AGRICULTURE BEYOND BORDERS

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Canadian farmers have a reputation for producing safe, high-quality crops and that makes Canadian agriculture an important player both here at home and abroad. With exports being such a big part of our success, international decisions and circumstances can have a big impact on Canadian agriculture. This year’s conference will explore how Canadian agriculture continues to drive innovation to help address the world’s most pressing challenges, while remaining competitive and relevant in international markets.

DECEMBER 1–3, 2015

HYATT REGENCY

CALGARY

700 CENTRE ST. S.,

CALGARY, ALBERTA

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The GrowCanada partnership is a coalition of national stakeholders working together to promote innovation in Canada’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors.

Our vision is for Canada to be a world leader in providing new products and innovative solutions for agricultural, nutritional, health, energy and environmental challenges in Canada and around the world, so that all Canadians can enjoy the economic, environmental and social benefits of the bio-economy.

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER AT #GROWCANADA151

AL RAINE Richardson International and CropLife Canada board member

BRETT HALSTEADPresident, Canadian Canola Growers Association

INFORMATION FOR DELEGATES

To access conference sessions, please wear your name badge.

RESERVE A TABLE FOR THE BANQUET:To reserve a table, please see the registration desk before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

DIETARY REQUESTS:We are pleased to accommodate special meal requests for those with dietary and health concerns. Please inquire at the conference registration desk.

READING ROOM:Wednesday, December 2, 2015 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Visit this area outside the Imperial Ballroom over coffee breaks and lunch to browse the latest industry news.

CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS:

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All conference sessions take place on the third floor of the Hyatt Regency Calgary in the Imperial Ballroom

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1

Icebreaker6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.Greet old friends, make new ones and visit with industry colleagues at our opening night icebreaker.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2

Sustainability at sunrise breakfast7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Ducks Unlimited, Soil Conservation Council of Canada and Nutrients for Life invite you to breakfast to learn about their commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and environmental stewardship.

CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE

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Conference sessions9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

GrowCanada 5km fun run and yoga4:20 p.m.

Reception6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Banquet7:00 p.m.

Post-banquet reception9:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

Conference sessions9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WIFI NETWORK:GrowCanada

PASSWORD:Arysta

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CONFERENCE SESSIONS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.Keynote speaker: Is humanity to survive the future or will it thrive, a leadership challengeLieutenant-General, the Honourable Roméo Dallaire (Ret’d) will share personal stories and experiences to discuss leadership and con-flict resolution. He’s passionate that competitive edge and personal fulfillment can be achieved if organizations put their team members and the fellow man – their skills, their continuous development and their quality of life – at the forefront. He inspires listeners to address the ethical and moral issues in conflicts and insists that humanity must come before political and economic interests.

LGen the Hon. Roméo Dallaire (Ret’d) served 35 years with the Canadian Armed Forces and is an international champion of human rights, award-winning author of Shake Hands With the Devil, and is a true hero and outspoken leader for the 21st century. In 2014, Dallaire resigned from the Canadian Senate where he had been serving since being appointed by former Prime Minister Paul Martin in 2005 and is now dedicating his time to humanitarian causes.

ROMÉO DALLAIRECelebrated humanitarian, mental health and human rights advocate

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10:15 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. Break

10:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Keeping up with rapid change and knowing when to innovateJim Carroll will explore the massive future opportuni-ties in the world of agriculture. Many people continue to view farming from the sepia-toned photos of the 1940s and 1950s. They don’t realize the technological and scientific advances or the massive opportunities for international growth. Carroll will challenge the audi-ence to consider whether you’re part of the apathetic minority, unwilling to change and skeptical about the future; or whether you’ll be future positive and willing to approach everything in new ways.

Jim Carroll is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading global futurists on trends and innova-tion. He is an author, columnist, media commentator and consultant and his focus is on linking future trends to innovation and creativity. He has researched key innovation success factors for industries including life sciences, health care, agriculture, technology, consumer products, retail and government.

JIM CARROLLFuturist, trends and innovation expert

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Canada’s agri-food trade: where have we been? Where are we going?Laura Dawson will explore the topic of trade as it relates to Canadian agriculture. She’ll provide a snapshot of where we are today and what it took to get here as well as the future of agricultural trade internationally.

