The Summit Program

Day One — Tuesday 25 June

PROGRESS REPORT: Developments since Summit 2023

7.00am – 8.30am

Delegate Registration, arrival coffee and meet the Exhibitors

8.30am – 8.45am

Formal Welcome; Dave Puglia
President & CEO, Western Growers

8.45am – 9.00am

Formal Welcome; Secretary Karen Ross
Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture

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.

9.00am – 9.30am

Plenary - What's happened this past year?

Speaker: Dr Pam Marrone
Founder & Chair, Invasive Species Corporation 

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?

9.30am - 10.00pm

Fireside Chat

  • Julie Henderson
    Director, California Department of Pesticide Regulation
  • Undersecretary Christine Birdsong
    Undersecretary, California Department of Food & Agriculture

Moderated by Stuart Woolf
Chair, Western Growers

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?

10.00am – 10.45pm

Global Regulatory Environment Panel Discussion 

Speakers include:

  • Shannon Borges (EPA)
  • Cristan La Paz (Agricultural Relations Director for Latin America, Gowan)
  • Jonas Ptasinski
    Senior Evaluation Officer, Microbial and Biochemical Evaluation Section, Pest Management Regulatory Agency,
    Health Canada
  • Jennifer Lewis (Executive Director,

    IBMA - International Biocontrol Manufacturers
    Association AISBL)

Moderated by Terry Stone
Global Biologicals Regulatory Policy Leader, Corteva Agriscience

10.45am – 11.15am

Morning Coffee Break & opportunity to meet the Exhibitors 

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!

11.15am – 11.30am

Plenary - The 2024 Ag Biologicals Landscape Map

  • Rob Trice
    Founder, The Mixing Bowl
  • Chris Taylor
    Partner, The Mixing Bowl

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.

11.30am – 12.00pm

Plenary - The Consumer & Social Landscape

Speaker: Sherry Frey
Vice President, Total Wellness at NielsenIQ

12.00pm – 1.15pm

Lunch


Join us in the CSUMB Center and meet the Exhibitors as we provide a relaxing networking environment. 

 

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.

1.15pm – 2.00pm

Getting to Market

  • Mike Wilbur
    CEO & President, Cavallo Ventures, Wilbur-Ellis Board
  • Elliot Kellner
    Director of Commercial Innovation, Donald Danforth Plant Center
  • Jerry Baron
    Executive Director, The IR-4 Project

    Moderated by Vonnie Estes
    VP of Innovation, International Fresh Produce Association

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.

2.00pm – 3.00pm

The Grower Panel Discussion

  • Joe Pezzini

    Senior Director of Ag Operations, Taylor Farms

  • Michael Seagraves
    Director, Global Plant Health, Driscolls

  • Kevin Andrew
    Senior Vice President Operations, Illume


  • Don Cameron
    Vice President and General Manager, Terranova Ranch

Moderated by Dennis Donohue
Director, Western Growers Innovation & Technology Center

3.00pm – 3.30pm

Afternoon Break & opportunity to meet the exhibitors

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.

3.30pm – 4.15pm

The Biopesticide Company View

  • Chris Judd 
    Head of North America and VP Global Marketing, Certis Biologicals
  • Dr Bob Kennedy
    Chief Scientific Officer, Vestaron
  • Mark Singleton
    Chief Commercial Officer & GM, Plant Health, Greenlight BioSciences
  • Steve Hartmeier
    Chief Operating Officer, Impello

Moderated by Amy Roberts
Director, Regulatory Affairs for Lallemand Plant Care

4.15pm – 5.00pm

KEYNOTE

The 2024 Salinas Biological Summit is delighted to present Guy Kawasaki as its premier Day 1 keynote. A Silicon Valley legend, Guy will bring to the Summit invaluable knowledge from more than 40 years of working with game-changing organizations such as Apple, Canva, Google, Mercedes Benz, and Wikipedia. 

