Post-COVID, there will not be a “return to normal.” According to Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, now, more than ever, we must take a leap of faith and recognize that it is up to us to make positive changes in our “new normal.” COVID-19 presents monumental challenges, but also innovative opportunities, particularly in agriculture.

“We can see that ag is not a problem to be solved, but is a potential solution,” said Dr. Lyons, “and we’ve heard so many examples and so many ideas this week of ways that we can do just that.”

In his closing keynote presentation, Dr. Lyons shared his key takeaways from the launch week of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience, which features on-demand insights from leading experts in agriculture and beyond. Many of the highlights illustrated Alltech’s Planet of Plenty™ vision of promise, possibility and positivity for the future, which centers on the belief that a world of abundance is achievable, but it will take all of us working together.

Leadership is not a title — it is action

Now is a time for leadership, both at individual companies and in the agriculture industry as a whole. However, we may need to tweak our idea of what makes a great leader.

“Leadership is not a title,” said Dr. Lyons. “Leadership, to me, is an action. You aren’t a leader because you hold a certain position or a certain role. Much as we’ve heard that love is a verb, something active, so is leadership.”

He noted that in a crisis, a leader must exemplify three traits:

1. Decision-making

2. Confidence

3. Trust in their people

There is, however, one important thing that can undermine leadership: ego.

“In a crisis, a leader must put their ego aside,” said Dr. Lyons. “We as leaders must realize that the decisions we are making are impacting so many more people and in much more profound ways during a crisis. In that regard, our personal well-being and our interests must be subjugated to the importance of others’.”

Already, we are seeing many examples of people setting aside their differences, coming together and thinking through challenges creatively. These, Dr. Lyons said, are the teams that will win in a crisis.

We must listen to the experts

An important component of Alltech’s Planet of Plenty vision is the need to listen to our experts, from farmers to scientists to economists, as well as those from many other professions. Even when we do not like the ideas that experts present, it is important that we acknowledge them.

“We need to take the time and energy to understand them and, if we agree, put a little more energy in and make sure we can communicate these ideas to a broader audience,” said Dr. Lyons. “Their insights and their ideas often hold the key to not only those new innovations, but the mere survival, at times, of our industry and our society. Making sure that we are giving time to those experts, I hope, will be a legacy of this time.”

We could be seeing a resurgence in the public’s openness to listening to experts. Their insights could make all the difference in helping us achieve a more abundant world for everyone.

Telling your story, and the story of agriculture, is critical

Trust has become the new currency of our time. Consumers are voting for brands that they trust with their money and their loyalty. Brands that showed up during COVID-19 with a strong focus on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of their businesses, from treating their employees well to sustainability, will come out ahead.

It is important to tell these often hidden and unrecognized stories of agriculture and to celebrate the unsung heroes who put food on the table for families every day — from dairy operations harnessing cow manure to generate electricity to using insects as a sustainable protein source or farming cattle and trees together.

“You, and the stories you tell, are important,” said Dr. Lyons. “Your legacy is part of this whole story, and part of what is at stake. How and why the world is different because of what you do is an important aspect of that story, and it’s possibly one of the most important things you can do.

“Sharing your story of purpose is such a powerful thing,” he continued, “not simply because it builds the understanding of others, but it also gives them the right to do the same, and to feel empowered and make a change.”

We must unify and take action, today, for the future of agriculture and our planet

“We are on a journey, a journey of sustainability, and we’ve learned this week that this is never a destination,” said Dr. Lyons. “It’s something that we will be constantly changing, as we always have.”

On this journey, the only way that we can move forward is together. Luckily, at this moment of widespread virtual networking, Dr. Lyons believes a democracy has been created and has fostered an ability to connect across all levels and positions, increasing the spread of information and ideas.

The Alltech ONE Virtual Experience illustrates this perfectly, bringing more than 23,000 attendees from 118 countries together, which is roughly seven times the number of attendees previously seen at Alltech’s annual, in-person conference in Lexington, Kentucky.

Coming together as ONE team with many ideas represents the best chance we have to make positive change.

“If we unify and we take action, we can connect with leaders, we can bring about change,” said Dr. Lyons. “If we don’t, we will look at ourselves at this time next year and say that we missed that golden opportunity. What we need right now is that unified action to make sure that we make this difference and provide for this planet in an even better way than we have in the past, and truly create that Planet of Plenty.”

Visit one.alltech.com for more information.

“We can't say that there's any kind of normalized patterns that we can run by anymore,” said Lynda McDonald, dairy development project manager of Tetra Laval in Africa, in a discussion about the dairy industry in the time of COVID-19 at the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience.

McDonald was the first panelist to speak at “The Next Normal for Agri-Food,” a keynote session moderated by Professor Damien McLoughlin, Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing at the University College Dublin (UCD) Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

McLoughlin capitalized on the panel members’ expertise in different sectors, namely dairy, swine and poultry, to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on global agribusiness and future implications. Joining the discussion were industry leaders Dr. Gordon Spronk, a vet by training and co-founder of the Pipestone System for pig production in the U.S., and Philip Wilkinson, a senior leader of several global poultry businesses and vice president of the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU (AVEC).

The panelists each used one word to describe the state of their industry right now; McDonald said “chaos” when talking about the dairy industry, Spronk chose “unprecedented” for the pork industry and Wilkinson used “alarming” when citing the figures in the poultry industry.

Key takeaways

1. There are similar challenges across agri-food industries due to COVID-19 regarding:

- A change in foodservice demand and consumption habits: A significant volume of out-of-home consumption was lost.

“When restaurants were closed, along with other foodservice entities, due to COVID-19 interventions, that decreased our demand,” said Spronk. According to him, restaurants and foodservice account for about 25% of the demand in the pork industry in the U.S.

Wilkinson estimated that for the poultry industry in northern Europe, that number would be about 20%.

McDonald shared that foodservice and restaurant sales are down 50% for dairy. Remarkably, however, during lockdown and panic-buying, dairy sales have gone up between 50–100%.

“So, it’s a chaotic jump, in terms of the switch from restaurants and foodservice to retail,” she said.

- The level of precision in the food supply chain: Restaurant shutdowns and plant closures due to government interventions created an issue of packaging in dairy, and an issue of weight in swine.  

In dairy, pack sizes and the types of dairy people are consuming are changing across the world. This leads to processors not being able to pack what is needed in time. In pig production, the fixed structure cannot handle a certain amount of weight or volume, which can become a safety issue. These issues have led to situations in the U.S. where milk is being dumped and pigs are being gassed or shot, while at the same time, there may be dairy and meat shortages in grocery stores.

This has happened because the system cannot support the demand in terms of market access. Spronk called this an “odd situation,” while McDonald said this is “heartbreaking,” especially considering the food insecurity many people face.

