It’s going to take a team to drive our future forward. It’s going to take you, running alongside fellow stakeholders from across the food chain who know that putting in the work is the only way to transform today’s challenges into tomorrow’s solutions. Are you ready? Then take your spot at the 2024 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Missouri! This year’s Summit is themed “Ready, Set, Solve: Advancing Animal Agriculture!”
Here are 10 ways you can score big at this year’s event:
1. Join stakeholders in advancing animal agriculture
Dozens of speakers. Hundreds of perspectives. Countless ideas. The 2024 Summit is the place to be as we work to find solutions that will drive our global agri-food system goals forward. At this year’s event, you can expect to hear from an exciting lineup of speakers and panelists to focus on transforming today’s challenges into tomorrow’s innovative opportunities.
2. Network with professionals across the supply chain
Team up with the Alliance’s diverse attendee list with representatives from farms, ranches, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies, media, and others along the food supply chain (including Alliance staff members)! Last year’s Summit brought together nearly 320 attendees.
3. Learn how to drive trust in farmers and in food
Research consistently highlights the trust that voters place in farmers and ranchers as credible sources of information regarding policies that affect our food supply. This trust is a valuable currency in the democratic process, and it positions the animal agriculture community as influential advocates for informed decision-making. Kicking off the 2024 Summit, Joel Leftwich with Kansas Farm Bureau will discuss state and local partnerships that can engage voters using this trusted voice. Leftwich spent nearly two decades in Washington, D.C., serving as a legislative aide to U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun, staff assistant for U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts and staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
4. Hear about animal agriculture on the global stage
U.S. animal agriculture is a global leader in animal welfare and sustainability efforts. It’s paramount our voice is heard in global conversations and discussions related to the food system, including the United Nations’ annual Climate Change Conference (COP). “Boots on the ground” experts from the Protein PACT, U.S. Dairy Export Council, and Eat Well Global will share their experience from the 2023 conference and what we can expect to see looking ahead into 2024.
5. Stick the landing in building trust and transparency
More than ever before, customers, investors, regulators, NGOs, and other key stakeholders demand transparency. Research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) proves that transparency is a key driver of trust and provides actionable insights into how to both define and measure it. In this session, Roxi Beck, director of consumer engagement at CFI, will detail the seven principles that can help the broader food industry benchmark and enhance transparency.
6. Turn potential brand assassins into brand ambassadors
Top food and farm organizations spend a lot of time looking outward – focusing on external image, responding to pressure from adversarial groups, and finding new customers. In the process, these companies might overlook their most critical audience: employees. Founder and president of Inspire PR Group, Hinda Mitchell, will lead this session to explore employee engagement and its impact on recruitment and retention, and focus on transparency and purpose as essential workforce strategies.
7. Safeguard animal ag against extremist groups
Animal rights extremists remain hostile to animal agriculture and continue to antagonize farmers, ranchers, processors, and food brands. Learn from experts who have dealt with these adversarial groups and their main takeaways for safeguarding the future of animal agriculture.
8. Identify animal agriculture’s B.H.A.G.
While animal agriculture has millennia of successes in the food system, does it have a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (B.H.A.G.)? Join J.J. Jones, executive director of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, in this interactive session to explore why animal agriculture needs a collective B.H.A.G. and how individuals and organizations can ensure animal agriculture continues to be a creative and innovative sector in today’s food system.
9. Meet and mingle with the next generation of leaders in agriculture
Individual and club winners from the Alliance’s 2023 College Aggies Online scholarship program will be in attendance to meet and mingle and be recognized for their hard work. The Alliance will also be holding a silent auction with all proceeds benefiting the program. Make a bid to support the next generation of leaders in agriculture!
10. Refer a friend to register and you both could win!
Refer a friend to attend the 2024 Summit who has never attended a previous Summit and make sure they list your name as the person who recommended them when they register for the event. Once you’re both registered, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card! Each referral will count as one entry and there is no limit on the number of entries for referrers.
What are you waiting for? Ready, set…register!
