Sponsored by:

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• Emcee: Angela Hessinger, Vice President, Sustainability Initiatives, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
• Dennis Rodenbaugh, President & CEO, Dairy Farmers of America and Chair, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

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• Moderator: Dana Engel, Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, National Dairy Council
• Katie Bambacht, Vice President, Nutrition Affairs, National Dairy Council
• Abbey Copenhaver, New York Dairy Farmer, Ivy Lakes Dairy LLC, and Owner & Registered Dietitian, Farmstead Nutrition & Consulting LLC
• Miquela Hanselman, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, National Milk Producers Federation

Dairy is entering a new era of opportunity. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reaffirm dairy as a foundational food group, recommending three daily servings across the lifespan, including whole-fat options. In addition, recent federal legislation has restored whole and reduced-fat milk in schools. Together, these milestones signal renewed recognition of dairy’s role in supporting nutrition and health. This session will explore what these developments mean for the dairy community, how implementation may unfold across policy and federal nutrition programs and where coordinated action can unlock new opportunities for growth, innovation and impact.

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• Catherine Duregger, Vice President – Brand Management, Shamrock Farms
• Dana Engel, Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, National Dairy Council

Health, wellness, and nutrition expectations are evolving rapidly, and dairy is well-positioned as a critical solution. The industry is advancing science and expanding tools to address priorities like personalized nutrition and nutrition security. Building on this momentum, this session will focus on activating the industry – highlighting the resources, insights, and tools that enable action. Attendees will gain a clear view of key developments shaping health and well-being and how to apply these tools to better meet consumer needs and drive growth.

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• Aris Georgiadis, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Dairy Management Inc.

Since 2017, U.S. dairy has rallied around Undeniably Dairy to reconnect consumers with dairy foods and the people behind them. Building on that foundation, the new Dairy Does More campaign expands consumer relevance by showcasing both familiar and unexpected benefits of dairy. Join us for a first look at this multi-year campaign and learn how your company can play a role in revealing dairy’s hidden talents.

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• Moderator: Nick Gardner, Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Multilateral Affairs, U.S. Dairy Export Council
• Nicole Ayache, Chief Sustainability Officer, National Milk Producers Federation
• Claire Bosch Zuazo, Global Lead, Supply Chain Sustainability, Anthesis Group
• Cheryl Isberner, Director, Sustainability, Land O’Lakes Inc.
• Emily King, Director, Sustainability-Americas, Schreiber Foods
• Andrea Smerek, Director, Anthesis Group

Sustainability disclosure expectations are evolving across global markets. This session will orient attendees and explore the latest developments in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)-aligned standards and the European Union Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) frameworks, translating what these developments could mean for U.S. dairy as global buyers seek to increasingly align sourcing requirements with these expectations.

The Dairy Packaging Dilemma: Consumers, Compliance, and Circularity
Dairy packaging sits at the intersection of competing pressures: consumers want less plastic, policy is accelerating change, and recycling systems are navigating how to handle many alternatives. This session moves beyond theory to unpack real-world constraints, challenge common assumptions, and identify practical pathways forward. If you’re navigating packaging decisions in a rapidly changing landscape, this session will help you better understand the tradeoffs and where to act next.

• Moderator: Robbie Lock, Senior Manager, Sustainability, HP Hood
• Cheryl Baldwin, Vice President, Sustainability Consulting and Marketing and Business Development, Pure Strategies
• Akshatha Bhat, Infrastructure Group, Closed Loop Partners
• Jed Davis, Vice President, Strategic Engagement and Sustainability, Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery Co-operative
• Lowell Huffman, Director, Channel Partnerships, RePurpose
• Sarah Nosbisch, Product Manager, Kelley Supply

Field Notes: Lessons learned from 5 years of Feed in Focus
Join us for a celebration of 5 years of the Dairy Feed in Focus Program, which aims to scale the adoption of best management practices in feed/forage production and feed efficiency to drive environmental and economic benefits for dairy farms of all sizes. We’re sharing real-world results, the "wins," and the "lessons learned" directly from project partners and – most importantly – the farmers who lived it. Come hear what worked, what didn't, and what's next for Feed in Focus.

