First Annual Farm Tank Summit Will Feature 40+ Food and Agriculture Experts and Field Trips

Food Tank (www.FoodTank.com), in partnership with the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, Farm-to-Fork Program, and the University of California, Davis, are excited to launch Farm Tank—a new, two-day summit exploring key issues that impact our global food system on Thursday, September 22, 2016, and Friday, September 23, 2016, from 9 am to 5 pm at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento.

This event will feature interactive panels with more than three dozen of the most influential and inspiring leaders in the food system moderated by top food journalists. The second day will include hands-on activities and opportunities for attendees at the most innovative and exciting agriculture sites on the West Coast.

Food Tank has the unique ability to bring everyone to the table—merging different voices for thought-provoking debate and discussion. The concept of this new event allows participants to not only be inspired by our thought leaders but be immersed in behind-the-scenes opportunities such as becoming a farmer for a day or discovering the startup tech scene on the West Coast.

This is an unprecedented opportunity to access leaders in the food movement all in one space. Researchers, farmers, chefs, policymakers, government officials, and students will come together for interactive panels on topics such as food transparency, food tech, sustainable protein, infrastructure, and food business. The entire two-day event will be live streamed on www.FoodTank.com.

Confirmed speakers include (in alphabetical order—many more to be announced soon):

• Sheila Bowman, Seafood Watch Manager of Culinary and Strategic Initiatives, Monterey Bay Aquarium

• Tom Chan, CEO, General Produce

• Hsiao-Ching Chou, Food Journalist, Cookbook Author, and Director of Communications at Institute for Systems Biology

• Zachary Scott Dashner, Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition Foundation

• Matthew Dillon, Director of Agricultural Policy and Programs, Clif Bar & Company

• Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change

• Robert Egger, Founder and President, L.A. Kitchen

• Hannah Freeman, Director of Produce and Floral, Fair Trade USA

• Twilight Greenaway, Managing Editor, Civil Eats

• Nicolette Hahn Niman, Rancher, Lawyer, and Author

• Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, Senior Scientist, Pesticide Action Network

• Eric Holt-Giménez, Executive Director, Food First

• Saru Jayaraman, Co-Director and Co-Founder, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United

• Sam Kass, Senior Food Analyst, NBC News

• Nick Kastle, Director of Marketing and Business Development & Business Unit General Manager, The Morning Star Company

• Mary Kimball, Executive Director, Center for Land-Based Learning

• Andrea Lepore, Founder, Hot Italian

• Nikiko Masumoto, Farmer, Masumoto Family Farm

• Roz Naylor, Director, Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University

• Nick Papadopoulos, CEO and Co-Founder, CropMobster

• Michael Passmore, President, Passmore Ranch

• Thomas Reynolds, Vice President of Program, Partnerships, and Learning, CARE International

• Richard Waycott, CEO, California Almond Board

• Gabe Youtsey, CIO, The University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Sponsors include: Almond Board of California, Annie’s Inc., Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, Blue Apron, Clif Bar & Company, Driscoll's, Fair Trade USA, Farmer’s Fridge, Food and Environment Reporting Network, Inter Press Service (IPS), Leafware, Niman Ranch, Organic Valley, and VegFund. More to be announced soon.

At this year’s second annual Food Tank Summit in Washington, D.C., more than 80 speakers presented to our sold-out crowd of 300 people. Panels were moderated by top food and agriculture journalists from outlets such as The Washington Post, IPS, NPR, The Hill, Politico, and National Geographic. There were 30,100 live stream viewers, double the number from the 2015 Summit. The Food Tank Summit was the first ever two-day conference broadcast live on Facebook, and Food Tank was also part of YouTube’s pilot live stream program.

WHO: 40+ expert speakers who are among the top leaders across all sectors of the food industry

WHAT: Two-day event hosted by Food Tank, the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, Farm-to-Fork Program, and the University of California, Davis (for more information: foodtanksummit.com)

WHEN: Thursday, September 22, 2016, and Friday, September 23, 2016, from 9 am to 5 pm

WHERE: Hyatt Regency Sacramento (1209 L St., Sacramento, CA 95814)

About Food Tank

Food Tank (www.FoodTank.com) is focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. We spotlight environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty. Food Tank also creates networks of people, organizations, and content that push for food system change.