Overview
Co-hosted by the Sweetener Users Association and the International Dairy Foods Association, the International Sweetener Colloquium provides a unique opportunity for key players from all sectors to discuss the most pressing issues facing the global sweetener industry.
Attendees will be given the opportunity to participate in content-rich sessions with presentations from a wide range of speakers, addressing the latest challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Topics will cover everything from government regulation and political outlook to current research findings and market trends.
The Colloquium draws hundreds of professionals and decision-makers from the sweetener industry and from companies that use sweeteners in the products they make. Buyers, refiners, distributors and food companies actively participate in the Colloquium, using it as a springboard to enhance their business and trading-partner networks.
Cohosted By:
Sponsors:
Agenda
| February 26, 2023 | Event | Speaker | Location |
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| 9:30am - 11:00am | SUA Board Meeting (invitation only) | ||
| 12:30pm | Golf Tournament – Sponsored by: Domino Foods Inc. | ||
| 6:00pm - 7:30pm | Welcome Reception – Sponsored by: United Sugars | ||
| 9:00pm | After-Hour Party – Sponsored by: ADM | ||
| February 27, 2023 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 8:15am - 9:15am |
Session I – Breakfast: Keynote Address
As always, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has many issues on its plate again in 2023. How best to address climate change with a big boost in funding from Congress and ongoing supply chain concerns are just a few of the challenges USDA faces. You will want to attend this opening session to hear firsthand from Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, who among his many responsibilities, is charged with administering the sugar program. He will share his insights on what to expect on agriculture policy and programs for the year ahead. </br> Speaker: <b>The Honorable Robert Bonnie</b>, Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture</br>
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| 9:30am - 10:30am |
Session II – International Sugar Market Outlook
World sugar supplies appear to be more plentiful in 2022-23 with a larger global surplus and weaker prices from a year ago. Analysts will delve into the global sugar market with discussions about production and exports from Brazil, India, Thailand, and others, as well as review the global demand situation.
</br>Moderator: <b>Ron Sterk</b>, Senior Editor, Markets, Sosland Publishing </br>Speakers: <b>Sergey Chetvertakov</b>, Principal Research Analyst, S&P Global</br> <b>Jeff Dobrydney</b>, Senior Vice President, Head of Futures & Options, JSG Commodities</br> <b>Vincent O’Rourke</b>, Trader and Market Analyst, C. Czarnikow Sugar, Inc.</br>
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| 10:30am - 11:00am | Networking Break – Sponsored by: National Sugar Marketing | ||
| 11:00am - 12:00pm |
Session III – North American Sweetener Market Outlook
Despite ample global sugar supplies, U.S. supplies remain tight and prices high. The corn sweetener market experienced large price increases from 2022. Experts will explain the sugar and corn sweetener supply and demand situations and will look to what lies ahead in the North American sweetener market. </br>Moderator: <b>Ron Sterk</b>, Senior Editor, Markets, Sosland Publishing </br>Speakers: <b>Frank Jenkins</b>, President, JSG Commodities </br> <b>Craig Ruffolo</b>, Vice President – Commodity Specialist, McKeany-Flavell Company Inc.</br> <b>Humberto Jasso</b>, Executive President, Mexican Sugar Chamber</br>
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| 4:00pm - 5:30pm | Sugar Industry Sustainability Meeting (invitation only) | ||
| 6:00pm - 7:00pm | Networking Reception – Sponsored by: Barchart.com Inc. | ||
| February 28, 2023 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 8:45am - 9:15am | Continental Breakfast | ||
| 9:15am - 10:15am |
Session IV – Outlook for the Economy and Financial Markets
The Federal Reserve raises interest rates…inflation remains elevated…important economic indicators are flashing warning signs…yet unemployment remains low and consumers are resilient. An expert talks about what’s happening in the U.S. and world economies now, and what may lie ahead.
</br>Moderator: <b>Paul Steed</b>, Senior Global Price Risk Lead - Sugar, Mars Wrigley Confectionery US, LLC</br>
Speaker: <b>Scott Colbert</b>, Executive Vice President, Chief Economist and Director of Fixed Income Management, The Commerce Trust Company </br>
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| 10:15am - 10:45am | Networking Break – Sponsored by: NuiSource | ||
| 10:45am - 11:45am |
Session V – Product Formulation: Is Sugar Reduction Real?
Nutrition guidance and public policies increasingly emphasize reduction of added sugars. Americans’ consumption of these sugars has fallen but remains above recommended levels. What are companies doing to reduce added sugars, or replace them with low-calorie sweeteners? And what additional pressures are likely on the policy front? An expert panel looks for answers. </br>Moderator: <b>Courtney Gaine, Ph.D., RD</b>, President and CEO, The Sugar Association</br>
Speakers: <b>Andy Dratt</b>, EVP & Chief Commercial Officer, Imbibe </br> <b>Beth Johnson, MS, RD</b>, Founder & Principal, Food Directions LLC </br> <b>Kris Sollid, RD</b>, Senior Director, Nutrition Communications, International Food Information Council
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| 12:00pm - 1:15pm |
Session VI – Luncheon: Current Political Outlook
A.B. Stoddard offers a non-partisan perspective of the political landscape of the day and our nation’s upcoming elections. Frequently meeting with sources and politicians of all stripes, Stoddard has her finger on the pulse of Washington, DC, as she offers detailed and smart political and electoral analysis. In a talk as up-to-date as the headlines, she covers the five biggest stories in the news, the most up-to-date happenings between Congress and the White House, ongoing budget battles, and the electoral prospects for the two parties. </br>Speaker: <b>A.B. Stoddard</b>, Associate Editor and Columnist, RealClearPolitics
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| 1:30pm - 2:30pm | Session VII – Supply Chain Outlook | ||
| 2:30pm - 3:00pm | Networking Break – Sponsored by: Bonsucro | ||
| 3:00pm - 4:00pm |
Session VIII – Sugar Sustainability is Now Top of Mind
Since sustainability for sugar was first highlighted as a new priority at the 2016 Colloquium, the issue has advanced from “why should one care” to what practices need to be in place to ensure a robust sustainable sugar sector. The sugar industry has invested resources to address sustainability concerns and now the Department of Agriculture is providing serious funding to projects through its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. This session will bring you up to date on the current landscape and where sugar sustainability efforts are headed.</br>Moderator: <b>Rick Pasco</b>, President, Sweetener Users Association</br>
Speakers: <b>Dan Galligan</b>, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Canegrowers </br> <b>Rebecca Larson, Ph.D.</b>, Chief Scientist and Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Western Sugar Cooperative</br> <b>Danielle Morley</b>, CEO, Bonsucro</br>
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| March 1, 2023 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 7:30am - 8:00am | Continental Breakfast | ||
| 8:00am - 9:00am |
Session IX – U.S. Sugar Program Administration & Policy
2022 was a turbulent year for sugar users in the United States. Prices soared to unprecedented levels. Declarations of force majeur twice hit buyers with unexpected contract cancellations. The amount of high-tier sugar coming into the country increased to unheard of levels as manufacturers scrambled to find enough sugar to keep their operations going. Join us as a panel representing government, growers and users discuss where we are and where we are going. </br>Moderator: <b>Randy Green</b>, Principal, Watson Green LLC </br>