• Moderator: Jacqi Coleman, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Partnerships, Dairy Management Inc.
• Sarah Michalek, Farm Sustainability Manager, Michigan Milk Producers Association
• Alisha Staggs, Dairy Program Director, North America Agriculture Program, The Nature Conservancy
• Zach Steiner, Ohio Dairy Farmer and Owner, Steinhurst Farms LLC
• Kris Wardin, Michigan Dairy Farmer and Owner, Evergreen Dairy Farm, LLC

From Practice Change to Payback: A Dairy Carbon Market Model in Action
What does it take to turn sustainability into a reliable revenue stream on the farm? This session presents two approaches to delivering financial value to dairy farmers: one already generating millions in payments for verified emission reductions, and another enabling adoption of new manure management technologies through structured incentives and market alignment. Panelists will share perspectives from the farm and across the supply chain on how these approaches translate environmental outcomes into scalable, replicable economic value.

• Moderator: Paul Myer, CEO & Co-Founder, Athian
• Jamie Boehl, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Initiatives & Business Development, Newtrient
• Jesse Jongsma, California Dairy Farmer and Owner, Jesse and James Jongsma Dairy
• Hansel New, Assistant Vice President, Sustainability Strategy & Programs, Dairy Farmers of America
• Jessica Patel, Director of Sustainability , ALDI

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• Meggan Hain, Chief Veterinary Officer, National Milk Producers Federation
• Tim Stubbs, Senior Vice President, Food Safety and Product Research, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

The Innovation Center’s Care for Animals and Communities strategic pillar is driving meaningful, industry-wide progress across animal care, food safety, and workforce development. This session will explore how the dairy industry is coming together to advance these priorities, highlight key focus areas for 2026, and share resources to help your organization be part of this important work.

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• Moderator: Sara Crawford, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Division, Eocene Environmental Group
• Val Lavigne, New York Dairy Farmer, Unc Brock Farm
• Kristy Miron, Execution Manager, Sustainability & Animal Care Member Relations, Land O’Lakes Inc.
• Adam Wylie, Director, Global Responsibility, Leprino

As customer expectations, public scrutiny, and global reporting requirements continue to evolve, the National Dairy FARM Program plays a critical role in helping the dairy industry demonstrate credible, science-based practices. This session will bring together perspectives from across the dairy value chain to explore how FARM delivers value beyond compliance by supporting continuous improvement, market access, managing reputational risk, and strengthening trust in U.S. dairy.

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• Lori Captain, Group Executive Vice President and Executive Director, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

U.S. dairy is operating in an environment of increasing expectations around environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. In response, the industry is strengthening science-based measurement, expanding tools that support farmer decision-making and demonstrated progress, and advancing solutions that are both practical and economically viable. This session will provide a concise update on progress across these areas, highlighting how efforts across the Innovation Center and broader industry are enabling continued improvement. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where progress is being made and how the industry is preparing for what comes next.

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• Moderator: Jed Davis, Vice President, Strategic Engagement and Sustainability, Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery Co-operative
• Kate Fogler, Maine Dairy Farmer, Stonyvale Farm
• Stratton Kraft, Colorado Dairy Farmer, Kraft Family Dairies and Quail Ridge Dairy

Regenerative management is core to U.S. dairy — and it is not limited to small farms. Join us to hear from two dairy operations as they share how they implement regenerative practices to improve soil health and strengthen resilience on thousands of acres. Through farmer storytelling, videos, images, and practical examples, this session will show how regenerative outcomes can be achieved across different farm sizes, regions, and production systems. Along the way, the session will challenge common misconceptions, broaden understanding of what regenerative management can look like in dairy, and equip participants with stronger language and examples to discuss regenerative dairy with confidence.

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• Moderator: Sarah Muirhead, Editor, Feedstuffs, and Managing Director, Livestock Group, Farm Progress/Informa Agriculture
• David Elliott, South Dakota Dairy Farmer and Operations Manager, Drumgoon Dairy LP
• Maynard Mallonee, Washington Dairy Farmer and Co-owner, Mallonee Family Farm, LLC
• Ben Smith, Virginia Dairy Farmer and Owner, Cool Lawn Farm LLC

U.S. dairy faces both new opportunities and rising expectations — but how these realities play out across the value chain can vary widely. In this closing session, farmers will share their perspectives on how these forces shape their day-to-day priorities, tradeoffs, and economic realities. Focusing on the farm level, the discussion will highlight both progress and pressure points and offer insight into how these realities can inform broader value chain decisions and what it will take to turn shared ambition into practical, lasting outcomes.