The Cereals & Grains Association’s annual meeting returns in full swing this year Oct. 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg, Ill. Approximately 300 cereal and grain professionals across industry, government and academia are expected to attend.

This year’s theme — Protecting Our Agronomic Future: From Field to Families — will feature presentations, panels and oral technical sessions covering the latest research and industry challenges such as climate change, confusion over industry regulations and evolving consumer preferences. The conference will have up to 25 sponsor tables where attendees can have meaningful conversations in a relaxed environment. 

“This year we are taking a more personal approach to the science and showcasing how the science of the Cereals & Grains Association affects not only our professional lives but the day-to-day lives of everyone around the world,” said Deirdre Ortiz, president, Cereals & Grains Association. “At the center of this is the exploration of how to safeguard our future and ensure access to safe, nutritious and sustainable food sources for families worldwide.”

The programming includes interactive, expert-led sessions such as Breeding, Genome Editing, Food Safety and the Consumer Response; Recent Advances in Carbohydrate Ingredient Research; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Agronomics Science Space; and Can a Healthy Diet Contain Processed Foods? Additional topics will be announced as the event approaches. 

The meeting will also welcome Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, senior research scientist at Columbia Climate School’s NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, as the closing keynote speaker.

Returning to the conference for the first time since 2019 is the Student Association Product Development Competition. 

“This popular competition allows student members to work individually or in teams to develop a novel plant-based alternative for cereal-based food products,” Ms. Ortiz explained. “Their product must contain one upcycled ingredient from Netzro and at least one underutilized cereal or legume ingredient. Our finalists will present their products at Cereals & Grains 23, where we will select three winners and award prizes.”

The technical oral presentations are another welcome return to the meeting, Ms. Ortiz added. 

“These have always been popular with researchers and attendees alike and allow for more extensive discussion and insight from presenters,” she said. 

The impact of diversity, equity and inclusion on the quality of agricultural research will be a new area of focus this year. 

“Scientific excellence is at the core of all we do. All global citizens will struggle unless we help develop and maintain a diverse group of deeply committed scientists to work on the crucial topics facing our staple foods,” Ms. Ortiz said. 

For more information and to register for the show, visit
cerealsgrains.org/2023.