- Storage: Wilkinson mentioned that there are over half a million tons of chicken meat in freezers across Europe right now, and McDonald commented that the number is similar in dairy. She said that there will be about 500,000 tons of dairy going to storage by the end of May, which is comparable to what happened during the last economic shock. These products would typically have gone to foodservice and restaurants.

“At some stage, when we come out of lockdown and get back the new norm, it's still going to take some time for that volume to filter out in the market,” asserted Wilkinson. “This is going to be an 18-month issue, not an 18-week issue. That’s 18 months of price pressure.”

- Export: From a demand-and-supply point of view, McDonald suggested that three risks on the supply side are:

1. Farmers producing less: This can be the result of losing market access, losing credit to purchase feed, labor issues or immigration issues.

2. Governments losing their calm: Some governments are placing export bans on produce.

3. Stockpiling: This risk, when taken into consideration through the lens of exports, impacts traded calories around the world.

Referring to the U.S. swine industry, Spronk explained that 30% of the product is exported. With this in mind, he raised a question: “Do we really want to depend on exports?” He argued that, while the world of globalization says we should, if there is geopolitics at play, that is something producers need to consider.

Wilkinson claimed that, in Europe, there are some businesses and countries whose export policies have been to supply out-of-home consumption, and that is where the problem lies.

2. The moment of truth

Each expert offered their view of what can be learned from what we are seeing during the time of COVID-19. Their insights were that:

- A crisis highlights preexisting problems: “If there's any kind of fragility in the system, any kind of cracks or fissures that were already there previously, a crisis serves to highlight those,” said McDonald. “Many of the dairy systems are robust, functioning well and will continue to function well during this crisis and following.”

- This is an opportunity to learn your strengths and weaknesses: “Mike Tyson once said, ‘Everybody's got a plan until you get punched in the mouth,’” said Spronk. “And so, I'd recommend to any leader in agriculture and in foodservice to lead carefully every day. Never waste a good crisis. Learn what really are the weak and strong points of your team, and build on that.”

- It is harder to adapt when you are overly focused: “Those who are geared up purely to supply out-of-home companies aren’t able to capitalize on the upsurge in consumption from retail,” said Wilkinson. “So, if we find that this is going to be the new norm, countries that are producing high volumes of product are going to have to think again about where their market is or seriously consider looking at another way to utilize their agricultural land.”

3. Challenges present opportunities

- The overall demand for dairy is growing: McDonald argued that, as more people move from subsistence poverty into the middle class in the coming years, one of the first things that they will spend more on is better-quality proteins, including dairy, chicken, pork and beef.

- The poultry sector sees strong growth: “Every problem is an opportunity,” said Wilkinson. He affirmed that the poultry sector could respond quickly because of the short production cycle and because it is a massively consumed meat protein. “We’ve got a meat protein that is an amazing food converter,” he said. “We've got a meat protein that is amazing in terms of water consumption. It doesn't need a lot of space. You can turn it round in six, seven weeks. It is undoubtedly going to be up there in feeding 9–10 billion people going forward.”

- Appetite for local food: In Australia, there is a massive push for local food that is welfare-friendly, traceable and safe. “Australia is starting to move out of lockdown, and out-of-home consumption is starting to pick up there,” said Wilkinson. McDonald also shared that throughout the Muslim world, dairy demand has increased because they are currently in Ramadan. This means that there is a lot more local milk going into informal milk supplies.

- People are starting to return to plants and food services: Even though it will take time to reach full capacity, Spronk’s plants have all reopened. Restaurants that have been closed since the beginning of March are starting to open again as well.

- More testing and the appropriate interventions: Drawing from his veterinarian background and training, Spronk pointed out that swine veterinarians deal with viruses all the time, and it is necessary to run tests. “(Tests) also need to be applied to the communities in general,” he said. “We need to understand who is immune, where’s the virus. Then you can impose the appropriate interventions and let life go on as we know it.”

- A different way of organizing businesses: In China, nearly all production facilities have a dormitory on-site for the staff. Therefore, it is not unusual for staff to stay there for a period of time, which could last for weeks. “In this case, once COVID-19 was announced in China, we still have some farms where the staff has been there since January, before Chinese New Year,” said Spronk.

4. The future is bright for agri-food

Although COVID-19 has exposed problems in the food supply chain, there is hope for the future.

“Nothing's ever hopeless,” assured McDonald. “But it would take strong leadership and strong vision and commitment — commitment to really think about this in a long-term, systematically focused way.”

This means that global collaboration is needed to solve a complex problem with a systematic approach.

“If we just give food aid when these countries (in Africa) are going hungry, we risk disturbing the development of local agriculture,” said McDonald. “So, we're having a negative impact long-term. And we need to be very outcome-focused rather than consequentially focused.”

From a poultry-sector perspective, Wilkinson believes the future is bright for chicken when we get through this, and the industry has got to be better and stronger as a result.

“We will have no doubt whatsoever in feeding 10 billion people,” he said. “It's doable. And we can do it. There are going to be lots of opportunities to grow efficient businesses. There will be further consolidations of the industry. There will be fewer but bigger players. This is going to be an opportunistic time for the lean and the mean to get a bigger presence, particularly in the emerging markets.”

On that note, McLoughlin thanked the panelists for their extraordinary global insights.

“We went from the chaos and destruction of COVID-19 is wreaking in the food supply chain around the world to, I think, a very hopeful message that, in these three supply chains, there is resilience. There is strength,” he concluded. “Whether it's the structure of the European Union business, the character of the U.S. swine industry, the structure and resilience of the global poultry business, this too will pass. There are opportunities for those businesses which are led properly.”

Visit one.alltech.com for more information.

“I want us all to imagine that we are in 2050, and we’re looking back on this moment, this day, and we ask ourselves: did we do everything that we could do to make the world the place that we want it to be?”

Jack Bobo, CEO of Futurity, opened his keynote presentation at the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience with a challenging question for the audience. If our mission is for a better future of food and agriculture, what can we do to achieve this? The answer begins with a simple yet effective solution: we need to listen to the narratives surrounding these industries.

“We give meaning to the world around us through the stories that we tell… so today in my presentation, I’d like to talk about three different stories of what food and agriculture means.”

The three stories Bobo focused on were those of:

1. Conservationists.
2. Consumers.
3. Farmers.

These three groups of people have one goal: a plentiful future of food and agriculture. However, these three groups tend to actively work against each other. But why is that?

Starting with conservationists and the planet

In 2018, the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report documented that 60% of wildlife populations on the planet have disappeared between 1970 and 2014. We also know that 20% of the Amazon has disappeared in the last 50 years.

“So, this dramatic loss in biodiversity has occurred within the lifetimes of many of us,” said Bobo. “Biodiversity is undergoing this incredible challenge, and things are not looking good.”

According to these findings, the future will suffer the same trend of degrading biodiversity.

“So, we have this tremendous challenge of not destroying all of our wild spaces,” said Bobo. However, the bigger question is, “How do we make sure that we leave a world for our children that’s as good or better than the one we received?”

