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The next few months have the potential to make a huge impact on global food systems.
Last week, I was in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Africa Food Systems Forum, where folks from around the continent and the globe discussed practical ways to move Africa’s food systems forward.
Later this fall, world leaders and changemakers will gather in Azerbaijan for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP 29, where the future of the world’s food systems is on the table.
And from September 23rd to 27th in New York City, Food Tank will be curating an ambitious and urgent lineup of programming during Climate Week NYC, the largest climate event of its kind.
We need to keep repeating this: Food and agriculture systems have to be central to any meaningful discussions of solving the climate crisis. We can only build a more nourishing future for people and the planet when we fix our broken food chains.
Public and private sector leaders, from elected officials at all levels of government to corporate CEOs, make decisions in response to citizen and consumer demand. So we can’t stop the pressure!
It’s up to each of us to make sure food systems stay top-of-mind for people in power as they make decisions that will shape the future of our planet.
This is why I’m excited about the cross-section of speakers who will be joining us this month for Climate Week NYC, from chefs like Alice Waters and Andrew Zimmern, to writers like Mark Bittman and Bill McKibben, to policy experts like John Kerry and Marion Nestle, to farmers and actors and corporate leaders and academics and so many more visionaries.
And on Friday, September 27, we’ll also be partnering with the chef and advocate Dan Barber and world renowned chef Alice Waters for a truly unforgettable dinner fundraiser to support Food Tank and Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture. I sincerely hope you can join us for a taste of the future of food—an illuminating and delicious evening that directly helps build a better food system!
I’m not kidding that this is one of the hottest tickets at Climate Week, and I want to make sure Food Tankers get an opportunity to join us. CLICK HERE to buy your tickets.
Plus, we’ll be streaming most of the panel discussions LIVE at FoodTank.com, so you can tune in from wherever you are. In the meantime, keep reading or CLICK HERE to find out more about each of our Summits.
Here’s what we have in store for you during Climate Week:
Monday, Sept. 23
Food Tank and The James Beard Foundation will kick off Climate Week with a day of programming titled: “Restaurants and Farms are Key Solutions to the Climate Crisis,” presented along with partners Planet FWD, Brightly, Guckenheimer, Astanor and Protein PACT.
Our amazing lineup of speakers includes: Chef Eric Adjepong; Yemi Amu, Oko Farms; Eric Archambeau, Astanor Ventures; Kiki Aranita, New York Magazine; Rupa Bhattacharya, The Culinary Institute of America; Corey Blumenthal, Shake Shack; Mark Bittman, Bestselling Author; Rebecca Chesney, Guckenheimer; Julia Collins, Planet FWD; Ertharin Cousin, Food Systems of the Future; Stacy Dean, GW Global Food Institute; Michael K. Dorsey, Arizona State University, Around the Corner Capital; Sheryll Durrant, Just Food; Sara Eckhouse, FoodShot Global; Curt Ellis, FoodCorps; Paul Fairhead, Guckenheimer; Jess Fanzo, Columbia Climate School; Kathleen Finlay, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming; Brian Fowler, BLACKBARN; Jeff Frank, Organic Valley; Evan Fraser, University of Guelph; Kwan-Yin Graw, Capricorn Investment Group; Seanicaa Edwards Herron, Freedmen Heirs Foundation, Inc; Sarela Herrada, SIMPLi; Tony Hillery, Harlem Grown; Ora Kemp, NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy; Leslie Kapin, Astanor Ventures; Steven Jennings, Ahold Delhaize USA; JJ Johnson, Celebrity Chef; Anna Lappé, The Global Alliance for the Future of Food; Andy Levitt, Brightly; Paul Lightfoot, Patagonia Provisions; Brandon Lombardi, Sprouts Farmers Market; Hunter Lovins, NOW Partners Foundation; Ron Mardesen, Niman Ranch; Anne McBride, The James Beard Foundation; Bill McKibben, American environmentalist and author; Qiana Mickie, Office of Urban Agriculture, New York City; Eric Mittenthal, Meat Institute; Marion Nestle, New York University; Liz Neumark, Great Performances; Lotanna Obodozie, The National Young Farmers Coalition; Fernanda Facchini, Natura; Clare Reichenbach, James Beard Foundation; Dorothy Shaver, Unilever; Chloe Sorvino, Forbes; Tara Smith Swibel, Terra Regenerative Capital, Teens for Food Justice; Pierre Thiam, Yolele; Karen Washington, Rise & Root Farm; Kelly Whitaker, winner of James Beard Foundation’s outstanding restaurateur 2024, and many more!
Monday Summits: REGISTRATION + TICKET INFO
Wednesday, Sept. 25
For our morning Summit, conversations presented by Food Tank and American Farmland Trust will center around the theme “Climate Resilience through Agriculture.”
We’ll be joined by Miles Braxton, Okovate Sustainable Energy; Jesse Robertson-Dubois, Bluewave; Simon English, Common Table Creative; Oliver English, Common Table Creative; Miranda Kaiser, Rockefeller Family Fund; John Kerry, 68th US Secretary of State and former Special Presidential Envoy for Climate; Amanda Leland, Environmental Defense Fund; Paul Lightfoot, Patagonia Provisions; Klaas Martens, Farmer; Josh Morgenthau, Fishkill Farm; John Piotti, American Farmland Trust; Beth Sauerhaft, American Farmland Trust; Dorothy Shaver, Unilever; Kimberley Sundy, Kellanova; Mary Clair Whelan, Massaro Community Farm; Ethan Winter, American Farmland Trust, and many more to be announced soon.
