The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo will be taking place in New Orleans, LA June 2-5, 2019. This is one of the largest events of its kind bringing together science of food professionals from around the globe representing all segments of the science of food profession—research and design, ingredients, safety and quality, technology, equipment, processing, packaging, manufacturing, suppliers and buyers, policy makers, and academics—all converging with the intention to inspire and transform collective knowledge into innovative solutions to help advance our planet’s food safety, nutrition, and sustainability.

The Organic Center's Director of Science Programs will be leading the following session at the Expo: 

Climate Action for a Secure Food System | June 4, 2019 | 1:45p.m. 
The food system is in an interesting predicament—it's a significant contributor to one of its own biggest threats—climate change.  Poor land-management is degrading our soil, releasing greenhouse gases, and bringing about catastrophic events such as droughts, floods, fires, among others. Farmers and food industry members are deeply vulnerable to the disasters brought on by climate change, but the level to which they implement or encourage climate-friendly practices is dependent on multiple competing factors, many of which will differ in importance based on the size of the company or farm, its geographic location, the commodities being produced, and current policies and government incentives. This session will challenge the current thinking on climate mitigation with the understanding that multiple sectors and food system pathways must come together to make headway on this global issue. We will hear from stakeholders with diverse food system experience, from scientists to farmers to industry members, to provoke a better understanding of how large-scale, inter-disciplinary collaborations are needed address climate change and its impact on our food security.  We will include cutting-edge innovations from the organic industry, which has been focusing its resources on climate mitigation and adaptation, to understand how these experiences and lessons can be used as a learning tool to advance climate-friendly techniques across sectors.

Meeting Information:

June 2-5, 2019

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

New Orleans, LA