Many people wonder: Is agriculture the problem or solution to our conservation struggles? People tend to believe the former, yet Bobo is not convinced.

“But how do we talk about it?” asked Bobo. “What’s the story that we need to tell?”

The stories we hear about biodiversity tell us that:

1. Of global respondents, 80% believe that poverty has either increased or remained the same over the past 20 years.
2. The food system is broken, and agriculture is failing the people around us.
3. All deforestation is due to agriculture.
4. We do not have the means to feed the rapidly growing population.

The stories we need to tell about biodiversity are that:

1. Statistically, there is less poverty than there was 20 years ago — “Yet the public,” said Bobo, “think things are getting worse.”
2. We are producing more food on the same amount of land than we were 50–60 years ago — “This is important,” said Bobo. “If food production stays ahead of population growth, well, that means people become better fed, they rise out of poverty, nutrition and hunger disease.”
3. Better productivity and higher yields mean more food is being produced due to higher efficiency — “Improved productivity has saved a billion hectares of forest around the world. So more than a quarter of all the forest — nearly a third of all the forest — would be gone today without productivity increases.”
4. The rate of population growth was at its highest in 1968 when we were growing at 2.1% per year. However, today we are growing at about 1% per year. As we continue to project toward the future, that number will keep going down. Because population growth will slow dramatically but, “if that productivity was to continue, every day after 2050, it gets easier to feed the world,” said Bobo.

“And so, I want to look at this question of sustainability, and how it impacts the stories we tell about the world we live in,” explained Bobo.

Diving into sustainability with consumers

Bobo says that sustainability is not a destination — it is a journey. However, sustainability means different things to different people. Is it organic food? Regenerative agriculture? GMOs? Consumers, in particular, seem the most concerned about sustainability in agriculture.

The stories we hear about sustainability are that:

1. Farmers need to use less fertilizer and insecticide in order to reduce run-off into the local environment.
2. We need to farm organically.
3. Europe has pushed to intensive agriculture and is reducing the amount of fertilizer they use and the size of their farms. This should be a global initiative.

The stories we need to tell about sustainability are that:

1. It is a challenge for farmers to use less insecticide and fertilizer because it means that they will probably produce less food — “If you produce less food on that farm, that means you’re going to need more farms,” explained Bobo.
2. Organic agriculture produces 20–30% less food. If the whole world farmed organically, we would need to dedicate another 20­–30% to farms, and 40% of all the land on earth is already allocated to agriculture. This would have a devastating impact, according to Bobo, including the loss of our forests.
3. Europe practices intensive agriculture but also imports 70% of its animal feed needs. Most of their imports come from Brazil, the country with the greatest level of deforestation — “So, in many ways, Europe has exported its environmental footprint to arguably the most biodiverse country on the planet,” said Bobo.

No matter how you dissect it, it is clear that we have a problem: we need to produce more food. The Food and Agriculture Organization states that we are going to need 50–60% more food by 2050, but why is that the case if we are only going to see about 20% more people? This is directly due to an improvement in income and overall wellbeing, and when people are making money and feeling well, they buy more animal protein. Yet more protein means more crops to feed animals, hence, a spike in food production.

“The former director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Jacques Diouf, once said that the amount of food that needs to be produced in the next 40 or 50 years is equivalent to the amount of food that was produced in the last 10,00 years,” explained Bobo. “Let me repeat that. The amount of food we need to produce in the next 40 or 50 years is greater than the amount of food produced in the last 10,000 years of human civilization.”

The challenge is daunting, and while agriculture is getting better, it is not getting better fast enough.

There are no silver bullets to solve this challenge, but we do know that we need to increase our food production as sustainably as possible.

Bobo explored possible solutions, such as:

• Shifting diets: Many people believe that becoming a vegan or vegetarian is the solution to the problem. It is important to think about changing our diets to improve our health, but is this the way to also improve the environment? — “It’s not going to solve all of our problems,” said Bobo. He further explained that, even if the United States and Europe shifted their diets completely, people from low-income countries will be making more money in the next 30 years, which means they will be eating more protein. “So, shifting diets is important, but it can’t solve the problem all by itself.”
• Food waste: A third of all food produced is lost to food waste. In developed countries, a third of food is wasted post-consumer. But, in third-world countries, food is wasted because of loss in the fields, supply chain and storage — “If we could somehow address that third of food that’s lost through food waste, then that would get us most of the way to our challenge,” explained Bobo. However, there are so many types of food waste (storage, distribution, consumer, field) and food waste issues with different products (tomatoes, soybeans, corn, cantaloupes) that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to solving the issue.
• Technology: There are high-tech solutions, like gene editing and genetic engineering, and abundant ag-tech data that proves cover crops produce a higher return on investment and a lower environmental footprint.
• Alternative proteins: “Of course, these alternative proteins are part of the solution,” said Bobo. “The problem we have, though, is that companies that are producing these different products… they’re talking about them as the solution. That plant-based proteins can eliminate livestock. That cell-based agriculture is going to make dairy obsolete.” This approach suggests that there is a silver-bullet solution to a really complex problem, “and as we’ve already discussed,” said Bobo, “there’s not one solution to the problem.” Bobo also notes that the protein market is a trillion-dollar opportunity and will only get bigger in 2050. “And so, who really believes that plant-based meat is going to become a trillion-dollar industry in just 30 years?” asked Bobo.

These solutions are all necessary for achieving sustainability. However, they have become competitors in the market rather than working together as a single solution. Bobo says we need to think about what the future will look like, and work toward opportunities instead of focusing on problems.

“We don’t need one solution,” explained Bobo. “We need them all.”

Actively working on these solutions with farmers is the best and most effective way to achieve the goals of conservationists and consumers.

Working with farmers

“I’m just happy that consumers and conservationists are now joining farmers on this journey of sustainability,” said Bobo. “Because we could use their help. Instead of framing it as agriculture is the problem to be solved, we need to help them to understand that agriculture is the solution to the problem.”

What we find from data collected by the World Resources Institute is that if agriculture continues to improve the way it has been, 60% of the gains we need to achieve a sustainable future will happen just by farmers continuing what they are already doing. The data also talks about incentivizing steps that will increase productivity and improve efficiency in:

1. Livestock production.
2. Reducing methane emissions.
3. Using less fertilizer.

“Well, efficiency is something farmers want to do… So, these are huge opportunities. These are not challenges,” said Bobo.

However, if agriculture is the solution to our problem — the answer to improving the future of food — then why do we still hear that agriculture is the problem to be solved?

“Why do we talk about a broken food system when the food system was never not broken?” asked Bobo.

While it may be broken, Bobo assured the audience that the food system is better than it has ever been, and it will only continue to get better every day. But it is just not happening fast enough. Yet if we continue to spend our time spreading false stories and narratives about farmers being the problem, we cannot actively work with them toward a solution.