Laura Dawson is director of the Canada Institute. Named one of Canada’s Top 100 foreign policy influencers by the Hill Times in 2014, Dawson is a speaker, writer, and thought leader on Canada-U.S., NAFTA and international trade issues. Previously, she served as senior advisor on economic affairs at the United States Embassy in Ottawa and taught international trade and Canada-U.S. relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Dawson continues to serve as Emeritus Advisor at Dawson Strategic, which provides advice to businesses on cross-border trade, market access and regulatory issues. She is a fellow at the Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute and serves on the board of the Council of the Great Lakes Region. Dawson holds a PhD in political science.

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.LunchRoom: Imperial 5/7/9 and Stephen AB

LAURA DAWSONDirector, Canada Institute

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1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.Next generation agricultural technologies: promise, potential & perceptionAgricultural biotechnology is at the next big crossroads. The first generation of products – herbicide tolerance in soybean, corn, and canola and insect resistance in corn, cotton, eggplant, and sugar beet – have proven the value of these technologies worldwide. Nevertheless, new products are slow to emerge because of onerous regulatory requirements and a disproportionate cost of registration compared to conventional breeding tech-nologies. New breeding technologies such as genome editing will inspire the next generation of agricultural biotechnology products and will be a major determi-nant in whether or not we shall be “allowed” to feed 9.6 billion people by 2050.

Dr. Maurice Moloney is the executive director and chief executive officer of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS). Prior to joining GIFS, Dr. Moloney was the group executive for Food, Health and Life Sciences at the Commonwealth Science Industries Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia. From 2010 to 2013, Dr. Moloney was the director and chief executive of Rothamsted Research, the oldest and largest agricul-tural research centre in Europe, with a mandate for food security, agricultural sustainability and adaptation of agriculture to the consequences of both climate change and depletion of fossil fuels. Dr. Moloney has published

more than 90 original research papers and is an inventor

on 43 issued U.S. patents and over 300 patents

worldwide.

DR. MAURICE MOLONEYExecutive director & CEO, Global Institute for Food Security

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The social impact of new technologies

The Rathenau Institute promotes the formation of political and public opinion on science and technology. To this end, the Institute studies the organization and development of science systems and the social impact of new technolo-gies and organizes debates on issues and dilemmas in science

and technology. Staman will share research on how perceptions of

technology impacts farmers and consumers internationally and what Canada can learn.

Jan Staman graduated in veterinary medicine and law and began a career in small animal medicine at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University. In February 2002, he was appointed Director of Technology

Assessment and Science System Assessment at the Rathenau Institute. Major efforts have been made on the issue of evidence based politics which also resulted in close co-operation between lead-ing institutes in Japan, Germany and the European Commission. The Institute is a consulting body to the Dutch Parliament and government. In January 2015 Jan Staman retired and started a private consultancy with an emphasis on disruptive technologies and con-flicts between science, society and government.

2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.Break

JAN STAMANDirector, Rathenau Institute (retired)

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2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Enabling the business of agricultureThe World Bank’s Enabling the Business of Agriculture program is working to build a set of agricultural business indicators to provide policy makers globally with evidence-backed data for monitoring relevant policies and regulations around the world that can be used to foster an enabling environment for agri-business. Farbod will discuss how the project started, the topic areas being looked at and what the research means for the future of agri-business.

Farbod Youssefi is a program manager at the Agriculture Global Practice of the World Bank, in charge of the World Bank Group’s Enabling the Business of Agriculture initia-tive. Before he joined the Bank in 2013, he directed University of California at Davis’ inter-national programs, served as a consultant for organiza-tions such as the World Food Logistics Organization, and worked closely with Chile’s horticultural industry, focus-ing primarily on postharvest systems and agribusiness development. Trained as an agricultural specialist in Chile (Universidad Católica de Chile), he obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Development and Integrative Crop Physiology at the University of California at Davis.

FARBOD YOUSSEFIProgram manager, World Bank Group

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Keeping Canada competitiveJ.P. Gervais will explore international and national economic trends, recent outlooks and projections and what this means for Canada and the agriculture indus-try as well as exploring the role Canadian agribusiness can play internationally.

J.P. Gervais has over 20 years of experience analyzing domestic and international agricultural policies and markets, and his insights help guide strategy and monitor risk throughout the corporation. He’s frequently a featured speaker at national and international conferences, addressing global trends and the linkages to agri-food markets. In addition to acting as an FCC spokesperson on economic matters, J.P. pro-vides commentary on the agriculture industry through videos and the FCC Ag Economist blog: www.fcc.ca/ageconomist.

4:20 p.m.GrowCanada 5km fun run and yogaRunners meet in the lobby at 4:20. Yoga will take place in the Stephen AB room on the third floor of the Hyatt.

