One of the great challenges of the next generation will be providing nutritious, affordable food to a global population expected to grow to 9 billion by 2050 — while using fewer resources.

The urgency of this dilemma cannot be overstated. In past years, academics, NGOs and governments from around the world have invested significant resources in adding dimension to this 2050 global food security challenge. Many spirited debates have addressed the intersection of responsibility within the issue, including the role of technology and innovation in meeting the needs of a hungry planet.

On June 14, we have an opportunity to “bring the issue home” and address domestic food security against the backdrop of this well-defined global debate by sponsoring a leadership event in Washington, D.C. that is co-hosted by The Washington Post and Slate and brought to you by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

This event will spark a balanced, inspirational conversation around solutions, and roles and responsibilities to address food insecurity. While not dairy-focused, the event will serve as the dairy industry’s emergence into the national dialogue around the future of food.

Conference panelists (see below for a complete list and schedule) are focused on discussing how we tackle these challenges, including:

• U.S. Food Security: What is preventing us from solving the hunger challenge of today and the future? How do we also solve for the related concerns of access, affordability and obesity?
• Food & Technology: How do we feed more with less? How do we ensure and advance safe and efficient technology used in food production?
• Sustainability: How do we move past “green” fatigue to recognize and promote practices that are safe, sustainable and economically feasible?

Join us on June 14 at 8 a.m. EST via a live stream of the event at WashingtonPostLive.com.

During the event, we’ll be sure to share important information right here on our website, DairyGood.org.

Future of Food Panelists, Schedule

8:30 a.m.
Opening Overview
– Dan Glickman, Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center; Former Agriculture Secretary
– Robert Thompson, Visiting Scholar and Professional Lecturer, SAIS, Johns Hopkins University

9:15 a.m.
A View from Congress
– Jon Tester, Senator (D – Montana)
– John Boozman, Senator (R – Arkansas)

10:15 a.m.
Panel Discussion: Innovations for Sustainable Food Production
– Chris Policinski, President, Land O’Lakes
– Dr. Jason Clay, Senior Vice President Market Transformation, World Wildlife Fund
– Samuel Allen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Deere & Company
– Moderated by Mary Jordan

11:00 a.m.
Panel Discussion: How Do We Improve Access to Healthy Food in America?
– Elaine Waxman, Vice President, Research, Feeding America
– Jim Werkhoven, Owner, Werkhoven Dairy
– Mike McCloskey, Co-Founder and CEO, Select Milk Producers
– Andrea Thomas, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Wal-Mart
– Moderated by Frances Stead Sellers

11:45 a.m.
Panel Discussion: A Table for 9 Billion: Case We Feed the World?
– Johanna Nesseth Tuttle, Director, Global Food Security Project, Center for International and Strategic Studies
– Liz Schrayer, Executive Director, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
– Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA
– Tony Hall, Director, Alliance to End Hunger
– Moderated by David Plotz

12:45 p.m.
Lunchtime Programming
– Lauren Bush Lauren, Co-Founder, FEED Projects (Interviewed by Mary Jordan)
– Tom Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Interviewed by Mary Jordan)