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Showcasing international solutions for improving soil and plant health

June 20 – 21, 2023
Salinas
California

Introducing the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit

Western Growers and New Zealand-based agrifood tech consultancy, Wharf42, are delighted to announce the dates of the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit.

On 20-21 June 2023, to support growers deepen their knowledge of globally applied biological solutions, the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit will showcase both US and internationally-sourced, science-based biological applications.

The two-day Summit will feature keynote speakers, plenary sessions and targeted panel discussions. The Summit will host an exhibition of biological solutions and provide a major platform for growers to meet and engage with peers from around the world.

The Summit outcomes include:

  • The opportunity for growers to increase their awareness of available biological solutions to address both their soil and plant needs and for major global agribusinesses to learn more about some of the emerging disruptive science and start-up activity in this space 
  • The opportunity for agritech start-ups and investors to address scaleable opportunities in the biological arena
  • The opportunity for scientists and researchers from around the world to get a better understanding of the specific challenges facing US growers across the entire specialty crop domain

Who is this summit for?

As the demand for nutritious and affordable food continues to rise, the need to accelerate sustainable agriculture, improve crop yields and offer protection against a wide variety of plant diseases and insect pests has never been more important.

Given this urgency, the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit is being designed to address the needs of multiple stakeholders.

These include;

  • Growers
  • R&D (Universities/Institutes)
  • Agribusiness leaders
  • Startups/Entrepreneurs (including. researchers that haven’t launched startups yet – still at University)
  • Investors
  • Government/NGO (policy/environmental experts)

Over the coming weeks, we'll be publishing details of both the Summit programme and keynote speakers to this website. To access this information in real time, please complete the 'Register Interest' button at the top of this page.

See all >

Latest News

The 2023 Salinas Biological Summit delivered!

After two days of compelling presentations, insightful panel discussions and extensive networking, the verdict is finally in. The 2023 Salinas Biological Summit delivered!

The Summit's Central Valley Field Trip is SOLD OUT!

With 10 days to go before the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit begins, we can confirm that the Central Valley field trip for international delegates on 22-23 June has been officially SOLD OUT!

EXCLUSIVE: Mixing Bowl to Release their Global Biological Ecosystem Map

The team at the Mixing Bowl are to release their global biological ecosystem map on Day 1 of the Salinas Summit

Secretary Leon E Panetta to keynote at the Summit

We are delighted that Secretary Leon E Panetta will be the keynote speaker on Day 2 at the Salinas Biological Summit.

“This is an incredibly important and timely Summit that focuses on an area that needs much more attention, planning and coordination of next Gen tools so we can ensure continued bountiful production of horticultural crops so critical to health and nutrition ".

California Food and Agriculture Department Secretary, Karen Ross, 

“For Western Grower members, biologicals have become a significant issue. The 2023 Salinas Biological Summit will provide the platform to share knowledge, insights and best practice to address the opportunity".

Dennis Donohue, Director, Western Growers Innovation & Technology Center

“Biologicals are growing at double digits and expected to surpass chemical pesticides within 20 years. The 2023 Salinas Biological Summit will allow California growers the opportunity to look at innovations in biologicals on a global basis.”

Pam Marrone, CEO and Founder, Chestnut Bio Advisors

“Growers from California, the nation and the world will all benefit from the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit. New ways of controlling plant pests and diseases with new tools will help maintain healthy crops while increasing on-farm sustainability.”

Don Cameron, President, Terra Nova Ranches 

 

“This major inaugural Summit will showcase key international research and commercial biological applications designed to enable growers accelerate sustainable agriculture, improve crop yields and offer protection against a wide variety of plant diseases and insect pests.”

Peter Wren-Hilton, founder & CEO, Wharf42

The Summit Speakers

Zach Bagley

Zach is Managing Director, the California Tomato Research Institute.

Mark Borman

Mark is COO FoodService / President, Taylor Farms California

Don J Cameron

Don is the President of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture and is the Vice President and General Manager of Terranova Ranch

Carl Casale

In 2018, Carl helped launch Ospraie Ag Science, the venture arm of Ospraie Management. In this role, he leads successful venture campaigns for select companies that help farmers do more with less environmental impact.

Ben Cicora

Ben is Senior VP of Sales & Marketing, Vestaron

Alex Cochran

Alex is Chief Technology Officer, DPH Biologicals

Paul Crout

Paul is Senior Product Manager | Agronomist, Helena Agri-Enterprises

Helene R. Dillard PhD

Helene was appointed Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis in January 2014.

Dennis Donohue

Dennis is Director of the Western Growers Innovation & Technology Center and co-convenor of the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit

Phil Erlanger

Phil is co-founder & Managing Partner, Aliment Capital

Elizabeth Fastiggi

Elizabeth is the Head of Worldwide Business Development for the Agriculture vertical at AWS.

