ANNUAL MEETING & SPEAKERS CONFERENCE: Speaker Bios
The 2011 Minnesota Agri-Growth Council Annual Meeting and Speakers Conference will be held on Wednesday, November 16th at the Minneapolis Convention Center [MAP IT].
Agriculture Economy Outlook:
Dr. Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo
Dr. Swanson's responsibilities include analysis and forecasting of key agricultural commodities and livestock sectors, as well as analysis of the impact of energy on agriculture. Additionally, he works with the bank to develop credit and risk strategies for customers. The bank maintains a multi-billion portfolio of loans involving these and other agricultural products.
Previously he supervised a portion of the Land O’ Lakes supply chain for value-added cheese; worked in Columbia, South America, for Cargill Cafetera de Manizales S.A.; and was a transportation analyst for the Burlington Northern Railroad. Swanson received both his master’s and doctorate degrees in agricultural and applied economics from the University of Minnesota. His undergraduate degrees are in economics and business administration from the University of St. Thomas.
Monetary Policy and Food Price Inflation:
Dr. Jason Henderson, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City - Omaha Branch
Jason R. Henderson is vice president and Omaha Branch executive with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He joined the Omaha Branch in August 2006 as Branch executive. In this role, he serves as the Bank's regional economist and representative in the state of Nebraska, recruits and works closely with the Branch's board of directors, and is responsible for briefing the Kansas City Fed's president—a member of the Federal Open Market Committee—on economic and business activity in the state. In addition, Jason leads several Bank and Federal Reserve System efforts to track agricultural and rural economies, including the quarterly publication of the Tenth District Survey of Agricultural Credit Conditions and the Federal Reserve System's Agricultural Finance Databook. He also manages the Main Street Economist, a bi-monthly publication covering economic issues affecting rural areas.
Jason serves as the Bank's regional research coordinator. His research interests include rural development, agricultural economics and industrial organization. He has published more than 60 research articles in Bank and external research publications on topics such as entrepreneurship, land values, demographics, the growth of knowledge-based activity in rural America, the use of electronic commerce in agricultural industries, and the growth of value-added food manufacturing activity.
Luncheon Speakers:
Kristin Weeks Duncanson, Agri-Growth Chairwoman and owner of Duncanson Growers
Kristin Weeks Duncanson is owner and partner of Duncanson Growers, a diversified family farm in South Central Minnesota. The operation includes corn, soybeans, vegetables, cattle and hog production.
Additionally, Weeks Duncanson owns a consulting firm, Ag Issues Management. Previously she served as the marketing manger for Hubbard Milling Company and a legislative assistant for former Minnesota U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz.
She is a past president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, former director of the American Soybean Association and a member of most Minnesota commodity groups. Weeks Duncanson is also a member of the Agricultural Carbon Market Working Group and serves on a number of other task forces and boards. As a resident of Mapleton, Minn., she is active in the St. John Church Council. Kristin earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science and communications from Luther College and is a native of Wayzata, Minnesota.
Governor Mark Dayton
Mark Dayton is Minnesota's 40th Governor. He was born in Minneapolis and raised in a house in Long Lake, where his father still lives today. After college, Mark taught 9th grade general science for two years in a New York City public school. It was here where he realized the terrible injustice that his students had so little, while he had been given so much; and he decided that he would devote his life to improving social equality and economic opportunity for all Americans.
For most of the past 34 years, Mark has served Minnesotans, as Commissioner of the Minnesota Departments of Economic Development and of Energy and Economic Development, as State Auditor, and as United States Senator. He has worked throughout our state to help businesses locate or expand and create jobs, to improve local government services, to better fund our public schools, to support our servicemen and women, to help Minnesotans get the health care they need, and in many other ways to make a better Minnesota. Currently, Mark serves on the Executive Committee of the National Governor's Association.
Dean Allen Levine, Agri-Growth Board Member and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota
Prior to his current position as Dean, he was head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition. He is also director of the Minnesota Obesity Center, a National Institutes of Health funded collaborative research group of over 55 federally funded investigators from the University, Mayo Clinic, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Health Partners and Hennepin County Medical Center.
A native of Newark, N.J., Levine received a bachelor’s of arts degree in botany from Rutgers University. At the University of Minnesota, he earned a master’s of science in botany (related fields in microbiology and limnology) and a Ph.D. in nutrition with a minor in food science. He also held a NIH Fellowship with the University of Minnesota Department of Medicine.
President Eric Kaler, University of Minnesota
Prior to assuming the presidency at the University of Minnesota on July 1, 2011, Dr. Kaler served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and vice president for Brookhaven National Laboratory affairs at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York. Kaler received his undergraduate degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1978 and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1982.