Organic agriculture may be critical to saving the planet, but it does not mean that genetic engineering and gene editing are not.

New alternative proteins are critical to saving the planet, but so are dairy farms and livestock production.

“It takes a menu of solutions to solve a problem,” explained Bobo.

Final thoughts

Bobo asked us an important question at the beginning of his presentation: Thirty years from now, will we be confident that we did everything that we could do to make the world the place that we want it to be?

Again, conservationists, consumers and farmers all want the same thing: a safe, plentiful and sustainable future of food and agriculture. The only way to achieve that goal is to start telling the same story, even if we are not always on the same page.

“Because if we do that,” said Bobo, “we all can save the planet.”

Visit one.alltech.com for more information.

The COVID-19 pandemic is transforming the way we buy and sell food, perhaps forever. This time of upheaval will determine who in the food industry will surge ahead and who will get left behind.

According to Jessica Adelman, former Kroger executive and CEO of ESG Results, in 2015, for the first time in history, the consumption of food prepared outside the home was greater than the amount of food prepared at home. However, as a result of COVID-19, sector analysts are predicting a $100-billion shift back from restaurants and food service to the retail space. Between March 9 and March 22, 2020, the internet saw a 60% increase in cooking-related tweets, as well as 250,000 tweets about ordering and delivery. This represents a seismic shift — a 294% increase in talking about food from the previous month.

Jessica has held numerous leadership positions in the food, retail and agriculture sectors, including most recently as group vice president of corporate affairs for The Kroger Co., serving as chief corporate affairs officer, chief communications officer, chief sustainability officer and president of both Kroger Foundations. She joined the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience to share her insights on the long-lasting habits of the new consumer emerging from the lockdown, including trends in food and retail as well as long-term patterns already beginning to take root.

She said that now is the time for the agri-food sector to seize opportunities and write its own story.

“The rhetorical question that I pose to you today is, ‘Who do you want to be during, and then as a result of, COVID-19?’” asked Jessica. “I encourage you to write your own headlines now. And I encourage you to think about who you want to be and how you want to lead your organizations so that, coming out of this chapter, the best headlines and lead paragraphs are written about your organization's conduct, resilience and courage during COVID-19.”

Food and retail: The meteoric rise of e-commerce

In many difficult situations, such as the current pandemic, retailers often find themselves on the frontlines of challenging discussions. Retail is currently in trouble, with estimates that 15,000 stores may stay closed permanently post-COVID. The food industry and grocery space is different, however, and is seeing a boom, according to Jessica.

Nielson has reported that $18.8 billion was spent on consumer packaged goods (CPGs) in the month of March alone, which was directly attributed to COVID-related buying. Approximately $10 billion of that was spent on increased consumption, and $8.2 billion went directly toward pantry loading.

“Interestingly,” said Jessica, “70% of Americans say they still want to be able to, and like to, venture out to the grocery store. So, all of this leads us to the insight that the food industry is one of the only sectors that is actively hiring and thriving during this pandemic.”

The retailers who will struggle, she said, are the independents, leading to further consolidation and monopolies at both the regional and national levels of the retail food chain.

The most striking trend in food and retail is the rise of e-commerce. Jessica shared Nielson data that shows that e-commerce orders saw a major surge in the month of March, with online orders increasing by 60%. Significantly, 37% of that growth came from new households, and 45% of new online shoppers were over the age of 55. As this “new normal” continues to evolve, Jessica believes retailers with good infrastructure are more likely to come out of the transition in a good place.

“I think you're going to see the retailers who have the infrastructure, the ability to invest in their rail system — and ‘rails’ is kind of the e-commerce term for the infrastructure and platform that people use — who had their rails and the infrastructure in place already, those guys are going to do really well during the e-commerce boom, meet the customer expectations,” she said. “Maybe not in all cases, but they'll walk away with a decent customer experience, and they'll probably win that business for the long term. Those who had infrastructure and systems that were held together more by duct tape will just find themselves slowly losing ground and won't be competitive in the long run.”

A combination approach, which Jessica referred to as “bricks and clicks,” could also develop, similar to what happened when e-commerce giant Amazon bought brick-and-mortar Whole Foods. Whether retailers are online or just around the street corner, the important thing will be building an emotional relationship with the customer base.

“People don't really care about the infrastructure behind it,” explained Jessica. “We don't want to get too worried about what kind of rails or systems the retailers are using. We just want to know we can get the thing that we want, in the venue that we want, for a competitive price, when we want it.”

A key challenge the food and retail sector must meet going forward is retraining and upskilling workers as the industry continues to become more efficient, which will involve more technology, automation and “touchless” environments.

“Many of those manufacturing jobs and other positions might never come back to the 100% mark they were pre-COVID,” said Jessica. “That's what we're going to have to deal with as a society, is how do we retrain workers, and how do we make sure that we can have a productive workforce in this nation and other nations who are facing similar crises as a result of COVID. How do we upskill? And what is the future of work?”

Consumers: Food as medicine will grow, and trust in science could see a resurgence

University College London has conducted research that shows most new habits take an average of 66 days to form, which means that we are cementing new habits during the COVID-19 crisis, even while many of us remain in lockdown. Consumers, said Jessica, will likely begin to blend their new habits with their old routines. In fact, among consumers who have purchased alternative brands due to the effects of the pandemic, she said only half indicate that they will return to their previous brands once the pandemic calms.

Both private-label and national brands are winning in different areas of the market. Private-label brands could be growing as much as four times faster than national brands at the moment. On the other hand, one sector analyst from Stifel mentioned in a recent Washington Post article that big-company sales grew 39% through the month of March, a number that has never been seen before in the industry.

Food as medicine and the importance of health is a trend accelerated strongly by COVID-19. Functional foods are becoming more mainstream, and Jessica believes agriculture must take action in this space.

“Certainly, as we are taking these drastic steps to preserve our health and safety right now, you can't help but imagine a world where we're all much more dialed into food, food safety and how to keep ourselves healthy for the long term,” she said. “And I think the food and ag position to take the leadership role and thought leadership in this space is absolutely a great moment in time. And we should step up and seize it.”

Another critical development at this time could be a renewed sense of trust in science in the food space, which has traditionally been wary of science. Now, more than ever, we must listen to experts if we want to feed the world while also ensuring we protect it for future generations.

“We might be at the tipping point where consumers will permit science to re-enter the discussion on agriculture, food and nutrition,” said Jessica. “It's been very interesting to watch how COVID-19 has led to a re-appreciation of scientists, science, doctors and, in general, the return of experts. And we might have a newfound appetite for letting experts do more to ensure food security versus just hope for the best, which means we might have a chance of feeding the 10 billion and better preserving our planet.”

Traditionally, she explained, agriculture has answered questions of a more emotional nature with scientific responses, but food is a very emotional topic.