Sherry Frey

Sherry is Vice President, Total Wellness – NielsenIQ, the global leader in consumer intelligence

Taryn Goodman Gallery

Taryn is a Partner at Cultivian Sandbox and Sandbox Sustainability Ventures

David Gill

In 2017, Western Growers honored David with their Award of Honor, the organization’s most prestigious award, in recognition of his extensive contributions to the agricultural community.

Miriam Hall

Miriam Hall is a Business Manager at Plant & Food Research in New Zealand.

Kirk Haney

Kirk is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Radicle Growth.

Julie Henderson

Julie was appointed Director, California Department of Pesticide Regulation, on December 2, 2021

Michael Key

Michael Key is the co-founder and CEO, Impello Biosciences

Juli Jessen

Juli is CEO, Gowan Group

Keith Jones

Keith is Executive Director, the Biological Products Industry Alliance

Vatren Jurin

Vatren Jurin, Partner and VP of Product Development, DunhamTrimmer

Albert P Keck

Albert is the Board Chair, Western Growers

Scott Komar

Scott is Senior Vice President of Global R&D for Driscoll’s, the world’s leading fresh berry company.

Jason Kuhlemeier

Jason Kuhlemeier is VP of Marketing, AgBiome.

Ethy Levy

Ethy is the Managing Partner at Kinneret Impact Ventures and Passionate Founder @ Impact Innovation Israel

Josette Lewis PhD

Josette is the Chief Scientific Officer, Almond Board of California

Ashish Malik

Ashish is VP Strategy and Corporate Development, DunhamTrimmer

Francisco Manzano

Francisco Manzano, Director, Business Development, Nutrien Ag Solutions

Pam Maronne PhD

Pam is CEO and Founder, Chestnut Bio Advisors and Co-founder & Executive Chair, Invasive Species Foundation and Invasive Species Corporation

Steve McIntyre

Co-founder, the Monterey Wine Company

Rick Melnick

Rick Melnick, Partner and VP Global Business, DunhamTrimmer

Peter R. Müller

Peter is SVP, Global Strategy Lead Fruits & Vegetables, Bayer AG, Division Crop Science

Amy O'Shea

Amy is President and CEO, Certis Biologicals

Secretary Leon Panetta

Leon E. Panetta, Chairman, Panetta Institute for Public Policy and Former Secretary of Defense

Keith Pitts

Keith is Senior Vice-President, Sustainability and Regulatory Strategy, Bioceres Crop Solutions

Dave Puglia

Dave is the President and CEO of Western Growers

Amy Roberts

Amy Roberts is Director of Regulatory Affairs, Lallemand Plant Care

Hector Rodriguez

Hector Rodriguez is Probelte US CEO

Cristina Rohr

Cristina is Managing Director, Food & Agriculture, S2G Ventures

Secretary Karen Ross

Karen was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture on January 9, 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom

Eugenia Saini

Eugenia is FONTAGRO’s Executive Secretary, a unique sustainable co-financing mechanism for the development of agricultural technology in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain.

Mark Singleton

Mark is Chief Commercial Officer & General Manager, Plant Health, Greenlight Biosciences

John Smith

General Manager, Levied and Emerging Industries, AgriFutures Australia

Susanne Sutterlin

Susanne Sutterlin is Director Plant Health, directorate Plant Supply Chains and Food Quality at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Netherlands.

Larry Taylor

Larry is the Co-founder & Managing Partner of The Yield Lab, Asia Pacific.

Dr Hillary Thomas

Hillary is currently the Research and Technical Director, Naturipe Berry Growers,

Mark Trimmer, Ph.D

Mark is Founding Partner, DunhamTrimmer

Prem Warrior

Senior Technical Advisor, Valagro S.p.A/Syngenta Biologicals

Candice Wilson

Candice is Regional Director for the Western US at Farmers Business Network (FBN).

Stuart Woolf

Stuart is President and CEO of Woolf Farming & Processing and incoming Chair, Western Growers

Peter Wren-Hilton

Peter is the founder & CEO of New Zealand-based Wharf42 & co-convenor of the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit

Gabriel Youtsey

Gabriel (Gabe) is the Chief Innovation Officer, University of California, Agriculture & Natural Resources

Summit Partners & Sponsors

Host City Sponsor

Host County Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Exhibitors

 

“For Western Grower members, biologicals have become a significant issue. The 2023 Salinas Biological Summit will provide the platform to share knowledge, insights and best practice to address the opportunity".

Dennis Donohue, Director, Western Growers Innovation & Technology Center


Become a Sponsor

The 2024 Salinas
Biological Summit

Is brought to you by:

Western Growers
Wharf 42

Register Interest

Register your interest and keep up to date with the latest announcements in the lead up to The 2024 Salinas Biological Summit.