Panelists: <b>Barb Fecso</b>, Branch Chief, Commodity Analysis, Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture </br> <b>Robert Johansson, Ph.D.</b>, Director of Economic and Policy Analysis, American Sugar Alliance</br> <b>Bill O’Conner</b>, Agriculture Policy Expert, Watkinson Miller PLLC</br>
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| 9:00am - 10:00am |
Session X – Commodity Outlook
Grains, edible oils, and dairy product prices remain high. War, drought, floods, logistics and other factors have contributed to volatility in agricultural commodity futures prices. What is driving the markets, and where are we headed? Experts will help make sense of the grains, oilseeds, edible oils, and dairy markets. </br>Moderator: <b>Ron Sterk</b>, Senior Editor, Markets, Sosland Publishing</br>
Speakers: <b>Mary Ledman</b>, Global Strategist – Dairy, Rabobank </br> <b>Stephen Nicholson</b>, EVP, Global Sector Strategist – Grains and Oilseeds, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness
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Session I – Breakfast: Keynote Address
Robert Bonnie
Robert Bonnie is the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA. Prior to joining USDA, Bonnie was at Duke University first as a Rubenstein Fellow and later as an Executive in Residence at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions working on conservation and environmental issues in rural America. In 2020, Bonnie also worked with the Bipartisan Policy Center on its Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Initiative. Bonnie was Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA from 2013 to 2017, and a senior advisor to Secretary Tom Vilsack from 2009 to 2013. Prior to joining USDA, Robert was vice president for land conservation at Environmental Defense Fund where he focused on developing incentives to reward stewardship on private lands. Robert has master’s degrees from Duke in forestry and environmental management. He lives with his wife, Julie, and daughter, Lilly, in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Session II – International Sugar Market Outlook
Ron Sterk
Ron Sterk is senior editor, markets, for Food Business News and Milling & Baking News, and is editor of the Sosland Sweetener Report. Prior to joining Sosland Publishing Company in 2003, he was involved in market coverage and management for several years for the real-time news services. He has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism with a focus in agronomy from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in business from Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
Sergey Chetvertakov
Sergey Chetvertakov is a Senior Associate responsible for sugar and cocoa markets at S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Sergey has 10+ years' experience researching and analyzing agricultural markets. He is responsible for price forecasts, fundamental and technical analysis. Also, he develops short (up to 12 months) and long-term (up to 5 years) price forecasting models applying machine-learning. He identifies and communicates potential risks to aid clients' business decision process.
Based in Ratzeburg (Germany), Sergey is a regular speaker at conferences and is frequently cited by major media publications.
Sergey holds a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Göttingen (Germany) and a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics at the Voronezh State Agrarian University (Russia).
Jeff Dobrydney
Jeff has been with JSG Commodities since 2005, when he started as an Assistant Trader. Born and raised in Milford, CT and a graduate from Jesuit schools Fordham University and Fairfield Prep, Jeff has solidified his role within the Sugar trading community covering both the USMCA and World futures markets which includes penning a daily report. He is now the Sr. Vice President of JSG and heads the Futures & Options desk that executes trades for Sugar, Cocoa, Coffee and Grains for a wide array of clientele. Jeff also served as the President of the Sugar Club of New York and is a featured speaker at the annual Datagro conference in New York. A resident of Trumbull, Connecticut with his wife and two girls, Jeff also serves on Trumbull Little League’s Executive Board of Directors and is in his 7th year coaching travel softball and is President of the organization. In 2022, Jeff was named to the Advisory Board of “Save the Game”, the grass-roots effort designed to align with Major League Baseball to encourage youth participation in baseball. He is also the principal trumpet player at Trinity Church in Trumbull. 
Vincent O’Rourke
Vincent has been working on the sugar fundamental analysis several years, and has played a significant role in the creation of “Czapp”, the Czarnikow market analysis website and app. Graduating his masters from King’s College London and completing an internship in hedge fund management convinced him commodities was the field for him and he joined Czarnikow in their London office as an analyst in 2016. He has transferred to the CZ Miami team in 2019 and has since been overseeing regional trade flows and market analysis for a large part of the Americas. He is also an active part of the Czarnikow trading team, giving him a deep understanding of the many facets of the sugar trade from a producer and a consumers perspective. You can find all his reports and wider Czarnikow market analysis on Czapp.com.
Session III – North American Sweetener Market Outlook
Ron Sterk
Ron Sterk is senior editor, markets, for Food Business News and Milling & Baking News, and is editor of the Sosland Sweetener Report. Prior to joining Sosland Publishing Company in 2003, he was involved in market coverage and management for several years for the real-time news services. He has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism with a focus in agronomy from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in business from Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
Frank Jenkins
Frank Jenkins, president of Jenkins Sugar Group, has over 20 years of experience as a broker and consultant focusing mainly on the US/NAFTA sugar markets. Prior to founding Jenkins Sugar Group in 1993, he worked on the sugar desk of ED&F Man in New York from 1983 to 1986, and served as vice president in Merrill Lynch Private Client Group in New York from 1986 to 1993. Frank was honored to serve as president of the Sugar Club of New York and has been a featured speaker at numerous industry and USDA sponsored forums.
Craig Ruffolo
I graduated with a BA degree in economics from Knox College in 1992. Being a son of the former CEO at McKeany-Flavell I grew up in the food / beverage business. In 1995 I officially started my career at McKeany-Flavell and for the past 26 years I have provided my market expertise to numerous people within the food and beverage space.
I am considered an expert in the Global Sweetener Markets, with an emphasis on North America. I counsel many of the Fortune 500 Food and Beverage companies on the fundamental picture of what is impacting price of the ingredients they purchase. My goal as an educator and market analyst is to make those better at their job.
My work allows me to travel all over the United States. During these visits I gather information on the markets, distill it into usable intelligence and then disseminate it to our clients. I am often requested to speak at industry events such as the International Sweetener Colloquium, sponsored event of the Sweetener Users Association, the Symposium for the American Sugar Alliance, Sosland Publishing’s Purchasing Seminar, BIO Industry conference on bio-fermentation, International Sugar Organization (ISO), and many others. My market analysis is seen equally by both the buy and sell side of sugar, and corn sweeteners, all in the effort to help people improve and become more informed on the markets they serve.
Humberto Jasso
Humberto Jasso is Executive President of the Mexican Sugar Chamber, which represents the sugar mill companies that transform cane into sugar in Mexico before the Government, cane growers, labor unions, abroad, and in the defense of sugar as a healthy ingredient.
Since February 2021 he also holds the position of Vice President for International Trade in Mexico´s umbrella National Agricultural Council (CNA), which represents the Mexican private sector in Agribusiness.
