International Dairy Foods Association

Join Us At The Industry Event Of The Year

Jan 25th - Jan 28th

Virtual Conference

Overview

Looking forward to Dairy Forum 2022? Click here.

The International Dairy Foods Association is excited to invite you to join us for Dairy Forum 2021—Dairy Evolved, where we will collaborate, innovate and inspire our industry to embrace and lead change for continued growth!

Dairy Forum 2021 is shaping up to be our most exciting, forward-thinking Dairy Forum yet—and now Dairy Forum is more accessible than ever in a virtual format. Enjoy four days of top-notch programming, networking, and speakers talking about leadership, technology, global trade, sustainability, product innovations, and navigating the political landscape. Best-in-class virtual technology allows us to offer opportunities for all attendees to schedule private meetings with other attendees and to network and socialize with guests. And in an effort to bring the Dairy Forum experience to members at all levels, we're offering a special Early Bird rate for all guests and a special First Timer rate for members.

Amazing Speakers

Be challenged & informed

Networking & Private Meetings

Network in virtual meeting halls & private video chat spaces

Leadership Lessons

Gather lessons & approaches that will improve your leadership

Recognize & Celebrate Peers

We’ll recognize those who keep us united & resilient--our #Essential workers

Dairy Forum 2021 maintains the highest standards for speakers and content and will set a new bar in virtual conferencing while delivering peace of mind for attendees during these challenging times. All sessions will be available for live or on-demand viewing. Take a stroll through the virtual meeting hall to find peers and acquaintances. Or reserve a private meeting room for secure video chats or team meetings.

Dairy Forum 2021 will give industry leaders at all levels the tools and knowledge they need to shape our future together—rather than let others shape it for us. The past year has presented unprecedented shocks and disruptions, including a global pandemic and a significant realignment of our industry.

Dairy Forum is the time to come together to reconnect, retool and recharge for the work that’s ahead.

We can’t wait to see you in January! Register now to attend Dairy Forum 2021—Dairy Evolved!