“Society has been asking emotional questions for the past couple decades about science in food and technology in food,” said Jessica. “And we, as an industry, have done kind of a lousy job and only given them scientific answers back. Now, things that I love in this space are thought leaders — much like Alltech and your Planet of Plenty™ work; you are stepping into that void, hearing that people want to have emotional answers, but then answering in a scientific way with data and facts.”

The future of food and retail

Jessica identified six long-term patterns that will continue to evolve as the agri-food space emerges from COVID-19:

1. Big data and the internet of things (IoT): People’s appreciation for harnessing information and gaining relevant insights is growing, and it will likely be used more moving forward. Society may therefore accept a tradeoff between data and privacy.
2. A stronger digital infrastructure: In conjunction with big data, IT departments and people around the world have been under great stress to ensure that a large number of people can complete work virtually, and the digital infrastructure should emerge much stronger as a result.
3. Tele-health, tele-education, tele-everything! Many things we thought could only be done in person can now be done online, and it could remain that way moving forward.
4. From “frictionless” to “touchless”: The user experience of the future will involve as little interaction as possible with hard surfaces and human beings, especially as we continue to determine how to conduct business during the pandemic. Retailers must help people to feel safe during these in-person experiences.
5. Widening income inequality: Unfortunately, there are likely to be deep political repercussions surrounding income inequality for years to come.
6. Stakeholder capitalism and ESG: The way companies treat their workforce today will have huge ramifications in the future, with those that focus on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of their businesses coming out on top.

The take-away, said Jessica, is that people will be more in tune with, and loyal to, brands that showed up well during the crisis with a strong focus on the ESG aspects of their business.

“Companies that are bold and don't let a good crisis go to waste will emerge stronger,” she explained. “But they also have to make sure that they're taking care of their communities and their workforce at the same time, which is a difficult balancing act and a needle that they'll have to thread, but one where I think, if you take that holistic stakeholder capitalism approach and think about the long term, you'll be able to navigate successfully and emerge as one of the winners from this chapter of history.”

Visit one.alltech.com for more information.

Sometimes, it takes leaving your world to better understand and appreciate the people you live and work alongside — just ask Cady Coleman. A retired NASA astronaut and colonel of the United States Air Force, Cady has spent more than 170 days in outer space during the course of three missions, including two on the Space Shuttle and a third as part of Expedition 27 on the International Space Station (ISS), where she lived for more than five months.

As the first featured keynote speaker at the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience, Cady gave a presentation on “Innovation in Isolation: An Astronaut’s Guide to Mental Strength, Creativity and Connectivity.” In both her lecture and her subsequent discussion with Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, Cady shared pictures and videos of her time in space — as well as some of the lessons she has learned, both on Earth and beyond.

Gaining new perspectives on people 220 miles from Earth

Cady didn’t always dream of being an astronaut. Despite the fact that her father was a deep-sea diver, she didn’t start thinking of herself as a potential explorer until she attended a campus lecture given by astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.

“You see somebody that you can relate to, and I just thought, ‘Wow, maybe I could try to do that,’” said Cady.

After graduating from MIT, Cady was commissioned as a graduate of the Air Force ROTC and entered active duty on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as a research chemist. During this time, she participated in the NASA Long Duration Exposure Facility experiment, where she set records in endurance and tolerance that still stand today.  

Unfortunately, not everyone recognized Cady’s potential as quickly as she herself did, but she was able to continue striving toward her goals thanks to her conviction that she deserved a seat at the table.

“I knew that I brought things to that team that others didn't,” said Cady. “And I cheerfully showed up to meetings that I wasn't invited to — not because people said, ‘Oh, we didn't like her’ or anything else; it was just that they looked at me and couldn't imagine that I should be part of that team. But I knew. And when it's something as important as exploring space, it gives you that extra courage to just say, ‘I know. I am showing up.’”

Cady’s persistence paid off: She was selected to be part of the NASA Astronaut Corps in 1992, and in 1995, she joined the crew of a scientific Space Shuttle mission that logged more than 15 days in space, orbiting the Earth 256 times and traveling more than 6 million miles. She experienced her second space flight in 1999 as a mission specialist in charge of deploying the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, which conducts comprehensive studies of the universe and phenomena such as black holes. And in 2010, she became part of the mission that allowed her to spend 159 days on the ISS.

Throughout these missions, Cady began recognizing the beauty of diversity and differences in others. Among the most profound aspects from her time on the ISS was gaining a new perspective on the distance — or lack thereof — between people by seeing the Earth from above.  

“You just realize that everything is closer than you thought — and so is everyone,” she said. “We’d go around the Earth 16 times a day, and the Earth is turning, so we're always seeing a different slice of it. It becomes so clear that everything is connected — and, actually, everyone could be connected if they just knew that we're all there is.”

Teamwork makes the dream work, even in space

Recognizing the importance of other perspectives was pivotal to forming bonds and building a successful team on the ISS, where Cady lived and worked among astronauts from Italy, Russia and the United States.

“Most of the lessons I learned were about people, about being a crew,” she said. “I had to learn to ask different questions, and I had to learn to listen. You only know this little slice of (your colleagues’) life; you don't know the rest of it. And one of the ways to really make a group (work) is to find out more about the rest of them — really, the rest of their life.”

In space and on Earth, Cady noted, the differences among members of a team only make that team stronger, especially when we learn to appreciate other people’s unique offerings. 

“Every one of us is different,” she said. “Find some way to recognize what people bring (to the table). Make them tell stories about themselves in a group. Get to know each other a little bit. Just knowing a little bit more about somebody, I think, can help you realize that they bring other things.”

The ability to collaborate with different people has made Cady a successful leader. She posits that exhibiting true concern for and attention to others is one of the most basic and important tenets of leadership and teambuilding.

“Somebody asked me the other day how I basically got people to trust me as a leader, and it made me realize: It's (that) I ask people about themselves,” said Cady. “I do that because I want them to know that I see them and I know that they are more of a person than just the part that comes to work.”

Your mission, should you choose to accept it…

Once trust and appreciation have been built among team members, the next most important step, said Cady, is focusing on the mission at hand. This concept of taking on a mission and striving to meet a goal is one that Cady has found herself thinking a lot about in the midst of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns. If anyone knows about social distancing and experiencing long stretches of isolation, it’s astronauts like Cady, who asserts that identifying and focusing on a mission is key to getting through difficult times.

“We have this advantage as space explorers that we're part of the mission,” she noted. “It's really clear to you that you've got a job to do, so it's easy to think, ‘It's important for me to be ready, and all these actions, they're important.’ But I think, with COVID-19, the mission can be less tangible. The fact that you stay in your house with your family and stay safe doesn't feel like this step forward. And yet it is. It's a step toward the mission. And I think what can help people is just (to) give it a name. This is the mission: staying safe.”

