Convening alongside the Top Producer Summit in Nashville, the 2022 Trust In Food Symposium “Climate-Smart State of Mind – Partnering for Progress” will offer a networking and educational opportunity for sustainability professionals to interact and learn from one another, and mingle with some of the most successful food producers in the country. This year’s focus will be on the human dimensions of sustainable agriculture and the barriers and opportunities that are presented by focusing change programming on the person rather than the practice. Join us February 14-16, 2022 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Nashville or virtually February 22-23.
Click here to register for the 2022 Trust In Food Symposium. We hope to see you there!
IN-PERSON SYMPOSIUM (note: all times are Central)
Monday, Feb. 14
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 8 to 10 p.m.
- Join reception with Top Producer Summit at Ole Red
Wednesday, Feb. 16
- 8 to 9 a.m.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
