NEWSWISE — ST. LEWIS, MO September 19, 2022 – War, geopolitical pressures, devastating climate disasters, and the highest inflation the US has experienced in 40 years are putting enormous strain on supply chains, consumers and the global food system. Hosted by the Donald Danforth Center for Plant Science, his AgTech NEXT 2022 examines these pressing issues and delves into how technology, talent and trade can be leveraged to secure a better food system for the future.

“Bringing breakthrough technologies to market is certainly a sweet spot for the Danforth Center as it relates to the future of food, but the challenges we face and most importantly: We feel it is essential to have a holistic conversation about the opportunities we have,” said Stephanie Legagnon, Executive Director of Innovation Partnerships at The Danforth Center. To do so, we need technology innovation, a more diverse talent pipeline, and a fairer trading system.”

Register now to reserve your place.

AgTech NEXT’s line-up of keynotes, spotlight presentations and panels will share insights that will engage, inspire and drive action among innovators, investors, industry leaders and producers shaping the future of food is designed to Numerous networking opportunities are scheduled to allow attendees to connect.

The event will kick off with an opening reception at the new Benson Hill headquarters on October 11th. [email protected] Located on the Danforth Center Campus. An optional tour of the state-of-the-art facility is offered that evening.

Creatively curated sessions over the next two days of the event will be divided into the following themes: Calling for Creative Capital, Pursuing Equity and Effectiveness in Trade Policy, Inclusion and Intent in Building the Innovation Talent Pipeline. , Technology: The Need for Radical Collaboration.

On October 12th, Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner of DBL Partners, kicks off the conference with a keynote on Impact Capital, a long-term capital that is patient and doesn’t require quick returns. According to Pfund, her DBL Partners, which has a portfolio of Tesla and food tech appeals to her unicorns, is calling it “double bottom line capital.” The finance session will also spotlight the unique partnerships between startup CoverCress and industry leaders Bayer CropScience, Bunge and Chevron, followed by the agtech community generating more impact investments A panel discussion will focus on methods.

Talent sessions will include a keynote address by Julie Borag, a longtime leader in international agricultural development. Julie Borag shares her perspective on how Agrifood can better develop her tech talent. The new Jackie Joyner-Kersey Food and Agriculture Nutrition Innovation Center, founded by a four-time Olympian, will be the focus of the Spotlight session.

The program delves into trade and market development issues led by a keynote address by Sharon Sydow, senior economist in the USDA’s Chief Economist’s Office. Wednesday’s agenda Industry and academic leaders from Bayer CropScience, Pivot Bio, Cobank and the Dougherty Water for Food Institute will appear to discuss how technological and social innovation can be used to improve the global agricultural trade system. University of Nebraska.

On October 13th, the focus shifts to technology. Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, 2022 World Food Prize Laureate and Senior Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, co-located with the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, delivered the keynote, followed by Innovation The session will continue with a spotlight on such technology. Scientists and panelists from the Taylor Geospatial Institute, Impossible Sensing, and the Danforth Center.

The region is considered by many to be a center of agricultural innovation, leading the development of new tools and strategies that can be applied around the world, and well positioned to host such an important gathering. increase.

About half of US agriculture is produced within a 500-mile radius of St. Louis, including 80% of corn and soybeans. Home to 39 North states, more than 1,000 PhDs in plant science, and key players in the agrifood technology value chain, including Bayer CropScience, Benson Hill, Covercress, Bunge and Post Holdings. Numerous early and mid-term start-ups, the US headquarters of international companies, the Yield Lab, the St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Science lab technician training program at BRDG Park, and the Helix Center Incubator are also located at 600. Acre’s Innovation District.

A growing geospatial cluster in St. Louis, led by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency West, is joining the effort to provide precision farming tools that help farmers better understand and more effectively measure factors such as soil health. It deliberately strengthens cooperation between the two sectors in order to develop , crop nutrient availability and water use efficiency in the field. Carbon farming is another area where farmers can use geospatial technology to verify their carbon claims in order to access credit and generate new revenue from organizations that wish to offset. .

“Today, we are applying our regional strengths in location science, GIS, smart devices, remote imaging and sensing, AI and machine learning to accelerate the pace of innovation to make the agri-food industry safer. We are accelerating our commitment to agri-food technology and innovation, farm-to-table, agile and sustainable,” said Legagnon.

The first two years of AgTech NEXT were held virtually due to the pandemic and attracted an impressive global following. To reach out to those unable to attend the in-person event this year, AgTech NEXT will provide a free online option to view keynotes and panels.

Note: Complimentary tickets for media are limited. Contact Karla Roeber to reserve your spot and experience our ecosystem!