Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2017) – Today, BIO announced programming and speakers for its Modern Ag Innovation Day, which will take place on Tuesday, June 20th at BIO’s 2017 International Convention (June 19-22 in San Diego). Programming will feature agricultural, business, and civic leaders from around the world discussing the contributions biology-based innovations have made to agriculture.
The opening keynote will be given by Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation.
“We are thrilled to welcome BIO and its members to San Diego this month,” said Wenger. “California plays a critical role in the American agriculture success story, continuing to lead the way in food production, and we look forward to sharing that story. Biotechnology has allowed farmers here and around the world to grow more efficiently. With the recent drought still on our minds here, we recognize the need for biotechnology and all the innovative tools in the agricultural toolbox to help us to do more with less.”
The opening keynote will be followed by a trio of sessions within the Modern Ag Innovation program.
Integrated Agricultural Solutions: A Systems Approach to Solving Problems
- Moderator: Corey Huck, Vice President, Business Development, AgTech Accelerator
- Aaron Schacht, Vice President, Global Research and Development, Elanco
- Dr. Robert Reiter, Research & Development Integration Planning Lead, Monsanto
Micro Solutions for Mega Issues: Biologicals in Crop Improvement
- Moderator: Vijay Vijayaraghavan, CEO, Sathquru Management Consultants
- Dr. Desmond Jimenez, Vice President, Product Development and Manufacturing, New Leaf Symbiotics
- Dr. Amit Vasavada, Senior Vice President, R&D and Chief Technology Officer, Marrone Bio Innovations
- Dr. Channa S. Prakash, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Tuskegee University
Unpredictable Weather: How Biology-Based Ag Solutions are Helping Society Adapt to and Mitigate Challenges
- Moderator: Doyle Karr, Director of Biotechnology Public Policy, DuPont
- Hadyn Parry, Vice President, Corporate Development Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Intrexon Corporation
- Dr. Oliver Peoples, President and CEO, Yield10 Bioscience
- Raj Ketkar, CEO, Arcadia Biosciences
- Dr. Bob Bensen, Trait Genetics Lead, Syngenta
- Hugh Welsh, President & General Counsel, DSM North America
Closing remarks will be delivered by Dennis Donohue with the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, who formerly served as Mayor of Salinas, CA.
“When people think of innovation or technology, they often think of computers or cell phones or apps,” said Donohue. “But truly, agriculture is leading the way on innovation. The pressures on farmers, growers, and just about everyone else across the food and agriculture landscape have only increased, even as resources become more scarce. It’s critical that we continue to develop and implement new technologies that help us grow more food with less water, less land and fewer pesticide applications. Modern agriculture has a great story to tell, and I look forward to joining BIO’s International Conference to tell it.”
BIO 2017 International Convention (BIO 2017) is in San Diego June 19-22 and registration is now open! Check out the complete BIO 2017 program including Keynotes, Super Sessions, Educational Tracks and Fireside Chats with scientific experts, government leaders and leading biotech CEOs. And stay tuned for more updates as we approach BIO 2017!