Before joining the Sugar Chamber in 2011, Humberto Jasso worked for 22 years in the Trade Ministry of Mexico, and participated in the original negotiation of the NAFTA, as well as in the negotiation of many international trade Agreements signed by Mexico with the European Union, Japan, and many Latin American countries.
Humberto Jasso lives in Mexico City with his wife and two sons. He has a BA in Economics from Yale College and a master’s degree in Economic Development from Cambridge University.
Session IV – Outlook for the Economy and Financial Markets
Scott Colbert, CFA
Scott is the chief economist and director of fixed income management with Commerce Trust Company.
He joined Commerce in 1993 and has investment responsibilities for over $26 billion in fixed income assets. Scott directly manages the Commerce Short-Term Government and the flagship Commerce Bond strategies.
Scott received his Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1986 and received his Master of Business Administration from Xavier University in 1988. He has been both a director and president of the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of St. Louis.
Paul Steed
Paul Steed’s commodity background spans physical trading, industrial procurement and derivatives position management.
Paul was born in Argentina and moved with his family to the United States as a child. He is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. As a Global Price Risk Lead at Mars Wrigley he drives commodity hedging strategies for all business units world-wide.
Paul is a past President of the Sugar Club and current member of the Board of the Sugar User’s Association. He also serves on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Sweeteners and Sweetener Products. Paul is also a member of the Intercontinental Exchange’s “No. 16” US domestic raw sugar contract.
Paul and his wife Martina live in Connecticut with their menagerie of cats, dogs and horses.
Session V – Product Formulation: Is Sugar Reduction Real?
Courtney Gaine
Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD, is the President and CEO for the Sugar Association in Washington, DC. Prior to this appointment in April 2016, Dr. Gaine served as the Vice President of Scientific Affairs for the Sugar Association. Dr. Gaine previously was a senior science program manager at The North American branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI North America), a public, non-profit scientific foundation that advances the understanding and application of science related to the nutritional quality and safety of the food supply. Prior to ILSI, Dr. Gaine held positions of project director, nutrition and wellness, at the non-profit organization Convergence and as a science manager at FoodMinds, a public relations firm. She began her career in academia as an assistant professor at East Carolina University.
Having obtained her Ph.D. in nutritional sciences and biochemistry and bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the University of Connecticut, Dr. Gaine was also a co-captain of the UConn Women’s Basketball Team. She is a native Washingtonian.
Andy Dratt
Andy Dratt, Chief Commercial Officer at Imbibe, has a passion for food and beverage innovation. Constantly seeking out the latest technology to help brand owners bring new products to market, Andy works with a range of companies to bring cutting-edge products to market. During his time at Imbibe, he has been able to bolster the company’s growth by reimagining and implementing a new business model while incorporating a strategic vision that is both modern and sustainable. He leverages over 20 years of experience guiding CPG and foodservice operators to conceptualize, develop and launch new products to market in the US, Latin America, and Europe. Dratt has a knack for helping customers identify and exploit the “sweet spot” between consumer needs, business wants and product realities and frequently delivers his expert insights at industry events.
Beth Johnson, MS, RD
Beth Johnson brings over 25 years of food policy experience serving inside and outside the government, including the Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and the National Restaurant Association, where she built strong relationships with a broad group of stakeholders and a unique and in-depth understanding of how industry can impact policy decisions. Over the years, Johnson has been involved in policy negotiations and development at the local, state, federal and international level. She also helped lead USDA’s work on CODEX and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Beth holds relationships with administration officials, agency career staff, key congressional offices as well as public health and consumer advocates that help pave the way for fruitful discussions for our clients. Johnson lives near Annapolis with her husband and two daughters.
Kris Sollid
Kris Sollid, RD is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for improving nutrition science communications. As the Senior Director of Nutrition Communications at the International Food Information Council (IFIC), Kris leads IFIC’s nutrition team. In this role, Kris is integral to IFIC’s consumer research on food perceptions, beliefs and behaviors through its annual Food and Health Survey and other topic-specific consumer research projects, which he regularly shares with nutrition professionals on national and global platforms. Kris has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications of IFIC’s consumer research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Cereal Foods World and Nutrition Today.
Kris is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition to leading IFIC’s continuing professional education program through the Commission on Dietetic Registration, he recently served eight consecutive years (2013-2021) in leadership roles on the Board of Directors of DCMAND, the Academy’s District of Columbia Metro affiliate.
Kris has earned degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder (BA in Geography) and the University of Maryland, College Park (BS in Dietetics).
Session VI – Luncheon: Current Political Outlook
A.B. Stoddard
A.B. Stoddard is an associate editor and columnist with political news site and polling data aggregator RealClearPolitics, and a contributor and guest host for SiriusXM’s POTUS Channel. She appears regularly on Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN, and MSNBC for her expertise as a political commentator. She is a former associate editor and columnist for The Hill newspaper. Her column with The Hill won first place Dateline Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C. chapter in 2010 and 2011.
Nonpartisan, Stoddard addresses elections and the political landscape of the day. Frequently meeting with sources and politicians of all stripes, Stoddard has her finger on the pulse of Washington, DC as she offers detailed and smart political and electoral analyses. Her talks cover the five biggest stories in the news, the most up-to-date happenings between Congress and the White House, ongoing budget battles, and the electoral prospects for the two parties.
Journalism Journey. Stoddard had always wanted to be a reporter, and she caught the political bug watching Justice Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court nomination hearings. She began her journalism career as a reporter for the Potomac News in northern Virginia, and she has covered the U.S. Congress since 1994 as a reporter at The Hill and a Senate producer for ABC News. She returned to The Hill as a commentator and columnist in 2006.
Session VIII – Sugar Sustainability is Now Top of Mind
Rick Pasco
Rick Pasco is a partner at Watkinson Miller PLLC where he is legal counsel and lobbyist for a number of agribusiness clients in the food, agricultural, trade and environmental arenas. He has more than 30 years of experience working in agriculture and food-related legislative and regulatory matters. Mr. Pasco specializes in advising and representing trade associations and companies on government policies and programs. In this capacity, he serves as President of the Sweetener Users Association and Vice President of the Sugar Club.
He has a wealth of experience working with Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He has played a key role in implementing lobbying strategies and advancing agricultural program and trade reforms, as well as developing environmental guidelines, food labeling rules, and food safety/nutrition legislation. During the course of his private and public-sector career, he has been closely involved in six omnibus farm bills.
An important part of Mr. Pasco's work for trade associations is his counsel and advice to ensure that their political action committees (PACs) are in full compliance with federal elections laws and regulations administered by the Federal Election Commission. He is the firm's expert on these issues. Mr. Pasco is uniquely qualified to bring his broad experience to bear in helping solve the problems of clients in the private sector.
Mr. Pasco is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, Colorado and Nebraska. He received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington, and earned a M.S. degree in Agricultural Economics and a J.D. degree from the University of Nebraska.
