Ag Metrics Workshop Introduction 

Agriculture supply chain partners are facing increasing regulatory, consumer and investor demand for agriculture metrics and data. This panel will explore the mechanisms, motivations, barriers, and opportunities for sharing sustainability data of interest in agri-food supply chains. 

Moderator:

Teresa Garcia-Moore, The Sustainability Consortium

Speakers:

Michelle Zackin, Walmart

Amy Skoczlas Cole, Trust In Food

Ryan Vroegindewey, Campbell Soup Company

Jamie Glydon, Ocean Spray

Metrics are emerging to monitor progress on regenerative agriculture commitments.  What are these metrics and how are companies planning to use them? 

Speakers:

Greg Bohrer, Walmart

Wayne Honeycutt, Soil Health Institute (SHI)

How are companies adjusting to the GHG Protocol-Land Use Sector guidelines?  What is still needed to drive harmonized data collection and consistency?  

Speakers:

Ben West, Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) 

Joshua VanDeWalle, Bayer

The Science Based Targets Network and Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) have released guidance on nature metrics. Can we translate existing farm data to meet these needs or are we asking more from growers? 

Speakers:

Challey Comer, The Nature Conservancy

Ariel Larson, IPM Institute

Mountain Bike Ride powered by Verogy: Unwind and Network

Embark on an easy or challenging (you choose!) bike journey with fellow Summit attendees. Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of Northwest Arkansas while fostering meaningful connections during this mountain bike ride along the region’s award-winning trail system. All skill levels are welcome. 

*Participants will be responsible for their own bike rental fees, details are below. If you are planning to attend, please fill out this form ahead of time so we can get an accurate headcount.

Bike Rentals:

Before arriving in Bentonville, please secure your rental from Phat Tire Bike Shop. 

• Pick up at the Bentonville Square location by 2:45 p.m.
• Mountain Bike Rates: Full suspension is $80 per day and a hardtail is $60

Meet at 3:00 p.m. at the Compton Gardens parking lot trailhead:
Compton Gardens Parking, 308 N Main St, Bentonville, AR 72712  

Meet at Compton Gardens trailhead and join us for a walk through Downtown Bentonville, ending at Bike Rack Brewery

Stop by for a casual beer or seltzer at one of our favorite breweries Bike Rack Brewing Co. in Northwest Arkansas. Help us kick off TSC Summit in good spirits with a toast from our friends at Verogy.

801 SE 8th St #61, Bentonville, AR 72712
The patio is reserved for TSC members and special guests.

Join TSC’s CEO Christy Slay for an update on our strategic pillars, trends we are seeing, 2023 takeaways and more

•  TSC CEO’s Review of impact, strategy, and retail trends.
• TSC Impact Report
• Strategic Pillars
• State of Retail

The global production of food has had the largest impact of any human activity on the planet. WWF’s Jason Clay, in conversation with TSC CEO, Christy Slay,  will share insights into the paths forward to drive progress faster and at scale. They will discuss ideas to move the needle faster, including ways to resolve the long-standing issue of metrics harmonization for global food production. The conversation will focus on new concepts that could redefine the way we address agricultural impacts, end habitat destruction, meet climate reduction targets, and finance the transition to a more sustainable and resilient global food system.

Suppliers are being asked to meet many different retailer requests for information in addition to making progress on their own sustainability goals.  During this session, suppliers and retailers will share how they are working together to manage demands for data, information, and impact. 

Speakers:

Jennifer Silberman, Dollar Tree

Deb Ryba, NicePak

Bridget Callahan, Ocean Spray

TSC’s Sustainability Leadership Institute (SLI) teaches people how to use system thinking tools to make progress on “wicked problems” and understand the points of leverage that they have to create change in an organization. This session will highlight some of SLI’s most useful tools from the Human Systems Dynamics Institute (HSDI) and demonstrate how to use them on Scope 3 strategy.

Speakers:

Jennifer Park, The Sustainability Consortium

Join Crystal Bridges and Ozark Natural Science Center staff on guided tours of the museum’s nature trails, exquisite art collection. Participants will also get to explore the new temporary Exquisite Creatures exhibit. *All fees for these exhibits and private tours are covered by TSC.

Celebrate the achievements of our outstanding members while enjoying a reception filled with networking, good company, and well-deserved accolades with the backdrop of a stunning art museum. The galleries of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will be open for private viewing by attendees (see Rosie the Riveter and more!). It’s a time to honor excellence and strengthen connections within our TSC member community – Cheers!  

Speaker:

Christy Slay, The Sustainability Consortium

Join three local expert birders to walk the grounds of Crystal Bridges during peak migration. Prepare to see and hear migrating songbirds and learn how to use tools to support citizen science. You’ll also see blooming Ozark wildflowers and other sights and sounds of spring. Binoculars provided on a first come first serve basis (12 pairs). Meet by the LOVE statue just outside the Great Hall.

Dr. Jennifer Mortensen, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas

Jennifer is a conservation ecologist and professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She moved to Fayetteville from the Boston area, where she completed a Ph.D. at Tufts University in Ecology. Her research has combined fieldwork, genomics, and statistical modeling approaches to understand the relationship between animal behavior, population dynamics, and extinction risk. Raised in an Army family that moved every few years, Jennifer thinks living in diverse places planted the seed that later grew into an ecology career.

Mike Slay, Ozark Karst Program Director, The Nature Conservancy

Mike is the Ozark Karst Program Director for The Nature Conservancy. He has over 20 years of research experience in cave biology and ecology, and he is actively working on karst research, conservation, and education projects across the United States but with a focus on cave systems in the Ozarks. When not crawling around underground, Mike is an avid birder, who enjoys exploring new places and spending time outside in nature with his wife and dog.

Taylor Long– Interface Designer for ebird and Birdcast, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Taylor lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas where he works remotely as an Interface Designer for eBird and BirdCast at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. As an avid birder and appreciator of nature in Northwest Arkansas, he volunteers as the Field Trip Coordinator for the Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society and as an eBird Reviewer for the state of Arkansas.

Speaker:

Christy Slay, The Sustainability Consortium

Speaker:

Julia Silberman – CDP

Experience TSC’s newly released CommodityMap with a live demonstration of key features and learn how you can use this new tool to address your sustainable commodity sourcing questions.

Speaker:

Christy Slay, The Sustainability Consortium

Speakers:

Erin Killeen, The Sustainability Consortium

Myriam Fessi, The Sustainability Consortium

Explore impactful decision-making in sales, design, and procurement departments, where Sustainability speaks a silent language. 

Speakers:

Regina Bailey, Menasha

We will discuss the latest policy requirements regarding Scope 3 (supply chain) GHG emissions disclosure. This will include the latest policy implications from EU and SEC Climate Disclosure policies, and California SB 253. 

Speakers:

Kristina Wyatt, Persefoni

Jacob Madsen, Persefoni

Dr. Daryl Sabourin, ASR  

Learn about new technologies that are transforming the way companies approach data collection.  In this session, visualize a showcase of cutting-edge solutions that are poised to disrupt traditional data tools. 

Speakers: 

Doug Hutchings, Delta Solar

Stephen Hearn, DTN

Jessie Dzura, GreenGasUSA

Lauren Cooper, Sustainable Forestry Initiative