Agenda

Print Agenda

January 25, 2021	Event	Speaker	Location
10:30am - 10:50am	Dairy Connect Sponsored By:		Dairy Connect Lounge
	A rundown of the day’s events and how to get the most out of your Dairy Forum experience. Hosts: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association Colin Newman, Director, Political Affairs and Strategic Programs, International Dairy Foods Association
11:00am - 12:00pm	President’s Address: Dairy Evolved – Live Q&A with IDFA President & CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M. Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	In the opening session, IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M., sits down for a one-on-one interview with Sara Wyant, president of Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc., and editor and publisher of Agri-Pulse.com. The dairy industry, from producer to processor, is not unlike other evolving industries, and has experienced significant phases of consolidation and realignment due to market, consumer, and external forces. Michael and Sara will discuss the state of the dairy industry and how industry leaders are pushing toward the future even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the supply chain and global markets. With a new Farm Bill on the horizon and changes in political leadership in Washington, D.C., how IDFA helps the industry navigate the next few years will be critical in dairy’s evolution.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Networking Break Sponsored By:		Social Lounge
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Women in Dairy Anniversary Celebration Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Join us to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the launch of Women in Dairy. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
12:00pm - 12:15pm	CEO Lounge: Private and Public Capital Market Themes Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Experts: Kurt Sunderman, Managing Director, Bank of America Securities, Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
12:15pm - 1:15pm	Givers Take All: Creating a Culture of Productive Generosity Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	Culture is a key component of success, but many leaders struggle in managing the cultures of their teams and organizations. Based on a decade of research and consulting with Fortune 500 companies – including recent projects at JetBlue, Goldman Sachs, Teach For America, and Warby Parker – Adam Grant argues that the highest-performing organizations are the ones that embrace an ethos of knowledge sharing, helping, and mentoring. In this dynamic presentation, Grant outlines the key strategies for building a culture of productive generosity. He urges companies to reward givers and get rid of takers, by making their reputation known to them and challenging them to new behavior. He also shares how leaders and organizations can improve practices around selection and hiring, recognition and rewards, and collaboration and coordination – to boost revenue, efficiency, and satisfaction.
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Networking Break Sponsored By:		Social Lounge
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: Meet and Connect Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Kick off the Dairy Forum by catching up with old and new friends. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	CEO Lounge: Strategic Activity in Food & Beverage Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Experts: Kurt Sunderman, Managing Director, Bank of America Securities, Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 1 - Sustainability in Dairy: Getting from Commitments to Real Results Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 1
	Sustainability in dairy involves much more than reducing our carbon emissions. The companies leading the sustainability revolution in dairy today are focused on the full supply chain, including sustainable packaging solutions, ensuring balance of natural resources in production and processing, providing transparency in ingredient sourcing, maintaining the highest standards in animal care, and treating workers with dignity and respect from farm to fork. Companies across dairy are not only collaborating to reduce our industry’s environmental footprint on the farm and within processing plants, but also making many other important changes, often without fanfare and buried deep within sustainability progress reports. If dairy is going to lead the sustainability revolution for food and beverage, then we must get beyond commitments and get to results. Join this session to hear from Chief Sustainable Officers at some of the world’s leading food companies about their efforts to create sustainable supply chains.
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 2 - Food Industry Evolution and Revolution Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 2
	2020 presented unprecedented challenges to our industry and our customers. Join us to hear from industry experts about how retailers, restaurants, food service and government customers of the dairy industry are coping with COVID-19 and what the “new normal” for their respective consumer channels might look like on the other side of the crisis.
2:30pm - 3:00pm	10% Happier with Dan Harris Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	Dan Harris is the co-anchor of ABC News' "Nightline" and the weekend edition of "Good Morning America,". After covering the religion beat for ABC News, he discovered meditation and wrote the bestselling book 10% Happier. Unlike over-promising self-help gurus who guarantee overnight life-changing miracles, Harris advocates simple, secular, scientifically validated ways to boost your happiness.
5:00pm - 6:00pm	Welcome Event Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	You won’t want to miss this fully interactive dueling piano experience. It will be an all request show, so come prepared to engage with attendees and the performers themselves.
January 26, 2021	Event	Speaker	Location
10:30am - 10:50am	Dairy Connect Sponsored By:		Dairy Connect Lounge
	A rundown of the day’s events and how to get the most out of your Dairy Forum experience. Hosts: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association Colin Newman, Director, Political Affairs and Strategic Programs, International Dairy Foods Association
11:30am - 12:00pm	A New Era of Dairy Policy: A Fireside Chat with Senator Debbie Stabenow Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	As a new Congress and new Administration convene in Washington, the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee will share their perspectives and predictions on where agricultural policy is heading over the next two years and how these changes could affect the dairy industry.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Networking Break Sponsored By:		Social Lounge
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: Just for Us Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Sharing ideas on new roles and opportunities. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Mindfulness Lounge: Basic Mindfulness Meditation Sponsored By:		Mindfulness Lounge
	Meditation and mindfulness is now being embraced by executives, athletes, educators and entertainers as this ancient practice has been shown by modern science to boost resilience, focus, creativity, emotional intelligence, and overall mental and physical health. Building on the 10% Happier conference session, Dan Harris has provided additional opportunities for attendees to continue their mindfulness journey. Join us for a five-minute guided meditation session followed by a roundtable discussion where participants are invited to share what we experienced. Designed for all experience levels.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	CEO Lounge: What Else Can You Obtain From Your Professional Bank Partners and Dairy Industry Bankers? Ensure You Receive All The Benefits! Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Expert: Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