Dan Galligan
Dan Galligan has been the CEO of CANEGROWERS since June 2015. CANEGROWERS is a peak industry body that provides advocacy and communication services, as well as programs on leadership, capacity building and grower engagement. In his role, Dan has been involved in critical industry issues on sugar marketing, management of production costs, international trade and market access negotiations and programs to support the environmental sustainability of the industry and maintenance of its social licence to operate.
Previously, Dan was six years as the head of the state farm lobby group, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation and spent 10 years driving policy and grower services working with Cotton Australia an industry body representing the interests of the Australian cotton industry. During this time, he worked in advocacy roles, as well as holding grower services and management positions.
Originally from a mixed farming enterprise, Dan has spent a career across a broad range of roles in the agricultural sector. He has a formal background in applied science, rural systems management and environmental auditing.
Rebecca Larson
Dr. Rebecca Larson has spent more than 20 years working in the beet sugar industry. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Field Biology from St. Cloud State University in 1999 and went on to receive her doctorate in Plant Science with an emphasis in Plant Pathology and Biochemistry from Montana State University in 2003. The work from her dissertation led to patenting and commercialization of a novel disease control agent which landed her induction into Montana State University’s Inventors Society in 2014. Early in her career Dr. Larson established a proteomics program at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service when working for the Agency as a Plant Physiologist. Her work elucidated the biochemical foundations of plant resistance/tolerance in sugarbeet. The findings were extensively published in the peer-reviewed literature and created the foundation of her expertise in integrated pest management. Looking to expand her knowledge in applied agronomy, plant breeding and crop protection, Dr. Larson moved to private industry where she ultimately joined the North American R&D Leadership Team at Syngenta overseeing end-to-end research activities for Diverse Field Crops, which included sugarbeet. In 2015, Dr. Larson joined Western Sugar Cooperative and currently serves as Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Chief Scientist.
During her tenure with Western Sugar much of her work has been sustainability focused. She developed and implemented a Sustainability Management System and Continuous Improvement Program. She led the farmers through on-farm sustainability certification, making Western Sugar the first verified supplier of 100% sustainably produced sugar in the Americas. Dr. Larson also spear-headed the first life cycle assessment of sugarbeets in North America to create the foundation for continuous improvement and research investments for the cooperative. Her efforts today focus on optimizing nutrient use efficiency, improving and maintaining soil health, and the commoditization of ecosystem services. She serves as project lead for Western Sugar’s Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities projects.
Danielle Morley
Danielle Morley is CEO of Bonsucro, the leading global sustainability platform and standard for sugarcane. She also sits on the Board for ISEAL – the global membership organisation for credible sustainability standards. She has a range of sector expertise in palm oil, water, forests, climate change, and human rights.
Prior to her appointment at Bonsucro in 2018, Danielle was European Director of Outreach and Engagement at Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, and Executive Director of the Freshwater Action Network at WaterAid.
She holds a master's degree in Environmental Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Law
Session IX – U.S. Sugar Program Administration & Policy
Randy Green
Randy Green, a principal at Watson Green LLC, has seen food and agriculture policy from all sides, having served in both the executive and legislative branches of government and in the private sector. Over his career he has been closely involved in the development of five multi-year farm bills, as well as major legislation and regulations affecting derivatives, food safety, animal health and human nutrition.
Randy came to Washington in the 1980s to work for former Representative Charles Stenholm (D-Tex.) and later served former Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) on the staff of the Senate Agriculture Committee. With the exception of two years as a deputy under secretary of agriculture, Randy served on the agriculture committee staff continuously from 1989 to 1999. The last two years he was chief of staff.
In 1999 Randy entered the private sector to represent agricultural and food industry clients. Earlier in his career, he managed government relations for the American Soybean Association and was director of the Wheat Export Trade Education Center.
In 2013, Randy and Lisa Watson formed Watson Green LLC, a firm centered on food and agriculture policy and public affairs.
Barb Fecso
Barbara Fecso is the Branch Chief of the Commodity Analysis Branch, Economic and Policy Analysis Division, Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture. She is responsible for overseeing the administration of the domestic sugar, dairy, livestock, cotton, peanuts, grains and oilseeds programs. Barbara provides guidance to the Secretary of Agriculture in the formulation and implementation of national policies and procedures, as well as economic and budgetary impact analysis of those programs.
Barbara has almost twenty-five years of government service in USDA with an emphasis on program analysis, operations and budgetary analysis. She initially spent five years with the Natural Resource Conservation Service as a program analyst for conservation technical assistance, watershed and animal waste management programs. She then spent two years as a wheat and pulse crop analyst at the Farm Service Agency before shifting to sugar. She was named Director of FSA’s Dairy and Sweeteners Analysis branch in 2014 and played a critical role in the negotiation of the current sugar trade agreement with Mexico. In October 2018, she was named Branch Chief under USDA’s reorganization.
Barbara received a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University at West Lafayette, Indiana in 1994. She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and lived for almost twenty years in central Illinois. She has three children and now resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband.
Robert Johansson
Dr. Johansson is the Director of Economics and Policy Analysis for the American Sugar Alliance, the national coalition of sugarbeet and sugarcane growers, processors, and refiners.
Previously, Rob served as the Chief Economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was responsible for advising the Secretary of Agriculture on programs, regulations, and legislative proposals. Rob also served as the Chairman of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors and was responsible for setting up the Farm Production and Conservation (or FPAC) mission area.
Dr. Johansson has held positions at the Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Budget Office, and at the White House. He also served in Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo with the U.S. Peace Corps between 1990 and 1995.
Bill O'Conner
Bill O'Conner joined the firm in 2010, bringing with him more than three decades of experience in the legislative and executive branches of government. During that time, he was one of the key policy staffers in the development and passage of five farm bills, three laws to restructure and reform the Farm Credit System, and the entire legislative development of the federal crop insurance program.
He also played a key role in the legislative evolution of futures and derivatives regulation from the 1980's through House passage of the most recent financial services reform in 2009. He continues to follow closely the implementation of the Dodd - Frank Act and the huge number of regulations that are being promulgated to implement that Act. He was at the center of legislation regulating pesticides, including the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. He has played a major legislative role in all of the diverse legislation in the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Committee from forestry to food stamps and tobacco to trade.
Former Jobs/Positions Held
Mr. O'Conner began his service in Washington in 1979, working in the House Republican leadership. In 1983, he was brought to the House Agriculture Committee by Congressman Ed Madigan of Illinois, where he worked as deputy staff director. In 1991 Congressman Madigan became Agriculture Secretary Madigan and Bill became his chief of staff. In addition to overseeing general functioning of USDA, Bill worked intensively on the negotiation of the Uruguay Round of trade talks.
In 1993, Bill returned to the House Agriculture Committee as policy director, coordinating and implementing policy for the Committee. He served in that capacity for Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas and Chairman Bob Smith of Oregon. In 1999 Chairman Larry Combest of Texas named Bill Staff Director for the Committee, a position that continued under Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia. At the time Bill retired from Capitol Hill to join the firm, he was serving as minority policy director for Ranking Member Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.