  • Guy Kawasaki
    Tech titan, former Chief Evangelist at Apple, venture capitalist and best-selling author

5.00pm – 6.30pm

Networking and The Summit Reception

Summit delegates are invited to join the Summit Networking Reception. Light refreshments and beverages will be served, as live entertainment brings music and song to end what will be a very full day of conversation and 1-2-1 networking.

Day Two — Wednesday 26 June

Financing the Future of Biologicals

7.00am – 8.30am

Delegate Registration
Coffee available on arrival

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.

8.30am - 9.00am

Why Salinas Valley & the Central Coast?

  • Juan Hidalgo
    Agricultural Commissioner, Monterey County
  • Prof JP Dundore-Arias 
    CSUMB 
  • Tom Nunes
    President, Nunes Company
  • Hillary Thomas
    Research & Technical Director, Naturipe Berry Growers

Moderated by Dennis Donohue
Director, Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology

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.

9.00am - 10.00am

The Platform10 Global Partner Network Panel

  • Professor Richard Newcomb
    Chief Scientific Officer, Plant and Food Research (NZ)
  • Dr. Louise Sutherland

    Project Development Director, Ceres Agri-Tech (UK)

  • Dr Louise Thatcher

    Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Agriculture and Food (Australia)

  • Jesper Vibe-Hansen
    Minister-Counsellor, Food & Agriculture, Embassy of Denmark, Washington DC
  • Livia Esterhazy
    Programme Director. A Lighter Touch (NZ)

Moderated by Peter Wren-Hilton
Founder & CEO, Wharf42

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.

10.00am- 10.20am

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

  • François Lamoureux
    President, CXC

 

'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. 

10.20am- 10.45am

'Penetrating the Fog' with Dunham Trimmer

  • Mark Trimmer
    Founder & Partner, DunhamTrimmer
  • Rick Melnick

    Partner and VP Global Business, DunhamTrimmer

 

10.45am – 11.15am

Morning Coffee
Opportunity to network and meet the exhibitors

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.

11.15am - 12.15pm

The Financing the Future Panel

  • Paimun (PJ) Amini
    Sr. Director, Venture Investments for Leaps by Bayer

  • Dr. Angela Records
    Chief Scientific Officer, Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)

  • Jon Spaits
    Program Development & Innovation Manager, CSIRO (Australia)

Moderated by Sumeeta Salvador
Senior Associate, Corporate Development - Food and Agriculture, S2G Ventures

 

12.15pm – 1.30pm

LUNCH
Opportunity to network and meet the exhibitors

 

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.

1.30pm - 2.15pm

Connection between Technology & Biologicals panel

  • Alexey Rostapshov
    Head of JD Labs & Sustainability at John Deere
  • Claire Delauney
    CTO, Farm-NG
  • Mike Mendelsohn 
    Chief of the US EPA’s Emerging Technologies Branch in the Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division.

    Moderated by Dr. Adrian Percy
    Executive Director of the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI)

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.

2.15pm – 3.00pm

The Industry Veterans Fireside Chat

featuring

  • Carl Casale
    Co-founder, Ospraie Ag Science
  • Bill Buckner
    CEO, Harpe Bio Herbicide & former CEO of Bayer CropScience LP

    Moderated by Keith Pitts

    SVP-Sustainability and Regulatory Strategy, Bioceres Crop Solutions

3.00pm – 3.30pm

Afternoon Break

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

3.30pm – 4.00pm

The 'What you need to know' panel

  • Karen Ross
    CDFA Secretary
  • Grey Frandsen
    CEO, Oxitec


    Moderated by Josette Lewis
    Chief Scientific Officer, Almond Board of California
4.00pm - 4.30pm

The Summit Closing Keynote Speaker

  • USDA Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt
    Marketing and Regulatory Programs

4.30pm - 4.45pm

 Wrap up & Close

  • Peter Wren-Hilton
    Founder & CEO, Wharf42
  • Dennis Donohue
    Director, the Western Growers Innovation & Technology Center

Due to unforseen circumstances, this Program may be subject to change.