12:15pm - 1:15pm	Your Corporate Social Responsibility Program Isn’t Enough: Why Today’s Organizations Will Succeed by Becoming Purpose Driven Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	As editor-in-chief of WIRED magazine, Greg Williams brings in-depth knowledge of the future of technology and how it will impact every sector of business. From his perspective, today’s decision-makers must shift from focusing on shareholders to having purpose at their core because consumers expect not only a commitment to sustainability and sustainably-produced goods, but also a commitment to the betterment of society. A significant number and range of businesses—from start-ups like Warby Parker, to multinationals such as Unilever—are embracing the idea that being ‘mission-driven’ will be a necessity for forward-thinking organizations. Greg examines this accelerating trend and offers insights into organizations that are implementing long-term thinking, establishing meaningful goals and pursuing positive change.
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Networking Break Sponsored By:		Social Lounge
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Meet & Connect		Dairy Connect Lounge
	Join colleagues and new friends for a mid-day networking break. Host: Cindy Cavallo, Senior Director of Membership, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: Create Your Own Roadmap – Discover your WHY, WHEN, WHAT and HOW Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	CEO Lounge: Economic Update & Rates Update Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Experts: John Shin, Senior G10 Strategist, Bank of America Global Research Kapil Pandya, Rates and Currencies Solutions, Bank of America Securities
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 1 - Next Generation Marketing for Next Generation Dairy Consumers Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 1
	Panel of experts sharing insights on the next generation of dairy consumers, their expectations of brands, and how to compete for their attention, share of stomachs, dollars, loyalty and more.
2:00pm - 3:00pm	Deep Dive Session 2 - Global Competitiveness Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 2
	IDFA recognizes the importance of trade to the future of the dairy industry, and getting creative about maximizing trade opportunities is going to be critical moving forward. At the same time, for the first time in recent history, there is real consideration being given to whether multilateral agreements and organizations (e.g. the WTO) or bilateral trade agreements are better tools for unlocking the most potential for U.S. products globally, and what the U.S. should do about it. These experts will discuss that fundamental debate by looking through the lens of both U.S. and other regions’ policy tools and approaches to global competitiveness in dairy products.
2:30pm - 3:00pm	C-Suite Talks from the Top Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	Taking a page from the popularity of TED talks, Dairy Forum will feature dairy industry leaders who will give concise and colorful talks about leading in today’s uncertain and challenging market.
January 27, 2021	Event	Speaker	Location
10:30am - 10:50am	Dairy Connect Sponsored By:		Dairy Connect Lounge
	A rundown of the day’s events and how to get the most out of your Dairy Forum experience. Hosts: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association Colin Newman, Director, Political Affairs and Strategic Programs, International Dairy Foods Association
11:00am - 11:15am	A New Era Of Dairy Policy: A Fireside Chat with U.S. Senator John Boozman Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	As a new Congress and new Administration convene in Washington, the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee will share their perspectives and predictions on where agricultural policy is heading over the next two years and how these changes could affect the dairy industry.
11:15am - 12:15pm	Embracing the Future of Dairy		Main Stage
	COVID-19 is a humanitarian crisis with vast global impact on the world at large and far reaching impacts on dairy. Where is the dairy industry today and what might define the future landscape? In this session, we will take stock of trends impacting the industry, how players have been positioning themselves to react to uncertainties, and how companies across the value chain can take the future into their own hands to shape the path ahead.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Networking Break Sponsored By:		Social Lounge
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: What's Next Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Discussion about our industry, jobs and opportunities that are evolving in 2021. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Mindfulness Lounge: Mindfulness Meditation Sponsored By:		Mindfulness Lounge
	Meditation and mindfulness is now being embraced by executives, athletes, educators and entertainers as this ancient practice has been shown by modern science to boost resilience, focus, creativity, emotional intelligence, and overall mental and physical health. Building on the 10% Happier conference session, Dan Harris has provided additional opportunities for attendees to continue their mindfulness journey. Join us for a five-minute guided meditation session followed by a roundtable discussion where participants are invited to share what we experienced. Designed for all experience levels.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	CEO Lounge: Dairy Executive Decisions During 2020 – and Planning for Post-COVID Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Expert: Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
12:15pm - 1:15pm	View from Washington Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	As one of the country's most seasoned journalists, Chris Wallace draws from his decades at the news desk to deliver valuable insight and perspective for business organizations and individuals. With an expert’s eye and a historian's perspective, Wallace analyzes potential scenarios to provide an in-depth understanding of how to prepare for the immediate future. From tax reform and the state of healthcare to the 2020 Presidential election, Wallace breaks down the day’s headlines with the clarity and distinction that have established him as a go-to source for the most important political issues. Wallace also offers behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Washington and perspective on the critical and evolving role of the media.
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Networking Break Sponsored By:		Social Lounge
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Meet & Connect		Dairy Connect Lounge
	Join colleagues and new friends for a mid-day networking break. Host: Cindy Cavallo, Senior Director of Membership, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: Establish Your Own Brand Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Discussion of the importance to have your own style and character. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	CEO Lounge: Following Food Innovation / FoodTech, AgTech – What’s Happening? Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Expert: Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 1 - The New Era of Food Safety Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 1
