When nearly 800 professional women in agribusiness come together, there’s active engagement, a mutual exchange of industry knowledge and an energy that’s hard to replicate. That is what it means to be a part of the Women in Agribusiness Summit, which just announced its 2019 comprehensive agenda. The WIA Summit will be held this year, Sept. 25 to 27, in Minneapolis.
While more than 40 top-notch speakers will preside over discussions on the latest and greatest issues in the sector, it’s the add-on features that round out this annual WIA Summit, now in its eighth year, and bring even more excitement. From a pre-event industry walking tour, to WIA members-only night, to a student and young professionals workshop, the agenda is jam-packed to make the most of the time spent at this two-and-a-half-day conference.
CHS, the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative, will open its grain and fertilizer terminals for tours before the opening presentations on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Continuing on in the “Beans, Barges and Baseball” showcase is a behind-the-scenes look at the CHS field — the home of the St. Paul Saints baseball team — and an exclusive backstory on how the Saints developed their “Fun is Good” brand. “This tour has it all: supply chain logistics, branding, women’s achievement, community engagement, and historic preservation,” said Joy O’Shaughnessy, managing director for Women in Agribusiness.
Also on opening day is an interactive leadership training workshop, hosted by executive coach Kay Kuenker, that includes minimal lecture, lots of participant discussions and experiential learning exercises. Additional activities include an exclusive “women in protein” dinner and entry to the pre-event IGNITE Expo, which shines a light on women-owned businesses with offerings to the ag sector.
Adding further substance to this event, plenary and break-out session discussions will address:
- Dynamic approaches to commodity risk management
- The economic and reputation impact of a food recall
- Innovations in fertilizer
- American commodities in China
- The hunger vs. obesity paradox
- And stay tuned for more on featured speaker Lucy Stitzer, who is chairman of Waycross, Inc. and founder of Dirt-to-Dinner; and the Commissioners of Agriculture Keynote Panel that will include several female U.S. ag commissioners.
Check out the full agenda and peruse those attending organizations who have already made a commitment to attend on their website.