Session X – Commodity Outlook
Ron Sterk
Ron Sterk is senior editor, markets, for Food Business News and Milling & Baking News, and is editor of the Sosland Sweetener Report. Prior to joining Sosland Publishing Company in 2003, he was involved in market coverage and management for several years for the real-time news services. He has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism with a focus in agronomy from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in business from Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
Mary Ledman
Mary is a thought leader who has extensive knowledge of domestic and international dairy markets and policy and over thirty years of experience in production agriculture, food processing, government service, agricultural policy, dairy risk management, market information and dissemination, and milk and dairy product price forecasting.
Prior to Rabobank, Mary held positions at the USDA, Kraft Foods, and Stella. She later founded Keough Ledman Associates, an economic consulting firm serving the dairy industry since 1995.
Mary holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural journalism and a Master of Science degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. Early in her career, she was awarded a Fulbright-Hayes Scholarship to conduct comparative research on US and European dairy policies.
Stephen Nicholson
Stephen has more than thirty years of experience in cash grain markets, hedging, commodity/ingredient procurement, commodity risk management and commodity analysis. Prior to joining Rabobank, Nicholson was most recently category manager and chief economist with International Food Products. From 2001 to 2007, he was a senior economist and oilseed analyst with Doane Agricultural Services in St. Louis.
Stephen also has nearly fifteen years of experience in the food & beverage industry. He served as senior buyer at The Earthgrains Company, now the Sara Lee Baking Group, in St. Louis. From 1988 to 1997, he was the senior commodity analyst in the global procurement and trading company at The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta. While at Coca-Cola, he was involved in the creation of the first commodity risk management and governance policy framework for the company.
A native of Iowa, he holds a bachelor’s in farm operations and agricultural education, and a master’s in agricultural economics, both from Iowa State University.
Sponsors:
Speakers
Robert Bonnie
Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Robert Bonnie
Robert Bonnie is the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA. Prior to joining USDA, Bonnie was at Duke University first as a Rubenstein Fellow and later as an Executive in Residence at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions working on conservation and environmental issues in rural America. In 2020, Bonnie also worked with the Bipartisan Policy Center on its Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Initiative. Bonnie was Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA from 2013 to 2017, and a senior advisor to Secretary Tom Vilsack from 2009 to 2013. Prior to joining USDA, Robert was vice president for land conservation at Environmental Defense Fund where he focused on developing incentives to reward stewardship on private lands. Robert has master’s degrees from Duke in forestry and environmental management. He lives with his wife, Julie, and daughter, Lilly, in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Sergey Chetvertakov
Principal Research Analyst, S&P Global
Sergey Chetvertakov
Sergey Chetvertakov is a Senior Associate responsible for sugar and cocoa markets at S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Sergey has 10+ years' experience researching and analyzing agricultural markets. He is responsible for price forecasts, fundamental and technical analysis. Also, he develops short (up to 12 months) and long-term (up to 5 years) price forecasting models applying machine-learning. He identifies and communicates potential risks to aid clients' business decision process.
Based in Ratzeburg (Germany), Sergey is a regular speaker at conferences and is frequently cited by major media publications.
Sergey holds a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Göttingen (Germany) and a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics at the Voronezh State Agrarian University (Russia).
Scott Colbert, CFA
Executive Vice President, Chief Economist and Director of Fixed Income Management | The Commerce Trust Company
Scott Colbert, CFA
Scott is the chief economist and director of fixed income management with Commerce Trust Company.
He joined Commerce in 1993 and has investment responsibilities for over $26 billion in fixed income assets. Scott directly manages the Commerce Short-Term Government and the flagship Commerce Bond strategies.
Scott received his Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1986 and received his Master of Business Administration from Xavier University in 1988. He has been both a director and president of the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of St. Louis.
Jeff Dobrydney
Senior Vice President, Head of Futures & Options JSG Commodities
Jeff Dobrydney
Jeff has been with JSG Commodities since 2005, when he started as an Assistant Trader. Born and raised in Milford, CT and a graduate from Jesuit schools Fordham University and Fairfield Prep, Jeff has solidified his role within the Sugar trading community covering both the USMCA and World futures markets which includes penning a daily report. He is now the Sr. Vice President of JSG and heads the Futures & Options desk that executes trades for Sugar, Cocoa, Coffee and Grains for a wide array of clientele. Jeff also served as the President of the Sugar Club of New York and is a featured speaker at the annual Datagro conference in New York. A resident of Trumbull, Connecticut with his wife and two girls, Jeff also serves on Trumbull Little League’s Executive Board of Directors and is in his 7th year coaching travel softball and is President of the organization. In 2022, Jeff was named to the Advisory Board of “Save the Game”, the grass-roots effort designed to align with Major League Baseball to encourage youth participation in baseball. He is also the principal trumpet player at Trinity Church in Trumbull.
Andy Dratt
EVP & Chief Commercial Officer, Imbibe
Andy Dratt
Andy Dratt, Chief Commercial Officer at Imbibe, has a passion for food and beverage innovation. Constantly seeking out the latest technology to help brand owners bring new products to market, Andy works with a range of companies to bring cutting-edge products to market. During his time at Imbibe, he has been able to bolster the company’s growth by reimagining and implementing a new business model while incorporating a strategic vision that is both modern and sustainable. He leverages over 20 years of experience guiding CPG and foodservice operators to conceptualize, develop and launch new products to market in the US, Latin America, and Europe. Dratt has a knack for helping customers identify and exploit the “sweet spot” between consumer needs, business wants and product realities and frequently delivers his expert insights at industry events.
Barb Fecso
Branch Chief, Commodity Analysis, Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Barb Fecso
Barbara Fecso is the Branch Chief of the Commodity Analysis Branch, Economic and Policy Analysis Division, Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture. She is responsible for overseeing the administration of the domestic sugar, dairy, livestock, cotton, peanuts, grains and oilseeds programs. Barbara provides guidance to the Secretary of Agriculture in the formulation and implementation of national policies and procedures, as well as economic and budgetary impact analysis of those programs.
Barbara has almost twenty-five years of government service in USDA with an emphasis on program analysis, operations and budgetary analysis. She initially spent five years with the Natural Resource Conservation Service as a program analyst for conservation technical assistance, watershed and animal waste management programs. She then spent two years as a wheat and pulse crop analyst at the Farm Service Agency before shifting to sugar. She was named Director of FSA’s Dairy and Sweeteners Analysis branch in 2014 and played a critical role in the negotiation of the current sugar trade agreement with Mexico. In October 2018, she was named Branch Chief under USDA’s reorganization.
Barbara received a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University at West Lafayette, Indiana in 1994. She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and lived for almost twenty years in central Illinois. She has three children and now resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband.
Courtney Gaine
President and CEO, The Sugar Association
Courtney Gaine
Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD, is the President and CEO for the Sugar Association in Washington, DC. Prior to this appointment in April 2016, Dr. Gaine served as the Vice President of Scientific Affairs for the Sugar Association. Dr. Gaine previously was a senior science program manager at The North American branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI North America), a public, non-profit scientific foundation that advances the understanding and application of science related to the nutritional quality and safety of the food supply. Prior to ILSI, Dr. Gaine held positions of project director, nutrition and wellness, at the non-profit organization Convergence and as a science manager at FoodMinds, a public relations firm. She began her career in academia as an assistant professor at East Carolina University.