	What will food safety and regulation look like in the future? How will technological advancements lead to greater transparency and quicker action by regulators and industry to find and fix food safety problems and reduce foodborne illness and recalls? Where are we seeing advances now, in the US and internationally? Panelists representing non-industry perspectives will discuss the current situation across industry and stress the need to avoid complacency.
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 2 - The Evolving Workforce Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 2
	Today’s interconnected global economy is characterized by increased synergies, lower transaction costs, unprecedented automation and digitization, and massive generational shifts where younger professionals demand greater purpose and connectivity at the workplace while also requesting increased flexibility for where work is performed. To thrive and compete in an uncertain future, organizations must break free from traditional management mindsets to think boldly about how best to utilize talent and human capital to achieve business goals in a state of disruption. In other words—people are our most important asset and they will be the ones who develop and deliver solutions for the consumer demands and societal challenges of tomorrow. Join organizational experts to discuss the new workforce evolution.
2:30pm - 3:00pm	C-Suite Talks from the Top Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	Taking a page from the popularity of TED talks, Dairy Forum will feature dairy industry leaders who will give concise and colorful talks about leading in today’s uncertain and challenging market.
January 28, 2021	Event	Speaker	Location
10:30am - 10:50am	Dairy Connect Sponsored By:		Dairy Connect Lounge
	A rundown of the day’s events and how to get the most out of your Dairy Forum experience. Hosts: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association Colin Newman, Director, Political Affairs and Strategic Programs, International Dairy Foods Association
11:00am - 12:00pm	Dairy Dialogues Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	A distinguished panel of dairy leaders will provide their perspectives on the “Next Normal” in the dairy industry, the implications of COVID-19, and how we prepare for an unpredictable future. Following several sessions that will encourage leaders to upend the status quo and the evolution of dairy, this panel will provide a prescient conclusion to Dairy Forum’s foray into the future.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Networking Break		Social Lounge
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: Paradigm Shifts Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	What have we learned from 2020 and innovations in 2021. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
12:00pm - 12:15pm	Mindfulness Lounge: Loving Kindness Mediatation Sponsored By:		Mindfulness Lounge
	Meditation and mindfulness is now being embraced by executives, athletes, educators and entertainers as this ancient practice has been shown by modern science to boost resilience, focus, creativity, emotional intelligence, and overall mental and physical health. Building on the 10% Happier conference session, Dan Harris has provided additional opportunities for attendees to continue their mindfulness journey. Join us for a five-minute guided meditation session followed by a roundtable discussion where participants are invited to share what we experienced. Designed for all experience levels.
12:00pm - 12:15pm	CEO Lounge: 2021 Dairy Equipment – Be Aware of Flexible & Creative Ideas While Capturing the Historical Low Rate Environment Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Experts: Paul Cornillie, Senior Vice President, Bank of America Securities Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
12:15pm - 1:15pm	Achieving Innovation and Breakthroughs Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	With the message of “evolve or die,” Peter Diamandis is a dynamic, inspirational speaker who provides real value to his audience by showing them how to drive breakthrough thinking focused on achieving clear, measurable, and objective results. Based on the success of the Ansari X PRIZE—which stimulated the creation of the billion-dollar private spaceflight industry—and more recently the launch of the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, Diamandis discusses how to incentivize innovative thinking and breakthroughs. He explains how traditional thinking, risk-aversion, and incrementalism causes the demise of companies unable to cope with the changes brought by disruptive innovation. Diamandis discusses how the rapid growth of key exponential technologies (nano, info, bio) is empowering individuals and companies to do what only governments were able to achieve in past decades.
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Networking Break		Social Lounge
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Meet & Connect		Dairy Connect Lounge
	Join colleagues and new friends for a mid-day networking break. Host: Cindy Cavallo, Senior Director of Membership, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	Women in Dairy Lounge: Reflections Sponsored By:		Women in Dairy Lounge
	Discussion of the key takeaways from Dairy Forum 2021. Host: Tracy Boyle, Director, Employee Relations and Administrative Services, International Dairy Foods Association
1:15pm - 1:30pm	CEO Lounge: Q&A with BoA. We Covered A Lot In These Mini CEO Lounge Sessions – What Questions Do You Have? Sponsored By:		CEO Lounge
	Subject Matter Expert: Julia Voss, Senior Vice President, Food, Dairy & Agriculture Industry Lead, Bank of America
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 1 - How E-Commerce Can Breathe New Life into a Dairy Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 1
	While e-commerce has been trending up for years, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought it to the forefront, sparking many consumers to try an online grocery service for the first time. At the same time, we see record numbers of shoppers turning to e-commerce for their grocery needs. This shift in behavior is set to alter the way we shop for groceries well into the future, opening new opportunities for products of all kinds to increase their reach via e-commerce. In this session, our panel of experts will explore how consumer buying habits are shifting and how the dairy industry—and milk in particular—can benefit from these emerging trends by tapping into the power of e-commerce.
1:30pm - 2:30pm	Deep Dive Session 2 - Respond, Recover, Reopen and Reimagine Sponsored By:		Deep Dive Room 2
	When the pandemic struck, millions of businesses were challenged to respond, recover, reopen and reimagine how they operate. The development of new technology and innovation came to the forefront of protecting the global food chain during a time of great uncertainty. During this session, Ecolab CEO Christophe Beck will discuss what it takes to respond in a rapidly changing landscape and the value of leaning into solutions that meet the safety, quality, and environmental requirements of our future. He will be followed by a panel of divisional leaders who will share learnings and the future of their respective industries as it relates to the importance of rethinking food and employee safety through collaboration and emerging technologies.
2:30pm - 3:00pm	C-Suite Talks from the Top Sponsored By:		Main Stage
	Taking a page from the popularity of TED talks, Dairy Forum will feature dairy industry leaders who will give concise and colorful talks about leading in today’s uncertain and challenging market.