From October 18 – 20, Land O’Lakes Venture37 will join the 2022 Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa to discuss pressing issues in global food security.  

This year’s theme for the Borlaug Dialogue is “Feeding a Fragile World.” Recognizing that COVID, climate change, and conflict are three of the largest threats to food security, the conference will tackle some of the world’s toughest questions on limiting global warming while working towards a more food-secure world. The conference will also feature the work of this year’s World Food Prize Laureate, Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, a leading climatologist, agronomist, and former farmer, for her pioneering work in modeling the impact of climate change on food systems worldwide.  

Venture37 will be hosting a panel discussion on Tuesday, October 18 at 9:45 a.m. CST, “The Root of the Matter: Mitigating Climate Change From Root to Cow,” on how a holistic approach gets at the root of the issue, realizing it takes adaptive practices, mitigation intervention, and innovative approaches with tangible results. Addressing climate change is not merely about new policy and regulation. The panel discussion will convene experts in domestic and international agriculture, highlighting solutions to climate change and food security in the dairy sector. Venture37 is helping to mitigate climate change through a variety of different means (1) improved forages and associated capacity development – which results in better dairy practices and fewer greenhouse gases; (2) Answer Plots that demonstrate climate smart practices; and (3) providing distance learning in remote parts of the world, reducing greenhouse gases by requiring less travel contributing to improved production.  

The panel will feature: 

• John Ellenberger, Executive Director, Land O’Lakes Venture37; Senior Vice President, Land O’Lakes Inc. 

• Dick Kauffman, Research Agronomist, Forage Genetics International 

• Kevin Burkum, Chief Communication Officer, Global Dairy Platform 

• Corey Ramsden-Scott, Livestock Services Lead, Truterra  

• Balakana Joachim, National Coordinator for the Dairy Nourishes Africa program, Venture37  

• Renny Chemtai, Agronomy and Forage Technical Assistant, Venture37 
   

“The climate crisis is only getting worse, and it’s driving the food and agriculture sectors around the globe to rethink the way we do our work,” said John Ellenberger, Executive Director of Venture37. “At the Borlaug Dialogue, I look forward to leading a conversation that will present some of the innovative ways our partners are creating a more food-secure world while prioritizing the health of our planet.” 

Venture37 and the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer Food Safety and Quality (FSQ) program will also be hosting a booth at the conference in Des Moines. The FSQ program increases the profitability and market access in the agriculture sectors in Lebanon, Egypt, and Bangladesh — three countries that face considerable food safety and quality challenges. With the expertise of Land O’Lakes, Inc., Venture37 leverages the technical expertise of our food safety employees, cooperative members, and their networks for up-to-date and cutting-edge industry knowledge in food safety and quality. Through the program, Venture37 and expert volunteers work toward improving food safety and quality by supporting small and medium enterprises in the sector, improving the food safety enabling environment, and helping stakeholders achieve compliance with international standards. To learn more about Venture37 and the FSQ program, visit booth number five at the Borlaug Dialogue.