How do you prepare for an unpredictable future? The final panel at Dairy Forum 2018 will feature five successful CEOs who will discuss the steps they’re taking today to develop the people, processes and products that will help their companies meet the demands of tomorrow’s marketplace. Following several sessions that will encourage leaders to upend the status quo, this panel will provide a prescient conclusion to Dairy Forum’s foray into the future.

The panelists represent leading companies in yogurt, cheese and ice cream production, as well as one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the country. They are Tim Brown, president and COO of Chobani; Mike Haddad, president and CEO of Schreiber Foods, Inc.; Sheryl Meshke, co-president and CEO of Associated Milk Producers, Inc.; and Mike Wells, president and CEO of Wells Enterprises, Inc. Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA will moderate the panel.

Dairy Forum will be held Jan. 21-24 at the J. W. Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, California. The early-bird registration rate for members and nonmembers is effective through Friday, Dec. 1.

Shaping the Future of Dairy

Kicking off the event with the Chairman’s Lecture will be Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), chair of the House Judiciary Committee and senior member of the House Agriculture Committee. He  will deliver the opening remarks with a discussion of dairy’s place in the farm bill’s path to passage and outline his efforts to create a guest-worker program that works for dairy.

Here’s more on what the future will hold for the event:

  • Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO, will discuss growth opportunities for dairy in the future, including how IDFA and others are working to build demand for U.S. dairy products and open new global markets.
  • A top official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will explore the four principles that are shaping the department’s decisions on U.S. food and agricultural policy.
  • Senior trade officials from around the globe will discuss the challenges and future opportunities presented by the country’s current trade agenda.
  • A political prognosticator will offer entertaining insight to the current political climate and the issues that will have the strongest impact on the 2018 midterm elections.
  • An authority on retail growth strategies will share insights and research on evolving markets and consumer trends.
  • A diverse array of industry leaders will present concurrent sessions covering global trends in food safety, marketing, innovation, technology and nutrition.
  • An expert on global economics will show attendees how to craft custom indicators to better forecast economic performance and growth, as well as understand and navigate the current economic climate.

Visit the online agenda for Dairy Forum 2018 for a full list of sessions.

Members with questions may contact Melissa Lembke, IDFA manager of meetings and educational services, at registrar@idfa.org.