Having obtained her Ph.D. in nutritional sciences and biochemistry and bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the University of Connecticut, Dr. Gaine was also a co-captain of the UConn Women’s Basketball Team. She is a native Washingtonian.
Dan Galligan
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Canegrowers
Dan Galligan
Dan Galligan has been the CEO of CANEGROWERS since June 2015. CANEGROWERS is a peak industry body that provides advocacy and communication services, as well as programs on leadership, capacity building and grower engagement. In his role, Dan has been involved in critical industry issues on sugar marketing, management of production costs, international trade and market access negotiations and programs to support the environmental sustainability of the industry and maintenance of its social licence to operate.
Previously, Dan was six years as the head of the state farm lobby group, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation and spent 10 years driving policy and grower services working with Cotton Australia an industry body representing the interests of the Australian cotton industry. During this time, he worked in advocacy roles, as well as holding grower services and management positions.
Originally from a mixed farming enterprise, Dan has spent a career across a broad range of roles in the agricultural sector. He has a formal background in applied science, rural systems management and environmental auditing.
Randy Green
Principal | Watson Green LLC
Randy Green
Randy Green, a principal at Watson Green LLC, has seen food and agriculture policy from all sides, having served in both the executive and legislative branches of government and in the private sector. Over his career he has been closely involved in the development of five multi-year farm bills, as well as major legislation and regulations affecting derivatives, food safety, animal health and human nutrition.
Randy came to Washington in the 1980s to work for former Representative Charles Stenholm (D-Tex.) and later served former Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) on the staff of the Senate Agriculture Committee. With the exception of two years as a deputy under secretary of agriculture, Randy served on the agriculture committee staff continuously from 1989 to 1999. The last two years he was chief of staff.
In 1999 Randy entered the private sector to represent agricultural and food industry clients. Earlier in his career, he managed government relations for the American Soybean Association and was director of the Wheat Export Trade Education Center.
In 2013, Randy and Lisa Watson formed Watson Green LLC, a firm centered on food and agriculture policy and public affairs.
Humberto Jasso
Executive President, Mexican Sugar Chamber
Humberto Jasso
Humberto Jasso is Executive President of the Mexican Sugar Chamber, which represents the sugar mill companies that transform cane into sugar in Mexico before the Government, cane growers, labor unions, abroad, and in the defense of sugar as a healthy ingredient.
Since February 2021 he also holds the position of Vice President for International Trade in Mexico´s umbrella National Agricultural Council (CNA), which represents the Mexican private sector in Agribusiness.
Before joining the Sugar Chamber in 2011, Humberto Jasso worked for 22 years in the Trade Ministry of Mexico, and participated in the original negotiation of the NAFTA, as well as in the negotiation of many international trade Agreements signed by Mexico with the European Union, Japan, and many Latin American countries.
Humberto Jasso lives in Mexico City with his wife and two sons. He has a BA in Economics from Yale College and a master’s degree in Economic Development from Cambridge University.
Frank Jenkins
President | JSG Commodities
Frank Jenkins
Frank Jenkins, president of Jenkins Sugar Group, has over 20 years of experience as a broker and consultant focusing mainly on the US/NAFTA sugar markets. Prior to founding Jenkins Sugar Group in 1993, he worked on the sugar desk of ED&F Man in New York from 1983 to 1986, and served as vice president in Merrill Lynch Private Client Group in New York from 1986 to 1993. Frank was honored to serve as president of the Sugar Club of New York and has been a featured speaker at numerous industry and USDA sponsored forums.
Robert Johansson
Director of Economics and Policy Analysis, American Sugar Alliance
Robert Johansson
Dr. Johansson is the Director of Economics and Policy Analysis for the American Sugar Alliance, the national coalition of sugarbeet and sugarcane growers, processors, and refiners.
Previously, Rob served as the Chief Economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was responsible for advising the Secretary of Agriculture on programs, regulations, and legislative proposals. Rob also served as the Chairman of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors and was responsible for setting up the Farm Production and Conservation (or FPAC) mission area.
Dr. Johansson has held positions at the Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Budget Office, and at the White House. He also served in Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo with the U.S. Peace Corps between 1990 and 1995.
Beth Johnson
Founder + Principal, Food Directions LLC
Beth Johnson
Beth Johnson, brings over 25 years of food policy experience serving inside and outside the government, including the Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and the National Restaurant Association, where she built strong relationships with a broad group of stakeholders and a unique and in-depth understanding of how industry can impact policy decisions. Over the years, Johnson has been involved in policy negotiations and development at the local, state, federal and international level. She also helped lead USDA’s work on CODEX and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Beth holds relationships with administration officials, agency career staff, key congressional offices as well as public health and consumer advocates that help pave the way for fruitful discussions for our clients. Johnson lives near Annapolis with her husband and two daughters.
Rebecca Larson
Chief Scientist and Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Western Sugar Cooperative
Rebecca Larson
Dr. Rebecca Larson has spent more than 20 years working in the beet sugar industry. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Field Biology from St. Cloud State University in 1999 and went on to receive her doctorate in Plant Science with an emphasis in Plant Pathology and Biochemistry from Montana State University in 2003. The work from her dissertation led to patenting and commercialization of a novel disease control agent which landed her induction into Montana State University’s Inventors Society in 2014. Early in her career Dr. Larson established a proteomics program at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service when working for the Agency as a Plant Physiologist. Her work elucidated the biochemical foundations of plant resistance/tolerance in sugarbeet. The findings were extensively published in the peer-reviewed literature and created the foundation of her expertise in integrated pest management. Looking to expand her knowledge in applied agronomy, plant breeding and crop protection, Dr. Larson moved to private industry where she ultimately joined the North American R&D Leadership Team at Syngenta overseeing end-to-end research activities for Diverse Field Crops, which included sugarbeet. In 2015, Dr. Larson joined Western Sugar Cooperative and currently serves as Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Chief Scientist.
During her tenure with Western Sugar much of her work has been sustainability focused. She developed and implemented a Sustainability Management System and Continuous Improvement Program. She led the farmers through on-farm sustainability certification, making Western Sugar the first verified supplier of 100% sustainably produced sugar in the Americas. Dr. Larson also spear-headed the first life cycle assessment of sugarbeets in North America to create the foundation for continuous improvement and research investments for the cooperative. Her efforts today focus on optimizing nutrient use efficiency, improving and maintaining soil health, and the commoditization of ecosystem services. She serves as project lead for Western Sugar’s Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities projects.
Mary Ledman
Global Strategist - Dairy, Rabobank - Chicago
Mary Ledman
Mary is a thought leader who has extensive knowledge of domestic and international dairy markets and policy and over thirty years of experience in production agriculture, food processing, government service, agricultural policy, dairy risk management, market information and dissemination, and milk and dairy product price forecasting.