Before his appointment as provost of Stony Brook in October 2007, Kaler was a member of the faculty at the University of Delaware from 1989-2007. He served as chair of the Chemical Engineering Department from 1996 to 2000 and dean of the College of Engineering from 2000 to 2007. Kaler was named the Elizabeth Inez Kelley Professor of Chemical Engineering in 1998. He was an assistant professor and an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Washington from 1982 to 1989.
Dr. Michael T. Osterholm
Dr. Osterholm is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), director of the NIH-supported Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance within CIDRAP, a professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, University of Minnesota. He is also a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences and the Council of Foreign Relations. In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center’s Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.
Previously, Dr. Osterholm served for 24 years (1975-1999) in various roles at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the last 15 as state epidemiologist and chief of the Acute Disease Epidemiology Section. While at the MDH, Osterholm and his team were leaders in the area of infectious disease epidemiology. They were among the first to call attention to the changing epidemiology of foodborne diseases.
Luncheon Keynote:
Dr. Temple Grandin, Best-selling Author and Professor at Colorado State University
Dr. Grandin is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Facilities she has designed are located in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. In North America, almost half of the cattle are handled in a center track restrainer system that she designed for meat plants. Curved chute and race systems she has designed for cattle are used worldwide and her writings on the flight zone and other principles of grazing animal behavior have helped many people to reduce stress on thier animals during handling.
She has also developed an objective scoring system for assessing handling of cattle and pigs at meat plants. This scoring system is being used by many large corporations to improve animal welfare. Other areas of research are: cattle temperament, environmental enrichment for pigs, reducing dark cutters and bruises, bull fertility, training procedures, and effective stunning methods for cattle and pigs at meat plants.
She obtained her B.A. at Frankin Pierce College and her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State University. Dr. Grandin received her Ph.D in Animal Science from the University of Illinois in 1989. Today she teaches courses on livestock behaviour and facility design at Colorado State Univeristy and consults with the livestock industry on facility design, livestock handling, and animal welfare. She has appeared on television shows such as 20/20, 48 Hours, CNN Larry King Live, PrimeTime Live, the Today Show, and many shows in other countries. She has been featured in People Magazine, the New York Times, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Time Magazine, the New York Times book review, and Discover magazine. In 2010, Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people. Interviews with Dr. Grandin have been broadcast on National Public Radio. She has also authored over 400 articles in both scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare, and facility design. She is the author of "Thinking in Pictures", "Livestock Handling and Transport," "Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals," and "Humane Livestock Handling." Her books "Animals in Translation" and "Animals Make Us Human" were both on the New York Times best seller list. "Animals Make Us Human" was also on the Canadian best seller list. Her life story has also been made into an HBO movie titled "Temple Grandin, staring Claire Danes." The movie shows her life as a teenager and how she started her career.
Keynote Interviewer:
Kerri Miller, Host Midmorning, Minnesota Public Radio
Kerri Miller joined Minnesota Public Radio in 2004 as host of MPR’s Midmorning and Talking Volumes, the joint book club of MPR, the Star Tribune and the Loft Literary Center. She has been a radio and television news reporter since 1981. Before joining KARE-11 in 1996 and serving as its long-time political reporter, Miller was a reporter at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis and KTUL-TV in Tulsa. She has won numerous awards, including the Society of Professional Journalists National Achievement Award, Minnesota Broadcasters Award, the Associated Press Award and a Gracie award from the Association of Women in Radio and Television.
Latest developments on reauthorizing the farm bill before the “super-committee” deadline:
Senator Kent Conrad
Senator Kent Conrad has dedicated his life to serving the people of North Dakota, starting with his six years as North Dakota's Tax Commissioner before his successful 1986 bid for the U.S. Senate. North Dakotans have sent Senator Conrad to represent them in Washington, D.C. in five successive elections. His public service to North Dakota and the nation has won him acclaim for his effectiveness and budget acumen. Time magazine featured Senator Conrad as one of "America's Ten Best Senators," The American magazine ranked him as one of "10 Most Economically Literate Members of Congress," and the Bismarck Tribune called Senator Conrad "the most influential senator North Dakota has ever produced."
During his 20-plus years as an advocate for North Dakota in Washington, D.C. Senator Conrad helped write the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills, wrote health care policy that ensured continued access to hospitals in rural areas, and fought unfair trade practices that hurt North Dakota's economy. He has introduced comprehensive energy legislation that would make the United States more energy independent. Senator Conrad has bipartisan respect as an expert on federal budget matters and is considered a leading Congressional "deficit hawk." With the Democrats winning the majority in the Senate in November 2006, Senator Conrad is now the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Mr. Brian Ronholm, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Brian Ronholm joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture in April 2011 as deputy under secretary for food safety. In this position, he provides leadership and oversight for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Department's public health agency responsible for ensuring the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry and egg products is safe, wholesome and correctly labeled and packaged.