6:00 p.m. Reception

J.P GERVAISChief agricultural economist, Farm Credit Canada

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7:00 p.m.Banquet Cooking with loveWhen Vikram Vij immigrated to Canada in 1989, he had no idea he would eventually become one of the country’s most recog-nizable faces. In this talk, he takes us through his journey—from opening his first restaurant to starring on one of the most popular shows in Canada—and the obstacles, challenges, and successes he experienced along the way. How does he do things differently from other entrepreneurs? How has he expanded his business without compromising his vision? And how has he kept his family and his love for Indian cooking at the forefront of everything he does? It all comes down to passion, he says—for what you do, for where you came from, and for what you want to accomplish in this life.

Vikram Vij was born in India, went to Austria at the age of 20 and moved to Canada in 1989 to work at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta. Today, he’s the owner of award-winning restaurants Vij’s Restaurant, Vij’s Rangoli and My Shanti. Vij was also on CBC’s Dragon’s Den and has appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef Canada in 2011-2013. He and his wife Meeru have published two award-winning cookbooks: Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine, and Vij’s at Home: Relax, Honey.

9:30 p.m. Post-banquet reception

VIKRAM VIJChef, restauranteur, entrepreneur

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Water, agriculture and food – future opportunities and challengesWater is essential, which is why it sits at the heart of many challenges facing the world and is an important consider-ation for agriculture. During this panel session, we will hear three different perspec-tives on water as well as gain insight into what challenges and opportunities exist for managing this invaluable resource in a way that will ensure agriculture remains vibrant and sustainable.

Fran Burr has been involved in the agri-food industry for many years and has acquired extensive experience in marketing, communications, and business leadership. As executive director for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops (CRSC), she works closely with the group’s agriculture sector members on all aspects of the organization’s activities and acts as the official spokesperson for the CRSC. Prior to joining the CRSC, Fran was assistant vice-president of marketing for the AgHorizons business unit, Cargill Ltd.

FRAN BURRMODERATOR

Executive director, Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops

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PanelistsJames Snider is vice- president of science, research and innovation at WWF-Canada. Building on his background in landscape ecology and conservation biology at McGill University, and environmental impact assessment and statistics at Concordia University, he has contributed conservation science expertise to WWF since 2007. Most recently James has led the develop-ment and implementation of the Freshwater Health Assessment project, an ambitious undertaking to assess the ecological condition of rivers and water-sheds across Canada. Through expert consultation, and based on international best practices, James has worked since 2011 to develop a science-based frame-work for credibly evaluating the health of Canada’s fresh water.

Ryan Yates is the director of congressional relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation. In this capacity, he advocates on behalf of American farmers and ranchers on policy issues including federal lands management, the Endangered Species Act, and protection of private prop-erty rights. Previously, Yates has served as associate legis-lative director for the National Association of Counties (NACo), where he handled policies affecting county governments impacted by federally owned land in the western United States. As a native westerner, Yates grew up working as a farmhand in California’s San Joaquin Valley. He has a degree in agricultural business from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

RYAN R. YATES Director of congressional relations, American Farm Bureau Federation

JAMES SNIDER Vice-president, science, research and innovation World Wildlife Fund, Canada

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Brent Paterson is the owner of Paterson Earth and Water Consulting, specializing in water management, irrigation and water quality issues related to agriculture and rural development in Canada and developing countries. He has worked on irrigation and water management proj-ects in several developing countries through the Canadian International Development Agency, United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Brent was formerly the executive director of the Irrigation and Farm Water Division with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Break

BRENT PATERSONPaterson Earth and Water Consulting

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CLARA HUGHESSix-time Olympic medalist and mental health advocate

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Open Heart, Open MindFrom one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians comes a raw but life-affirming story of one woman’s struggle with depression. In a world where winning meant everything, her biggest competitor was herself. She has emerged as one of Canada’s most commit-ted humanitarians, advocating for a variety of social causes both in Canada and around the world. Hughes will share her personal journey through physical and mental pain to a life where love and understanding can thrive.

Clara Hughes is the only Canadian to have won medals in both the Summer and the Winter Olympics. She served as the Canadian flag bearer for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games’ opening ceremony, and represented Canada with distinction at the London Summer Olympic Games in 2012, before retiring as an Olympian. Hughes inspires people toward success in all areas of their lives and her candid personal talks range from how she believes sports can change lives to her struggle with depression – fully embody-ing the idea that each of us can overcome challenges to become the champions we’re meant to be.

Stay for a book signing of Clara’s book Open Heart, Open Mind following this session.

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