Agenda

Sunday*June 2, 2024
Monday*June 3, 2024
Tuesday*June 4, 2024

2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Mermaid Room

Market Fundamentals

Mike Irgang, President and Owner, Global Risk Management Corp.

The Market Fundamentals session covers key concepts necessary for understanding commodity markets as well as basic tools essential for today's procurement manager for effectively managing food ingredient costs.

This workshop was designed to meet the needs of a broad range of industry professionals from the procurement associates new to the food industry to seasoned food industry executives seeking a refresher on today's complex commodity markets.

The first part of the session lays the foundation by covering the basics of commodity futures, how futures relate to ingredient prices and the role of cash premiums and discounts and commodity market structures.

The second part delves more deeply into key commodity market fundamentals, exploring topics including price seasonality, key USDA data, as well as outside market influences.

The session concludes with a practical mini-workshop demonstrating industry best practices for protecting by companies today to protect their financial results from commodity price volatility.

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Cocktail Reception

6:30 AM – 8:00 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom A/B/C

Breakfast

8:10 AM – 8:20 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Welcoming Remarks

Josh Sosland, President, Editor, Milling & Baking News, Sosland Publishing Company

8:20 AM – 8:50 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Global Grains Outlook

Steve Freed, Consultant, Freed Consulting

Broad view of economic and global grain supply and demand impact on domestic grain markets.

8:50 AM – 9:20 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Bakery Flour and Cash Wheat

Bill Lapp, President, Advanced Economic Solutions

Outlook for domestic cash wheat and bakery flour markets.

9:20 AM – 9:50 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Feed Grains and Millfeed

Ankush Bhandari, Grain, Oilseed and Biofuel Industry Research, Verition Fund Management

Industry expert assesses the feed grains and millfeed markets amid ample supplies and declining livestock numbers.

9:50 AM – 10:20 AM

BREAK

10:10 AM – 10:50 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Edible Oils and Bakery Shortening

Alex Norton, President, Beeson & Associates, Inc.

Outlook for domestic markets amid growing demand from renewable fuel sector and increasing global production.

11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

World Weather and the Impact on Markets

Drew Lerner, President, World Weather, Inc.

Detailed analysis and outlook of domestic and global weather impact on key agricultural regions.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
City Beautiful Ballroom A/B/C

LUNCH

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Market Panel

Moderator:
Ron Sterk, Senior Editor, Markets, Sosland Publishing

Panelists:
Ankush Bhandari, Grain, Oilseed and Biofuel Industry Research, Verition Fund Management
Steve Freed, Consultant, Freed Consulting
Bill Lapp, President, Advanced Economic Solutions
Erin Nazetta, Director, Food and Ag Research, Broadview Capital Holdings
Alex Norton, President, Beeson & Associates, Inc.

Quickfire comments on grains and oilseed from industry experts.

2:30 PM – 3:10 PM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Sugar and Sweeteners

Ron Sterk, Senior Editor, Markets, Sosland Publishing

Supply and demand analysis and impact on sugar and corn sweetener prices after two consecutive years of drought in Mexico.

3:10 PM – 3:30 PM

BREAK

3:30 PM – 4:10 PM

Breakout Session I - Choices Below

DAIRY – Neptune Ballroom B/C
Mary Keough Ledman, Global Sector Strategist – Dairy, RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness

Analysis and outlook of milk and key dairy product supply, demand and prices.

KEYING ON THE CRUCIAL FUNDAMENTALS – Mermaid Room
Erin Nazetta, Director, Food and Ag Research, Broadview Capital Holdings

Guidance for executives responsible for selling, procuring and tracking multiple commodities.

SPICES – Muse Room
Brijesh Krishnaswamy, President and Global Head – Spices, ofi

Analysis of global spice market and price/availability for domestic buyers.

FRUIT – Neptune Ballroom A
Steve Nugent, Director of IQF, Dried and Export Sales, Milne Fruit Products, Inc.

Supply, demand and price trends for major fruits.

PROTEINS – Mermaid Room
Adam Stout, Risk Management Consultant, StoneX Financial Inc. – FCM Division

Red meat and poultry supply and demand analysis.

4:10 PM – 4:20 PM

BREAK

4:20 PM – 5:00 PM

Breakout Session II - Choices Below

EGGS – Muse Room
Brian Moscogiuri, Global Trade Specialist, Eggs Unlimited

The outlook for eggs and egg products amid HPAI and other challenges.

COCOA – Neptune Ballroom B/C
Scott Amoye, Vice President of Commodity Procurement and Risk Management, Blommer Chocolate Co.

How to navigate the market amid record-high global cocoa bean prices.

PACKAGING – City Beautiful Ballroom D/E
Lauren Jia, Managing Director, Macquarie Group

Factors affecting packaging supplies and prices.

RISK MANAGEMENT – City Beautiful Ballroom D/E
Natasha Crane, Director, Cargill Risk Management

Ramon Paxton, Trading Strategy & Analytics Manager, Cargill Risk Management

Tools to help food manufacturers mitigate price swings.

ORGANICS: GRAIN AND DAIRY - Neptune Ballroom A
Kellee James, Vice President, Agriculture, Argus Media

Ryan Koory, Vice President of Economics, Argus Media

Trends and challenges in the organic grain and dairy industries.

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
KC Live!

Cocktail Reception

6:30 AM- 8:00 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom A/B/C

Breakfast

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Economy

Jan Lambregts, Head of Global Economics and Markets, RaboResearch

A look at how geopolitics, technology and market currents are shaping the economic outlook.

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Energy

Tim Statts, Senior Commodity Analyst, Schneider Electric’s Energy and Sustainability Services

Outlooks for crude oil and natural gas and their impact on the food industry.

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

BREAK

10:30 AM – 11:15 PM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Shifting Consumer Trends

Darren Seifer, Industry Adviser, Consumer Goods & Foodservice, Circana

Inflation, SNAP benefit cuts, student loan repayments, return to work, and more are causing consumers to rethink their spending habits at retail and foodservice. This presentation connects the dots between commodities and consumer needs by examining shifting motivations that drive consumption occasions, who’s driving these changes, and how food and beverage categories are faring.

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
City Beautiful Ballroom D/E

Transportation

Jim Ritchie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Redstone Logistics

Jay O’Neil, Proprietor, HJ O’Neil Commodity Consulting

Assessment and outlook of the domestic trucking and global ocean freight markets.

Stay tuned for the 2025 Purchasing Seminar agenda, coming January 2025.