Mr. Ronholm has a wealth of experience in food safety, nutrition and consumer protection policy. Most recently, he served as an Agriculture Appropriations associate on the staff of Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro, managing a wide range of issues related to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies in support of the former chairwoman. Mr. Ronholm was actively involved in many comprehensive legislative efforts to improve food safety and nutrition, including the 2008 Farm Bill, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, and the recently enacted FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.
Food for Thought Panel: Trends in Food Production and Marketing
Moderator: Mike Boland, Professor at the University of Minnesota Director of the Food Industry Center
Mike is the E. Fred Koller endowed chair in agribusiness management and information technology at the University of Minnesota where he teaches two classes in cooperatives and business strategy and works on research and outreach in agribusiness management. Mike is also Director of the Food Industry Center.
Farming for tomorrow's consumer:
Dan Dye, President, Horizon Milling, Cargill
Dan Dye was named president of Horizon Milling November 1, 2009. Dye is responsible for 21 flour mill operations, 2 mix plants and one bakery in the U.S. and Canada.
Dye joined Cargill in 1981, holding various merchandising and managerial positions within Cargill's grain operations in Burns Harbor, Ind.; Omaha, Neb.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Kansas City, Mo.; and Minneapolis. In 1990, he was appointed an assistant vice president and merchandising manager for Cargill, Ltd.'s Commodity Marketing Division in Winnipeg, Man., Canada. He moved to Chicago, Ill., in 1992 as manager for Cargill Grain Division's central geography business and returned to Minneapolis in 1994 as eastern geography manager. He was appointed an assistant vice president of Cargill’s grain division in 1992 and vice president of its North American grain business in 1995. Prior to his current role, Dye served as president of Cargill AgHorizons, U.S. and was responsible for the overall management of Cargill’s grain handling and retail crop input business in the United States.
Dye serves on the board of directors of the Agriculture Future of America and is a member of the Kansas City Board of Trade. He is also on the Executive Committee of the North American Millers Association, a trustee of the Grain Foods Foundation, and a member of the National Association of Flour Distributors. Dye is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Bethel University.
Consumer behaviors – marketing to the savvy supermarket shopper:
Dr. Phil Minerich, VP Research & Development, Hormel Foods
As vice president of research and development of Hormel Foods Corporation, Phillip L. Minerich oversees product development, regulatory compliance and food safety.
Over Minerich’s 30-year career with Hormel Foods, he has developed an expertise in food technology, packaging and the development and application of food safety intervention technologies and systems. He started his career at Hormel Foods in the quality control department at the Austin, Minn. plant in 1976. After holding various supervisory positions at the Austin and Davenport, Iowa facilities, Minerich was named corporate manager of sanitation at the corporate headquarters in Austin in 1983.
A native of Medina, Ohio, Minerich received a bachelor of science degree in food technology at The Ohio State University in Columbus in 1976. He earned his master's and doctorate degrees in food science at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul in 1990 and 2002, respectively.
Healthy foods and the moving target of nutrition:
Annette Maggi, RD, Senior Director of Nutrition, NuVal
Annette Maggi, MS, RD, LD, FADA is an award winning dietitian and published author who excels at relationship building and partnership development. Maggi has over fifteen years experience at companies such as Pillsbury, General Mills and Target in strategic leadership of brand health and wellness programs, combining regulations, trends and competitive information to develop business and consumer solutions. Maggi is an accomplished public speaker with excellent written communication skills. Currently, Annette is the Sr. Director of Nutrition at NuVal LLC, a company dedicated to helping consumers eat healthier, one food choice at a time.
Sustainability from Farm to Fork, an Engineer's perspective:
Scott Sannes, Director, Energy and Sustainability Services, Short Elliott Hendrickson
As leader of the Energy and Sustainability Services team at Minnesota‐based consulting engineering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH), Scott is responsible for formulating business strategy, establishing target markets and service offerings, internal promotion and training, business and client development, financial management, and project delivery. In addition, he is Client Service Manager/Project Manager for selected public and private sector clients throughout the Midwest and West. Launched in 2009, the Energy and Sustainability team has, under Scott’s leadership, quickly exceeded $1 million in revenue, and supports more than 60 technical staff members.
The SEH team of experts includes several dozen LEED and Sustainability accredited professionals (the number is growing each year) with the capability to offer sustainability services for our clients including comprehensive energy audits, sustainability design guidelines, permitting and compliance services, design and construction of high performance facilities, waste‐to‐energy projects, water recycling processes, and state‐of‐the‐art wastewater treatment facilities. SEH serves clients ranging from “Farm to Fork” including suppliers, producers and processors, as well vendors and venue owners where food is consumed and discarded. Scott has led efforts to establish strategic teaming relationships that allow SEH to provide a full complement of services, from agricultural design to energy management to stormwater permitting for food processors and for individual producers. He has served on the SEH Board of Directors since 2007. Scott has a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota, and extensive continuing education.