Prior to Rabobank, Mary held positions at the USDA, Kraft Foods, and Stella. She later founded Keough Ledman Associates, an economic consulting firm serving the dairy industry since 1995.
Mary holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural journalism and a Master of Science degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. Early in her career, she was awarded a Fulbright-Hayes Scholarship to conduct comparative research on US and European dairy policies.
Danielle Morley
CEO, Bonsucro
Danielle Morley
Danielle Morley is CEO of Bonsucro, the leading global sustainability platform and standard for sugarcane. She also sits on the Board for ISEAL – the global membership organisation for credible sustainability standards. She has a range of sector expertise in palm oil, water, forests, climate change, and human rights.
Prior to her appointment at Bonsucro in 2018, Danielle was European Director of Outreach and Engagement at Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, and Executive Director of the Freshwater Action Network at WaterAid.
She holds a master's degree in Environmental Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Law
Stephen Nicholson
EVP, Global Sector Strategist – Grains and Oilseeds, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness
Stephen Nicholson
Stephen has more than thirty years of experience in cash grain markets, hedging, commodity/ingredient procurement, commodity risk management and commodity analysis. Prior to joining Rabobank, Nicholson was most recently category manager and chief economist with International Food Products. From 2001 to 2007, he was a senior economist and oilseed analyst with Doane Agricultural Services in St. Louis.
Stephen also has nearly fifteen years of experience in the food & beverage industry. He served as senior buyer at The Earthgrains Company, now the Sara Lee Baking Group, in St. Louis. From 1988 to 1997, he was the senior commodity analyst in the global procurement and trading company at The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta. While at Coca-Cola, he was involved in the creation of the first commodity risk management and governance policy framework for the company.
A native of Iowa, he holds a bachelor’s in farm operations and agricultural education, and a master’s in agricultural economics, both from Iowa State University.
Bill O'Conner
Agriculture Policy Expert | Watkinson Miller PLLC
Bill O'Conner
Bill O'Conner joined the firm in 2010, bringing with him more than three decades of experience in the legislative and executive branches of government. During that time, he was one of the key policy staffers in the development and passage of five farm bills, three laws to restructure and reform the Farm Credit System, and the entire legislative development of the federal crop insurance program.
He also played a key role in the legislative evolution of futures and derivatives regulation from the 1980's through House passage of the most recent financial services reform in 2009. He continues to follow closely the implementation of the Dodd - Frank Act and the huge number of regulations that are being promulgated to implement that Act. He was at the center of legislation regulating pesticides, including the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. He has played a major legislative role in all of the diverse legislation in the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Committee from forestry to food stamps and tobacco to trade.
Former Jobs/Positions Held
Mr. O'Conner began his service in Washington in 1979, working in the House Republican leadership. In 1983, he was brought to the House Agriculture Committee by Congressman Ed Madigan of Illinois, where he worked as deputy staff director. In 1991 Congressman Madigan became Agriculture Secretary Madigan and Bill became his chief of staff. In addition to overseeing general functioning of USDA, Bill worked intensively on the negotiation of the Uruguay Round of trade talks.
In 1993, Bill returned to the House Agriculture Committee as policy director, coordinating and implementing policy for the Committee. He served in that capacity for Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas and Chairman Bob Smith of Oregon. In 1999 Chairman Larry Combest of Texas named Bill Staff Director for the Committee, a position that continued under Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia. At the time Bill retired from Capitol Hill to join the firm, he was serving as minority policy director for Ranking Member Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.
Vincent O’Rourke
Trader and Market Analyst | C. Czarnikow Sugar, Inc.
Vincent O’Rourke
Vincent has been working on the sugar fundamental analysis several years, and has played a significant role in the creation of “Czapp”, the Czarnikow market analysis website and app. Graduating his masters from King’s College London and completing an internship in hedge fund management convinced him commodities was the field for him and he joined Czarnikow in their London office as an analyst in 2016. He has transferred to the CZ Miami team in 2019 and has since been overseeing regional trade flows and market analysis for a large part of the Americas. He is also an active part of the Czarnikow trading team, giving him a deep understanding of the many facets of the sugar trade from a producer and a consumers perspective. You can find all his reports and wider Czarnikow market analysis on Czapp.com.
Rick Pasco
President | Sweetener Users Association
Rick Pasco
Rick Pasco is a partner at Watkinson Miller PLLC where he is legal counsel and lobbyist for a number of agribusiness clients in the food, agricultural, trade and environmental arenas. He has more than 30 years of experience working in agriculture and food-related legislative and regulatory matters. Mr. Pasco specializes in advising and representing trade associations and companies on government policies and programs. In this capacity, he serves as President of the Sweetener Users Association and Vice President of the Sugar Club.
He has a wealth of experience working with Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He has played a key role in implementing lobbying strategies and advancing agricultural program and trade reforms, as well as developing environmental guidelines, food labeling rules, and food safety/nutrition legislation. During the course of his private and public-sector career, he has been closely involved in six omnibus farm bills.
An important part of Mr. Pasco's work for trade associations is his counsel and advice to ensure that their political action committees (PACs) are in full compliance with federal elections laws and regulations administered by the Federal Election Commission. He is the firm's expert on these issues. Mr. Pasco is uniquely qualified to bring his broad experience to bear in helping solve the problems of clients in the private sector.
Mr. Pasco is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, Colorado and Nebraska. He received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington, and earned a M.S. degree in Agricultural Economics and a J.D. degree from the University of Nebraska.
Jim Ritchie
President and Chief Executive Officer | RedStone Logistics, LLC
Jim Ritchie
Mr. Ritchie has spent more than 35 years in the logistics and supply chain management industry. His experience includes running the retail and consumer products group for Ryder Logistics business unit before leaving to start up Meridian IQ Logistics. Ten years ago, Mr. Ritchie founded RedStone Logistics. In addition to his CEO role at RedStone Logistics, he has been an instructor for the University of Kansas graduate program for supply chain management. Mr. Ritchie instructs the capstone course for logistics officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He received a bachelor’s degree in industrial design – architecture from California State University at Long Beach.
Craig Ruffolo
Vice President – Commodity Specialist | McKeany-Flavell Company
Craig Ruffolo
I graduated with a BA degree in economics from Knox College in 1992. Being a son of the former CEO at McKeany-Flavell I grew up in the food / beverage business. In 1995 I officially started my career at McKeany-Flavell and for the past 26 years I have provided my market expertise to numerous people within the food and beverage space.
I am considered an expert in the Global Sweetener Markets, with an emphasis on North America. I counsel many of the Fortune 500 Food and Beverage companies on the fundamental picture of what is impacting price of the ingredients they purchase. My goal as an educator and market analyst is to make those better at their job.
