 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Friday, October 5 Schedule Friday Keynote Event Big science is fond of declaring war on things. Wars on cancer and hunger for instance have been formally declared. A war on nature, although undeclared, is practiced by plant breeders on a daily basis. The high input/high yield at any cost strategy popularized by the Green Revolution has been the norm since the 1950s. This strategy has indeed led to higher yields but it also has led to fewer farmers, less nutritional food, chemicals moving off the farm and into the water, the air and our food, loss of local sources, loss of diversity, loss of Farmer’s Rights and on and on. So what can plant breeders do differently? At the Washington State University winter wheat breeding program we have chosen to include the farmers in not only making more decisions but also in making their own varieties. Workshops: Session I We Want YOU! Domestic Fair Trade Association In this session, we will update you on the pilot projects occurring throughout North America with the Fair Deal, the Agricultural Justice Project folks, the local fair trade network and others. We will review the principles, the application to join the Domestic Fair Trade Association and the progress on certification. Become a part of the next great movement within the organic/natural food business. Is Time Managing You? Part I Do you have a to do list that is just not possible to complete? Has juggling priorities become your primary time management strategy? Are you one mishap away from crisis management mode? Do you love your line of work but are too behind schedule to enjoy the daily tasks of your job? Does it feel like your job is in control of you? It often seems that the world is spinning faster and faster and that there is less time to get things done. This interactive and responsive session on time management at work will focus on improving your current overall approach to time management, gaining greater control of the events that make up your work day, setting goals and your day to day priorities based on your governing values for your work, developing effective and efficient systems for processing and managing information, ways to make better use of your time and how to support others in being more effective in using time at work. PLEASE NOTE: This is the first of a 2-part session, continued in the afternoon. If you want to attend the afternoon session, it is strongly recommended that you attend this session beforehand. Deepening Your Consumer Relationships Recognizing the power consumers have in the marketplace, smart companies are engaging in conversations with them to grow their businesses. Hear about how companies like Kettle Foods have used this effective marketing tool to deepen relationships with consumers. Learn how you can strengthen your business by seeking input from your most loyal customers, bringing together people who share interests and activities, facilitating sharing between people, and creating promotions that get consumers talking about your brand. Organic, Sustainable and Continual Improvement: Is There a Reality to This? Clearly we appreciate organic agriculture; certainly sustainable agriculture is a good thing too. The concept of “Continual Improvement” keeps being spoken of in the natural foods community. Can we fit this altogether? The organic industry is growing, many consider organic to be a portion of a sustainable future. Do we realize that organic has a legal definition, rules and regulations written through the efforts of many well-intended individuals but full of compromises? Can we move a regulatory framework toward “continual improvement”? Improvement is implicit in creating a sustainable future; regulations are not easily changed (improved) without considerable political will. How do we put all of this together for the future we want? Thoughts of one of us. Diabetes or Not Diabetes: Is Adult Onset Diabetes Preventable? A look at the progressive metabolic changes of prediabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease with an emphasis on preventing progression of disease at each stage. Diabetes and heart disease are major killers in the US and their onset and progression are rooted in the same metabolic problems. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing at the same time that the age of onset for diabetes is decreasing. Diabetes prevention starts with prevention of pre-diabetes. Prevention of pre-diabetes is best accomplished by targeted use of dietary modification and nutritional supplements. Organic and Beyond: Benchmarking Sustainable Business Practices The unprecedented scale and speed of global climate change combined with rising energy inputs continues to present new challenges for businesses. Businesses are looking for ways to increase resource efficiency, transition to renewable resources, show leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and more. At the same time consumers are increasingly looking to businesses to address issues such as climate change, fair trade, the use of non-renewable resources, and more. Come learn about a movement underway in the natural food trade to develop sustainability benchmarking criteria whereby participating companies commit to a certain amount of transparency around their practices, agree to continual improvement year after year, participate in a recognition system, and become part of a learning community. Help us draft this starting-point for a dynamic participatory statement of the industry’s vision of and commitment to sustainability. Workshops: Session II Organic Policy Update It has been a busy year for sustainable agriculture advocates in Washington, DC. Michael Sligh, Just Foods Director for Rural Advancement Foundation International, will lead this discussion on federal organic policy, including the Farm Bill, USDA’s National Organic Program, Seeds and Breeds, and the National Organic Coalition. Is Time Managing You? Part II Do you have a to-do list that is just not possible to complete? Has juggling priorities become your primary time management strategy? Are you one mishap away from crisis management mode? Do you love your work but are too behind schedule to enjoy the daily tasks of your job? Does it feel like your job is in control of you? It often seems that the world is spinning faster and faster and that there is less time to get things done. This interactive and responsive session on time management will focus on gaining greater control of the events that make up your work day, setting goals and your day to day priorities based on your governing values for your work, developing effective and efficient systems for processing and managing information, ways to make better use of your time and how to support others in being more effective in using time. PLEASE NOTE: This is the second of a two-part session. It is strongly recommended that you attend the morning session before attending this one. A Living Brand Needs Constant Attention You’ve already developed your brand and it’s been working pretty well. But, a brand is a dynamic, living system. Once you’ve got it, it’s like a garden. You’ve got to water it, give it plenty of sunshine, pick off the bugs and the spent leaves and flowers. What emerges is a stronger brand backed with fresh energy that spurs new growth. It takes courage to audit all the elements of your brand to see where you’ve strayed from your original vision. We’ll have a lively discussion about how an in-depth review can get the good energy back into your brand. This session is suitable for retailers and manufacturers. Building a Workplace Team Just because you call a group of people a team, doesn’t make them so. Certain elements need to be in place to turn a department, a group of managers or a board of directors into a true team: a meaningful purpose that all members support, personal and mutual accountability, an agreed-upon set of operating rules and a complementary mix of skills. In this workshop we’ll focus primarily on how to create the conditions that build trust, commitment and accountability so that a team can achieve its purpose. Who’s it for? Everyone who works regularly with the same group of people—and wants to function as a team. Personal Care Ingredients—the Good, the Bad—Myths and Truths During this two-hour workshop the focus will be on the increasing consumer demand for natural personal care products. There are good ingredients to look for. This session will educate you and help you pass this information on to your consumers and how this can increase sales and understanding of this ever-changing landscape. One Size Fits All Just like in clothing, global regulations on International Fair Trade require diversity. Our panel members will talk about their unique international fair trade successes and challenges, and introduce us to the people they work directly with, the satisfaction of fair trade relationships country to country, and person to person. Conference main page
Provender Alliance
|