Angela is one of the original founders of Braiding the Sacred, an organization focused on Indigenous Corn growing, knowledge sharing and community building among traditional Indigenous Corn Growers throughout Turtle Island. Part of their mission is to rematriate seeds back to their original homelands. Angela has been instrumental in stewarding a seed collection of over 4,000 Indigenous varieties of corn, beans, and other heirloom foods. Through a network of Indigenous communities Angela has worked to revitalize the ancient practice of using traditional foods to trade between communities.

Speaker:
Angela Ferguson, Braiding. the Sacred

SPEAKER:
Olivia Watkins, Black Farmer Fund

Speaker:
Mutlu Ozdogan

SPEAKER:
Rick Clark, Farm Green

Ivo Jeramaz will walk us through the principles of regenerative farming and their implementation at Grgich Hills Estate, as well as the work they’re doing in their vineyards to educate others and promote regenerative techniques.

Speaker:
Ivo Jeramaz, Grgich Hills Estate

Supply chain resilience is an important topic that food and beverage brands need to increase focus, especially larger brands where a high growth percentage means significant nominal gains. As a true vertically integrated business sourcing and manufacturing, supplying ingredients to major brands, partnering with private label retailers, and marketing our brand, we at Big Tree Farms focus on this topic every day. Our experiences have shown that regenerative practices help mitigate supply chain disruptions driven by climate volatility which benefits all stakeholders from our farmers to in-store shoppers. That knowledge base, the articulation, and the trust we’ve gained has helped drive 10x growth in our ingredients business over the last 5 years.

Speaker
Steve Brown, Big Tree Farms

Most conversations around vertical integration focus on control, margins, and supply chains. But at StarWalker, the real driver of success has been the human element... aligning people, processes, and purpose across every step of the system. Key Points: Why vertical integration in regenerative agriculture is not just a supply chain strategy, but a people strategy; How StarWalker maintains tight control from pasture to plate without losing operational efficiency or mission integrity; The reality: scaling regenerative systems is less about infrastructure and more about alignment, communication, and mindset; How bridging vision (Regenerative Organic Certified®) with execution requires cross-functional clarity, from ranching to processing to consumer; What this looks like in practice: decision-making, accountability, and keeping values intact at scale.

SPEAKER:
Deb Harrison, Starwalker Organic Farms

SPEAKER:
Cristin Pacifico, Builders Vision

This talk explores the potential of silvopasture in the Northeast, drawing on insights from multiple field sites alongside the ongoing silvopasture project at the University of Rhode Island. By grounding research in real-world implementation, it highlights how integrated tree–livestock systems can enhance farm productivity, biodiversity, and long-term landscape resilience.

SPEAKER:
Don Ruggieri, PhD Candidate at the University of Rhode Island

This session explores the role of regional farm centers in supporting farmers and producers with financial and technical support in addition to market access.

SPEAKERS:
Ellen Griswold, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment
Zoraida Lopez-Diago, Glynwood Center for Regional Food & Farming
Dominique Mailloux (moderator), NOFA-NY
Christa Barfield, FarmerJawn

Regeneratively sourced food and beverages

What does it actually take to make wilding a household word? Wilding is an innovative regenerative agriculture framework that integrates farming, conservation, and infrastructure to create biodiversity corridors called the Wild Grid. Financial investment in this ecological restoration is critically important, but it doesn't have to be the whole story. What happens when food and beverage brands and one of the country's most trusted retailers join together to turn their communication channels into tools for change? This session brings together Whole Foods Market, west-bourne, and Mad Agriculture to explore the "why" behind their partnership, and to share a strategy for collaborative marketing that can bring the Wild Grid to consumers through shared storytelling and a unified vision for the future of our food system.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Candelario, Mad Ag
Camilla Marcus, West~Bourne
Ann Marie Hourigan, Whole Foods
Chloe Sorvino, Forbes

This panel explores the leading edge of research shaping regenerative agriculture, from soil carbon dynamics and ecosystem function to measurement, verification, and real-world implementation. Together, we’ll examine how emerging science can better inform land management decisions, unlock investment, and bridge the gap between research and practice.

SPEAKERS:
Peter Groffman, Brooklyn CUNY
Elizabeth Forbes, Hudson Carbon
Jeff Potent, Columbia University
Jane Lucas, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Sam Anderson, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Speaker:
Lissy Matthews, Dairy Grazing Alliance

This panel explores the evolving landscape of certification and verification in regenerative agriculture, examining how different frameworks define, measure, and communicate impact across supply chains. Together, we’ll discuss the opportunities and challenges of aligning standards, building trust with consumers, and ensuring these systems drive meaningful outcomes for farmers, ecosystems, and the broader food system.

SPEAKERS:
Ann Marie Hourigan, Whole Foods
Jessica Hulse Dillon, SCA
Adam Kotin, SCI
Emily Moose, AGW
Christopher Gergen, ROA

Open bar