Wednesday Morning Summit: REGISTRATION + TICKET INFO
And in the afternoon, in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), our Summit will focus on “Building Healthy Soils, Reducing Food Waste, and Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides.”
Speakers include: Manish Bapna, Natural Resources Defense Council; Tim Bowles, University of California, Berkeley; Sara Farley, Rockefeller Foundation; Sam Kass, American political advisor, chef, and news personality; Madeline Keating, NRDC; Emily Broad Leib, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic; Kate MacKenzie, Mayor’s Office of Food Policy; Gerardo Martinez, Farmer, Wild Kid Acres; Kathy Nolan, NRDC; Catherine Oakar, The White House; Ava Richardson, City of Baltimore; Dan Raichel, NRDC; Dr. Daniel Rath, NRDC; Dr. Leslie Ries, Georgetown University; Rebecca Riley, NRDC; Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; Deena Shanker, Bloomberg; Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Chloe Sorvino, Forbes; and many more to be announced soon!
Wednesday Afternoon Summit: REGISTRATION + TICKET INFO
Plus, that evening, an exclusive Climate Week NYC dinner experience with Chef Dan Barber, co-hosted by Food Tank and Unilever’s Dorothy Shaver, for an evening of discussions at Family Meal at Blue Hill New York City. (This dinner is sold out, but if you hurry, you can still get tickets HERE for the amazing Friday dinner with Dan Barber and Alice Waters at Blue Hill at Stone Barns!)
Thursday, Sept. 26
The day begins with panels exploring “Food and Agriculture is a Key Solution to the Climate Crisis,” presented by Food Tank and World Food Program USA.
Confirmed speakers include: Bailey Bass, American actress; Maddy DeVita, internet personality; Cary Fowler, U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security; Rania Dagash-Kamara, U.N. World Food Programme; Katie Lee, Farm Journal Foundation; Rebecca Middleton, World Food Program USA; Barron Segar, World Food Program USA; Roy Steiner, Rockefeller Foundation; Zoya Teirstein, Grist; Manolo Gonzales Vergara, actor and director; Drea Okeke, Nigerian-American creator and activist; Celebrity Chef Andrew Zimmern; and many more to be announced soon!
Thursday Morning Summit: REGISTRATION + TICKET INFO
And later that day, we’ll hold a “Mission Driven Brand Summit: Building the Future of the Food System” in partnership with Oatly, Vital Farms, Tony’s Chocolonely, and King Arthur Baking.
Confirmed speakers include: Janis Abbingsole, King Arthur Baking Company; Jason Buechel, Whole Foods Market; Jean-Christophe Flatin, Oatly; Matt O’Hayer, Vital Farms Inc; Suzanne McDowell, King Arthur Baking Company; Robin Morgan, Washington State University Breadlab; Barry Schumacher, Tony’s Chocolonely; along with interactive sessions facilitated by Andrea Chu, Vital Farms Inc; Julie Kunen, Oatly; Suzanne McDowell, King Arthur Baking Company; and Aidaly Sosa Walker, Tony’s Chocolonely; plus several dozen other mission-driven food brands changing the game around the country.
(This is a closed-door interactive Summit for mission-driven CPG brands. Is that you? Read more HERE and email Kenzie at Kenzie@FoodTank.com for invitation details.)
Friday, Sept. 27
Our final day, presented alongside the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, begins with panels around the theme, “Building Resilient Food Systems For All.”
Speakers will include: Julia Collins, Planet FWD; Devita Davison, FoodLab; Navin Durbhakula, Food 4 Thought; Jessica Fanzo, Columbia Climate School; Evan Fraser, Arrell Food Institute; Gareth Gransaull, Re-Generation; Riana Lynn, Journey Foods; Steven Jennings, Ahold Delhaize USA; David Laborde, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Riana Lynn, Journey Foods; Nika Moeini, Youth Climate Save Canada; John de la Parra, The Rockefeller Foundation; Xananine Calvillo Ramirez, Indigenous descendent climate justice and food systems youth advocate from Mexico; Christine Datz-Romero, Lower East Side Ecology Center; Philip Teverow, Yolele; Shakuntala Thilsted, CGIAR; Bryan Walsh, Vox; and many more to be announced soon!
Friday Morning Summit: REGISTER HERE!
And that afternoon, we’ll discuss “The Role of Technology at The Nexus of Affordability, Nutrition, and Food Waste” at a summit co-hosted by Food Tank, Flashfood, Divert, ReFED and Apeel.
We’ll be joined by speakers including: Ryan Begin, Divert; Nick Bertram, Flashfood; Sweta Chakraborty, We Don’t Have Time; Julia DeSantis, Farmlink; Jenny Du, Apeel; Sam Kass, American political advisor, chef, and news personality; Kat Morgan, Rockefeller Foundation; Dariush Mozaffarian, Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University; Chef Priyanka Naik; Nishant Roy, Chobani; Marion Nestle, New York University; Stacey Vanek Smith, Bloomberg; Erika Thiem, Feeding America, Angel Veza, ReFed; Karen Washington, Rise and Root Farm; Alice Waters, Chef, Activist and Best-Selling Author, and many more!
And our programming will close with a delicious and illuminating Climate Week dinner series fundraiser with Chefs Dan Barber and Alice Waters at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Proceeds support Food Tank and Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, and you can buy tickets to the amazing evening HERE!
Again, I hope you’ll be able to join us, whether in person or virtually via livestream. If you’ll be in NYC during Climate Week, let me know at danielle@foodtank.com so I can say hello. I look forward to meeting as many Food Tankers as possible in person!
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Photo courtesy of Florian Wehde, Unsplash