In Cady’s mind, there are some aspects of the COVID-19 lockdown that are actually harder to deal with than being in space — especially the unknowns.

“The hardest thing that we don't actually have to wrestle with much in space is that we know, eventually, we're coming home,” she pointed out. “I was up there for six months, and the mission was extended by two weeks, which I was incredibly thrilled about, but it's still finite, whereas, with COVID-19, there's a lot of uncertainties — about finances, about dreams, about what you're going to be able to do next. And owning that uncertainty, I think, is really helpful — realizing that it's hard and just acknowledge you're working through hard things.”

Cady’s unique perspective on life has helped her see a silver lining in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: That, despite being physically distant from each other, people are coming together to help their neighbors and make important changes.

“I see a lot of positive happening,” she said. “I see this on the internet, I see it in the news — different people coming together, seeing something that they can do together and doing it. It's so hopeful.”

Of all the things Cady learned as an astronaut, her new perspective on humanity and the planet we live on may have been the most meaningful.

“I used to think that space was someplace different — like, ‘I'm on Earth, I'm going to go to space’ — but actually arriving up there, it just made me realize that Earth and the place that we live is just bigger than we thought,” she said. “And yet, it's home. And I think, for all of us, getting to look at what is home — home to our ancestors, home to our families — is what is the most special thing to look at as we go around the Earth.”

The magic of space exploration has clearly not lost its sparkle for Cady, whose wonder for the world and what lies beyond is uncapped — but whose unique experience away from Earth has only helped her appreciate her fellow man all the more.  

“It's like leading the life of Peter Pan, and everything is different, and everything is a discovery,” she said. “But we're still human. We each have our own way of bringing that experience back home.”

Visit one.alltech.com for more information.

Many tried-and-tested theories come up again and again in global economics. These are the philosophies and formulae that our leading economists use as the foundation of their own musings and studies. But there are situations in which these theories fall short, and our greatest minds are obligated to look elsewhere for their underpinning wisdom.

Speaking at the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience, respected Irish economist David McWilliams admitted that he was confronted with this very issue when thinking about how the economy will develop post-COVID-19.

“We are at this extraordinary, one-off moment where the global economy is now in a tailspin,” said McWilliams, “and the timing of when we get out of that is not going to be dictated by anything you and I understand in economics.”

Fortunately, having worked as an economist for around 25 years, as well as taking up a professorial post at Trinity College Dublin, McWilliams has built up other resources outside of regular economic texts that he can look to for inspiration. His advice in this instance is to look to history to determine how our ancestors dealt with and emerged from similar challenges. The events of the past have helped to inform him on:

• Short-term remedies.
• Long-term changes.
• The possible economic opportunities of the future.

Using history as his basis, McWilliams offered insights into three potential economic phases as the world moves beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

1. A shifting psychology

One point that McWilliams was certain of is that the world post-COVID will definitely not be the same as before, and neither will be the ways we look and think about our economic future. Referencing major, world-changing events of the past, such as World War I and the fall of the Berlin Wall, he said that crises tend to dramatically shift people's ways of thinking and operating.

“What was radical before the crisis becomes mainstream, and what was mainstream becomes redundant,” explained McWilliams during his keynote presentation.

However, McWilliams believes that a drastic change in outlook is necessary for the world to get itself back on track. He spoke about the monetary authorities around the globe as a point of reference, specifically about how they are using money and spending to help fix the current global issues. This unprecedented spending goes against the economic principles of any country. It will also doubtless lead to challenges, such as mass inflation, further down the line. But McWilliams is adamant that, in a crisis, it is essential to deal with the immediate problem first and cross the next bridge when you come to it.

“You know, if you're on a football team, you don't face the potential team if they do this, that or the other,” analogized McWilliams. “You've got to face the team that's in front of you.”

But quick thinking and action can only keep going for so long. Mindsets will change again, and tough decisions will need to be made.

“I think the consensus that locking down is the most important thing will begin to atrophy as the economic pain amplifies, and that's a big worry,” mused McWilliams. “It's very, very hard to know where we draw the line and the trade-offs we have to make — what they are and how to make them.”

As we move forward, McWilliams does believe that there should be a serious discussion about the long-term sustainability of our economies during varying states of lockdown.

2. The new global supply chain

When it comes to the long-term effects of global economics, McWilliams predicts yet another significant shift in thought processes and priorities.

“I think what's quite obvious for a global business is that the supply chain is going to change profoundly,” he stated.

Again, looking at history, McWilliams pointed out that from the time the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 right up until early March 2020, the global mindset stayed the same.

“The great corporate economic narrative is globalization, based on an extended and efficient supply chain,” explained McWilliams, “where sourcing and assembling become crucial.”

However, instead of history repeating itself, McWilliams believes that the events of COVID-19 will completely change people's perceptions of what is vital for their businesses and supply chains. He thinks that the most notable differences will be that:

• More emphasis will be put on reliability.
• Cost and efficiency will become less critical factors.

“I think what's going to happen is that the more extended the supply chain, the more likely you'll see that people will come back and begin to manufacture in countries that they really, really want to do business with — they trust, they understand, they feel comfortable there,” said McWilliams. “And I think that maybe price, which had been the dominant vector for many, many years in the supply chain management, will probably be elbowed out by security, by perceptions of security. Can we keep this plant open? Do we know what we're actually dealing with?”

Spring-boarding off of this change in mindset, however, McWilliams believes that opportunities will arise for small countries to become important players in the global supply chain. He used his native Ireland as an example of how this can happen. From being in the depths of recession in the 1980s — when McWilliams’ own father lost his job — the country has grown economically and socially to become an essential cog in international business by building trust and relationships.

“I think small cogs in the global supply chain, countries that position themselves well, could do extremely well,” McWilliams explained. “I think there's a huge opportunity, because I do think supply chains will contract. And I think that relationships will trump price; I think trust will trump competitive edge.”

3. Opportunities arise

Taking both of these major mindset shifts into account, McWilliams believes that businesses and leaders with the right wherewithal could find lucrative prospects in this new economic landscape. Again, this theory is based on narratives that have repeated throughout history.

In his presentation, McWilliams first referenced Florence, Italy, in the 1300s. Having suffered an enormous death toll due to the Black Death in 1347, it was believed that Florence’s then-thriving society would never recover. However, the Florentines contradicted all assumptions by ushering in the Renaissance, a historical period that forever changed how we view the world and operate within it. McWilliams then noted that something similar happened in the United States after the flu pandemic of 1918 to 1920. The country entered the new decade by diving nose-first into a period of intense deflation — but from this dark pit of despair sparked the now-famous Roaring ’20s, an economic upswing that brought electricity, radio and motor cars.

“There are many instances where you imagine that humanity will go into a tailspin,” said McWilliams, “and what humanity actually does is entrepreneurs come through, leaders come through, thinkers come through, and they change the world.”

