 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • KEYNOTE WITH PANEL DISCUSSION/Q&A: Strategies For Supporting Ranchers On Their Sustainability Journey
  • Speaker: Dr. Sara Place, Elanco & Chair, U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Goals Committee (confirmed)
• 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.
  • PANEL: Walmart’s Regenerative Agriculture Journey – Opportunities For Ranchers, Consumers, Communities and Beyond
  • Speaker: Mikel Hancock, Senior Director of Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Walmart (confirmed); Tyler Lehr, SVP-GMM Deli Services, Walmart (confirmed)
• 12:30 to 1 p.m.
  • Break
• 1 to 2 p.m.
  • PANEL WITH Q&A: How Climate-Smart Ag Can Accelerate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in U.S. Agriculture
  • Speakers: Roylene Comes At Night, USDA-NRCS (confirmed); Alvin Peer, USDA-NRCS (confirmed); Carlos Suarez, USDA-NRCS California State Conservationist (confirmed)
• 2 p.m.
  • Virtual Symposium adjourns