My work allows me to travel all over the United States. During these visits I gather information on the markets, distill it into usable intelligence and then disseminate it to our clients. I am often requested to speak at industry events such as the International Sweetener Colloquium, sponsored event of the Sweetener Users Association, the Symposium for the American Sugar Alliance, Sosland Publishing’s Purchasing Seminar, BIO Industry conference on bio-fermentation, International Sugar Organization (ISO), and many others. My market analysis is seen equally by both the buy and sell side of sugar, and corn sweeteners, all in the effort to help people improve and become more informed on the markets they serve.
Kris Sollid
Senior Director, Nutrition Communications, International Food Information Council
Kris Sollid
Kris Sollid, RD is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for improving nutrition science communications. As the Senior Director of Nutrition Communications at the International Food Information Council (IFIC), Kris leads IFIC’s nutrition team. In this role, Kris is integral to IFIC’s consumer research on food perceptions, beliefs and behaviors through its annual Food and Health Survey and other topic-specific consumer research projects, which he regularly shares with nutrition professionals on national and global platforms. Kris has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications of IFIC’s consumer research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Cereal Foods World and Nutrition Today.
Kris is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition to leading IFIC’s continuing professional education program through the Commission on Dietetic Registration, he recently served eight consecutive years (2013-2021) in leadership roles on the Board of Directors of DCMAND, the Academy’s District of Columbia Metro affiliate.
Kris has earned degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder (BA in Geography) and the University of Maryland, College Park (BS in Dietetics).
Paul Steed
Senior Global Price Risk Lead - Sugar | Mars Wrigley Confectionery US, LLC
Paul Steed
Paul Steed’s commodity background spans physical trading, industrial procurement and derivatives position management.
Paul was born in Argentina and moved with his family to the United States as a child. He is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. As a Global Price Risk Lead at Mars Wrigley he drives commodity hedging strategies for all business units world-wide.
Paul is a past President of the Sugar Club and current member of the Board of the Sugar User’s Association. He also serves on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Sweeteners and Sweetener Products. Paul is also a member of the Intercontinental Exchange’s “No. 16” US domestic raw sugar contract.
Paul and his wife Martina live in Connecticut with their menagerie of cats, dogs and horses.
Ron Sterk
Senior Editor, Markets | Sosland Publishing
Ron Sterk
Ron Sterk is senior editor, markets, for Food Business News and Milling & Baking News, and is editor of the Sosland Sweetener Report. Prior to joining Sosland Publishing Company in 2003, he was involved in market coverage and management for several years for the real-time news services. He has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism with a focus in agronomy from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in business from Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
A.B. Stoddard
Associate Editor and Columnist | RealClearPolitics
A.B. Stoddard
A.B. Stoddard is an associate editor and columnist with political news site and polling data aggregator RealClearPolitics, and a contributor and guest host for SiriusXM’s POTUS Channel. She appears regularly on Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN, and MSNBC for her expertise as a political commentator. She is a former associate editor and columnist for The Hill newspaper. Her column with The Hill won first place Dateline Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C. chapter in 2010 and 2011.
Nonpartisan, Stoddard addresses elections and the political landscape of the day. Frequently meeting with sources and politicians of all stripes, Stoddard has her finger on the pulse of Washington, DC as she offers detailed and smart political and electoral analyses. Her talks cover the five biggest stories in the news, the most up-to-date happenings between Congress and the White House, ongoing budget battles, and the electoral prospects for the two parties.
Journalism Journey. Stoddard had always wanted to be a reporter, and she caught the political bug watching Justice Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court nomination hearings. She began her journalism career as a reporter for the Potomac News in northern Virginia, and she has covered the U.S. Congress since 1994 as a reporter at The Hill and a Senate producer for ABC News. She returned to The Hill as a commentator and columnist in 2006.
La Quinta Resort & Club, Curio Collection by Hilton
Address: 49/499 Eisenhower Dr, La Quinta, CA 92253
The International Sweetener Colloquium will be held at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, California (the Greater Palm Springs area). You may make your hotel reservations online or directly with the hotel by calling (760) 564-4111. When calling, refer to the International Sweetener Colloquium to receive the special room rate of $299 per night plus applicable taxes. The deadline to secure a room is February 3, 2023. We have reserved a large block of rooms, but once all the rooms have been booked, we cannot guarantee that additional space will be available.
Hotel Reservation Policy: You must register for the International Sweetener Colloquium to be eligible for the conference discounted room rates. Only one reservation is permitted per registrant. If a hotel guest is not registered for the International Sweetener Colloquium, we reserve the right to cancel the guest room reservation without notice.
Registration
Q: Registration Substitutions
Registration is non-transferable from one company to another; however, substitutions within companies are welcome at any time. Please email registrar@idfa.org if you would like to make a registration substitution.
Q: Registration Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellations received in writing will be accepted prior to January 27, 2023 for a full refund, minus a $75 processing fee. Cancellations received after January 27, 2023, will be eligible for a 50 percent refund, less the processing fee. Your registration fee is non-refundable after February 10, 2023. Substitutions may be made without penalty. All cancellations and substitutions must be received in writing at registrar@idfa.org.
Q: Golf Tournament Cancellation Policy
All golf tournament cancellations will receive a full refund prior to January 27, 2023. Your golf tournament registration fee is non-refundable after January 27, 2023. Substitutions may be made without penalty. All cancellations and substitutions must be received in writing at registrar@idfa.org.
Q: Health and Safety
The International Sweetener Colloquium will implement health and safety protocols appropriate to the public health circumstances existing at the time of the event. The Colloquium will exercise reasonable efforts to comply with all federal, state, and local guidelines set for in-person gatherings as well as recommendations provided by public health entities. Additional information regarding the specific health and safety measures will be communicated to attendees prior to the event. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and support in making this a successful and safe gathering.
Q: News Media
Credentialed members of the news media are welcome to register at a special rate by contacting mherrick@idfa.org. News media must present credentials to qualify.
Q: Attire
Attire is business casual although we encourage attendees to dress comfortable for evening receptions which may be held outdoors. The average temperatures in La Quinta, California in February are 75°F high and 48°F low.
Questions: If you have questions or need assistance with the registration process, please contact IDFA at (202) 737-4332 or registrar@idfa.org.
Golf
Sunday, February 26 | 12:30 PM Shotgun Start
La Quinta Resort & Club | Dunes Course
Registration Fee: $250 per person
Registration includes: Registration includes: greens fees, boxed lunch, cart fees, practice balls, beverages, and service fees. Appropriate golf attire and shoes are required (metal spikes are not allowed).
We will do our best to accommodate any foursome requests. If you would like to request a person(s) in your foursome, please list their name and company during registration.
For more than forty years, the International Sweetener Colloquium has been a popular place for industry professionals to meet, network and conduct business. The flexible meeting format and location encourage formal and informal discussions and fosters relationships, while a host of informative presentations highlight important trends and issues affecting the sweetener industry.
For those interested in sponsorship, the Colloquium is the place to be seen and heard. Sponsorship is one of the best ways to brand your organization as a thought-leader and to highlight your commitment to advancing the sweetener industry. The Colloquium offers various levels of sponsorship opportunities. Please contact mlembke@idfa.org for more information.
Sponsors