The Summit Program

What's happened this past year?

Since Summit 2023, there have been a number of significant developments in the biological space. New technologies are emerging, and some key new trends are taking hold.

It's not however been all plain sailing. The tough economic funding environment has seen some well-known names disappear and the challenge and time required to register new active ingredients continues to take its toll. Who better to analyze the impact of these developments than our first keynote speaker.

Understanding California’s Approach to Sustainable Pest Management

At last year's Summit, Julie Henderson, Director, California Department of Pesticide Regulation, spoke to the release of the report; 'Accelerating Sustainable Pest Management: A Roadmap for California'.

Applying a 2050 lens, the Roadmap envisions California will have transitioned away from Priority Pesticides by accelerating the availability and adoption of sustainable pest management by that date. Where are we 12 months later and what’s on the horizon?

Understanding the Global Biological Regulatory Environment

The global trend towards 'less chemistry, more biology' is well underway. What can California growers and others around the world learn from these developments and the regulation that is managing their growth? And what impact are we experiencing from the different registration processes and regimes that are in play?

Introducing the 2024 Ag Biologicals Landscape Map

At last year's Salinas Biological Summit, Rob Trice and the team at the Mixing Bowl previewed their 2023 Ag Biologicals Landscape Map.

Over 1200 global companies were identified as operating in the biologicals 'space' in the discovery phase. The team consolidated this down to 400 in the released Landscape Map.

Today, Rob & Chris will introduce the 2024 Biologicals Landscape Map. The team have dug deeper and today we will learn more about the scale-ups, the new faces and those who no longer make the cut. This promises to be a fascinating session!

Understanding the Consumer & Social Landscape

Whilst regulation often drives evolutionary change in today's agricultural practices and processes, it is frequently the 'Voice of the Consumer' that has the greatest impact.

In this session, we will hear directly from Sherry Frey, Vice President, Total Wellness at NielsenIQ about the current consumer and social landscape.

ON THE GROUND: Biologicals State of Affairs

Understanding the 'now' is critical as we move forward. The next 3 sessions will analyse the views of the dealers & those getting to market, the growers and representatives from leading biopesticide companies.

Understanding the Grower Landscape

Against the ongoing backdrop of accelerating climate events, labor shortages and increasing regulation, growers across the State continue to face multiple challenges. Some of these challenges are challenges shared across the world. 

The Grower Panel will discuss these and provide insights into the steps they are taking to address them.

The Biopesticide Company View

As new technologies and innovation trends appear, biopesticide companies are lifting their game to meet the increasingly urgent demands from growers.

In this next session, we will hear from some of these companies to learn how they are adapting to these changing trends and where they believe the biopesticide sector is headed.

Why Salinas Valley & the Central Coast?

Why it is unique?

Some of the challenges in general and then an overview of some of the issues that the region has faced from farming in recent years. This expert panel will not only discuss the challenges, but also the significant opportunities facing growers and the wider region in the years ahead.

Launching the Platform10 Global Partner Network

This session will mark the launch of a global Platform10 Grower Trial Network, supported by science, industry and investment. As regulators and consumers around the world call for 'more biologicals, less chemicals', Platform10 is an international, multi-year collaboration that will accelerate promising biopesticide companies, rigorously assess products, enhance grower confidence, and facilitate market development and adoption.

Today's session will be a highlight of the 2024 Summit ensuring long-term collaboration between grower organizations, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors around the world.

From Public to Private: Navigating the Road from Discovery to Business

In this session, François Lamoureux, will provide a highly informative presentation based on his personal experience. After a 25-year career working with some of the world’s greatest artists leading to Grammys, Emmy's and other such awards, François has become one of Canada's leading lights in this space.

'Penetrating the Fog' with DunhamTrimmer

The Salinas Summit is once again delighted to be joined by the world's leading biological market research firm, DunhamTrimmer.

In this session, they will be sharing insights from across their broad client network on where the real value can be found in Biological Agriculture Investments. 

Financing the Future

According the AgFunder in their 2023 AgriFoodTech Investment Annual Review, venture investment into the agrifoodtech sector dropped by almost 40% in 2023, compared to 2022. This has had significant implications for a number of start-up and growth companies working in the sector.

As a sub-set of these numbers, biological companies have not been immune to this market correction. The following session will analyze what investors are looking for today and how companies should prepare for this new reality.

Biological Technologies: Pipeline or Pipe Dreams?

Connection Between Technology & Biologicals

Technology has a huge role to play in the long-term implementation of biological applications 'in the field'. The ability to spray, manage and monitor the application of any agricultural input is critical to understand their effect and performance. Biologicals are no different.

In this session, we'll learn more about the increasingly important role that technology will play in accelerating the use of ag biologicals.

Where to from here?

An exceptional fireside chat with two industry veterans. As the world of agricultural inputs faces new challenges, 'old heads' will have seen it all before. This closing fireside chat will hopefully bring some balance to the debate and provide some insights into the opportunities and some of the challenges that still lie ahead.

What you need to know

One of the biggest challenges facing growers, entrepreneurs and investors is just 'what they need to know'. The Ag biological space is a complex one and only through experience can stakeholders really grasp its potential. Understanding potential pitfalls is an important part of that process.

The 'What You Need to Know' panel will be sharing that experience with the Summit