With regard to the post-COVID-19 economy, McWilliams sees the same opportunities arising once again. While he did admit that not everyone will succeed and a lot of money will be lost across the board, there is potential for entrepreneurs to adapt and shine. Furthermore, putting faith in this entrepreneurial spirit, he believes that an economy can repair itself.

“These opportunities emerge in crises, and you just have to have the self-confidence and belief in yourself to keep plowing on,” assured McWilliams. “And I think, as I said before, all these crises lead to great renewal. And great renewal stems from people taking a risk because things have changed, and normality has changed. And that normality, in a way, is full of risks already, so why not go ahead and direct your own risk, in that regard.”

McWilliams concluded by again looking at a work from history. He cited the poem “The Second Coming” by famous Irish literary W.B. Yeats, saying, “The center will not hold, and things will fall apart only if the best people lack all conviction, allowing the worst people to come through and be full of what he called passionate intensity, full of slogans, and dominate the agenda.”

McWilliams explained that this is a message of rallying urgency, calling on all leaders to step up and figure out a way through the situation that lies ahead. This, he believes, is how humans have survived adverse periods throughout history, and how we will do so once again.

“All these things, this is all part of what I call the great commercial adventure of life,” stated McWilliams. “As long as we put commerce at the center, in terms of the adventure that is commercial adventure, and we protect it, then it's an evergreen urge that humans have, and it will not be defeated.”

Visit one.alltech.com for more information.

The Alltech ONE Virtual Experience launched today with more than 21,500 registrants from 117 countries, uniting for a unique exploration of the future of agriculture, business and the world around us the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience is the transformation of Alltech’s flagship event, ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE), which typically attracts more than 3,500 attendees from more than 70 countries to Lexington, Kentucky, USA, each May. The virtual experience provides on-demand focus sessions, streaming keynote presentations and live Q&A chats with select speakers. Attendees can now exchange innovative ideas and find inspiration in way that is accessible to everyone from anywhere.  

“Welcome to the new ONE,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, in his opening remarks. “This is a journey of discovery and renewal. For the first time in the 36-year history of our conference, we are connecting virtually. This is an opportunity to shape the future of agrifood — together.”

Cady Coleman, former NASA astronaut and Air Force Colonel, was the opening keynote speaker on Monday. Having spent 180 days working on the International Space Station, she shared her inspiring experience with fostering teamwork and staying focused on the mission amid the most challenging circumstances. It’s a timely message that resonates with viewers as the world grapples with a global pandemic.   

“I think the world understands missions in a different way because of this pandemic,” said Coleman. “COVID-19 has created this need to solve problems together and be on the same mission. People are coming together, helping each other. It’s hopeful.”

Lyons and Coleman had an insightful conversation during her presentation, in which Coleman conveyed the importance of inclusion in creating innovative and productive teams.  

“It’s a proven fact that diverse groups are more successful, but that doesn’t mean they’re always comfortable,” she said. “Put that on the table. Recognize there will be challenges and help each other through them.”

During launch week, the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience will feature a new keynote speaker and special presentations each day.  

Tuesday, May 19

9:00 a.m. EST

Keynote: David McWilliams, Economist and Adjunct Professor of Global Economics

Topic: Currency and Confidence in an Uncertain Market

Wednesday, May 20

9:00 a.m. EST

Keynote: Jessica Adelman, CEO, ESG Results

Topic: In the Market: How the New Consumer Checks Out

11:00 a.m. EST

The Next Normal for Agri-Food

Panel discussion moderated by Professor Damien McLoughlin, Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing, University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

Thursday, May 21

9:00 a.m. EST

Keynote: Jack Bobo, CEO, Futurity

Topic: Farming, Food and the Shifting Horizon

11:00 a.m. EST

Science: The Source of Our Strength

A conversation with previous Alltech Medal of Excellence winners about a new era of innovation.

Friday, May 22

9:00 a.m. EST

Keynote: Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and Air Quality Specialist, Animal Science

Topic: Clearing the Air: Debunking the Myths of Agriculture

11:00 a.m. EST

Keynote: Dr. Mark Lyons, President and CEO, Alltech

Topic: Planet of Plenty: We're in This Together

Live Q&A chats with select speakers are also featured daily, giving attendees an opportunity to ask questions in real time.  

Additionally, 40 on-demand focus session topics explore challenges and opportunities in agri-business, aquaculture, beef, crop science, dairy, pig, poultry and sustainable agriculture.

Registration for the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience will remain open, offering attendees 24/7 access to all on-demand content, including keynote presentations and focus session topics, until May 2021.  

To learn more about the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience and register for access, visit ONE.ALLTECH.COM.

In conjunction with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), Alltech is proud to announce that Joseph Opoku Gakpo of Ghana is the recipient of the IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism, which recognizes excellence and leadership by young journalists. Opoku Gakpo, a radio, TV and online journalist, was selected from nominations submitted by IFAJ guilds around the world. His achievement was recognized during the launch of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience on Monday.

Opoku Gakpo is a Cornell University fellow, winner of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ Star Prize, winner of the MTN Heroes of Change Award and three-time winner of the Ghana Journalists Association Award in agriculture, sustainable development goals and poverty reduction reporting.

With more than a decade of experience working as an environmental, agriculture and rural development journalist, Opoku Gakpo has produced documentaries and other content for radio, television and online platforms. He specializes in science communication and development communication and has produced audio-visual documentaries on various subjects for media broadcast, conducted more than 5,000 radio and television interviews and published approximately 1,000 articles online and in print media.

The IFAJ-Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism honors Alltech’s late founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons, who was a passionate storyteller with a great respect for agricultural journalists. The award complements the young leader program that Alltech co-founded with IFAJ in 2005, which supports mentorship and education.

"Alltech has long recognized and supported agricultural journalists' role in mobilizing knowledge to farmers around the world," said IFAJ president Owen Roberts. “Alltech’s commitment to professional development for agricultural journalists directly benefits farmers by enhancing those skills that producers look to for balanced, evidence-based information that can help them be profitable, knowledgeable and sustainable.”

The IFAJ-Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism aligns with Alltech’s vision for a Planet of PlentyTM, in which a world of abundance is made possible through the adoption of new technologies, better farm management practices and human ingenuity.

“Now, more than ever, it is important to give a voice to agriculture and the food supply chain to communicate factual information to the world,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Through our continued partnership with the IFAJ, we are able to support future leaders in agricultural journalism who are passionate about connecting our industry to a global audience.”

For more information about the IFAJ-Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism, contact press@alltech.com.

Video download: https://bcove.video/2WGP2mq

Alltech has announced the keynote speaker lineup to be featured in the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience when the digital program launches on May 18, 2020. The virtual experience offers attendees on-demand insights that transcend culture and industry, presenting innovation-driven solutions for overcoming challenges in agriculture, business and our everyday lives.  

Cady Coleman, former NASA astronaut and Air Force Colonel, will launch the virtual experience with a streaming presentation on Monday, May 18. Coleman spent a total of 180 days on the International Space Station, taking “working remotely” to another frontier. A chemist with a doctorate in polymer science and engineering, Coleman is a pioneer in the research of materials science, biotechnology, combustion science and fluid physics. She is passionate about the importance of inclusion, collaboration and innovation in problem-solving. She will present a captivating discussion of life in space, resilience and staying connected from any realm.

The Alltech ONE Virtual Experience will also feature David McWilliams, economist and adjunct professor of global economics at Trinity School of Business, Trinity College Dublin. McWilliams has dedicated his career to making economics accessible, adding a bit of humor and historical context. Ranked among the most influential economists in the world, McWilliams examines operational risk, human behavior and successfully adapting to shifting markets. He will share his insights on how business decisions will be made amid global disruption.  

Jessica Adelman, CEO of ESG Results, also joins the speaker lineup to offer insights on consumer trends. Adelman has held numerous leadership positions in the food, retail and agriculture sectors, including most recently as group vice president of corporate affairs for The Kroger Co., serving as chief corporate affairs officer, chief communications officer, chief sustainability officer and president of both Kroger Foundations. She will share her insights on the long-lasting habits of the new consumer emerging from lockdown.     

To explore the next frontier of food production, Jack Bobo, CEO of Futurity, also joins the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience. Bobo works with food and agriculture businesses to better understand emerging food trends and consumer attitudes so they can position themselves to thrive in an ever more complex world. He will share his perspective of the challenges and opportunities found in the next era of agriculture.

The keynote lineup also includes Dr. Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist in the Cooperative Extension in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis. Mitloehner has successfully taken on the negative narrative surrounding the environmental impact of agriculture with clear communication and data, illustrating the relationships among human activities, animal digestion, food production and atmospheric chemistry. He will offer an in-depth look at separating fact from fiction and bridging the communication gap.

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, rounds out the keynote lineup with a call for collaboration to improve farm management and food production, human and animal well-being, and the preservation of natural resources. He will share his vision for a Planet of Plenty™ and the promise, possibility and opportunity we have — together —to shape the future of our planet.

“Our world has changed significantly over the last several months,” said Lyons. “It is perhaps more important than ever to be innovative and connected as we embrace the next normal. We look forward to sharing the captivating insights and inspiration offered by the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience in a way that is accessible to everyone.”  

A different keynote presentation will be streamed on the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience each day at 9 a.m. EST, beginning Monday, May 18, through Friday, May 22. Registrants can engage with select speakers via Q&A chats directly following their presentations. Registrants who miss the scheduled streaming can access the presentations on demand afterward.

On-demand session topics will also be available beginning May 18 and will explore challenges and opportunities in agribusiness, aquaculture, beef, crop science, dairy, pig, poultry and sustainable agriculture. Additional Q&A opportunities are also on the agenda, along with special panel discussions and entertainment.

Registrants have 24/7 access to all the presentations, with exclusive content added monthly.

To learn more about the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience and to register, visit ONE.ALLTECH.COM.

As part of Alltech’s effort to provide valuable resources to colleagues, customers and the global agricultural community confronting COVID-19, the company has created a special discussion series, Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain. Available online beginning today, this free, on-demand series features experts from around the world as they share their insights into how the global pandemic is affecting the agriculture industry’s present and future.

“Crises illuminate character, and COVID has highlighted the heroic work undertaken by the global agriculture community to ensure a secure food supply in the midst of such uncertainty,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “We created this series as an expression of our support for this community. In addition to offering valuable information and insights in the context of this COVID challenge, we hope to deliver inspiration — we have an opportunity in this moment to, together, shape the future of the farm and food chain.”

The series consists of presentations from Lyons and three panel discussions with experts including David McWilliams, economist and professor at Trinity College Dublin; Jessica Adelman, CEO of ESG Results and former executive at Kroger; Jack Bobo, futurist and CEO of Futurity; and Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture.

Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain, a special COVID-19 discussion series, includes:

• Cultivating Optimism & Opportunity: Leadership in Times of Crisis

In times of crisis, leadership becomes even more consequential. How can leaders bring certainty in a time of uncertainty? How can they help their teams think proactively in order to discover opportunity and drive innovation? 

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, explores how a leader can shape a culture of resilience that empowers a team, even during times of turmoil.

• From the Frontlines of Food Production

The COVID-19 crisis has brought renewed attention to not only the critical importance of food production, but also to the people on the frontlines who work tirelessly to ensure we have food on the table. This panel discussion takes a first-hand look at the experiences of those working within the food/feed sector in the midst of COVID-19.

The panelists are global Alltech team members Matt Kwok, China operations manager; Sayed Aman, India managing director; Andrea Capitani, Italy business manager; and Alex Galipienso, Spain general manager. The panel is moderated by Michelle Michael, Alltech media producer.

• The Post-COVID Consumer: A Remaking of the Market?

Consumer trends are constantly evolving, but post-COVID, will the market see another seismic shift? This panel discussion features an investigation into the lasting impact COVID-19 could have on consumers and the global economy.

Moderating the panel is Damien McLoughlin, professor of marketing at University College Dublin, with panelists David McWilliams, economist and professor at Trinity College Dublin; Jessica Adelman, CEO at ESG Results and former executive at Kroger; and Jack Bobo, futurist and CEO at Futurity.

• Keep Calm & Carry On: The Essential Business of Agriculture

In this panel discussion, experts investigate how the current crisis is reshaping the agriculture sector. What permanent changes could COVID-19 create in how we source, produce and deliver food to market? Will there be a new appetite for automation and supply chain provenance?

Mary Shelman, former director of Harvard Business School's Agribusiness Program, moderates panelists John Young Simpson, president of Bluegrass Partners in Singapore; Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture; Mike Osborne, former president and CEO of Nutra Blend; and Kayla Price, technical manager of Alltech Canada.

• Planet of Plenty in a Post-COVID World

In the midst of this COVID crisis, the global agriculture community has carried on its essential work — rising with the sun no matter the circumstance. We have provided the security of certainty at a time of great uncertainty and, in doing so, have reshaped the perception of our industry and perhaps even the way we view ourselves. 

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, shares his thoughts on how we can create a world of abundance post-COVID. How will we harness this renewed trust? Will the experiences of this time usher in a new approach to the ways in which we produce food, structure our supply chains and connect with consumers?

To access the Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain series on-demand, visit alltech.com/futurefarm. As Alltech has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, an online COVID-19 resource portal has been created for customers and industry partners. 

This COVID-19 special series reflects the insightful, thought-provoking content that will be available as part of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience beginning on May 18, 2020. The virtual program will include live-streamed keynote presentations and on-demand video content from some of the world's leading industry experts as they address the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture today. Learn more about the ONE Virtual Experience and register here.