This is an all-day, free to attend event, open to N8 AgriFood institutions only.

Representatives from the Universities of Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa State, Illinois and Minnesota will join us at an interactive workshop which will create a roadmap of specific projects for future collaboration between UK and the US. Our objective is to provide evidence for national funders to support joint UK-US research programmes, and provide a platform for long-term development of joint UK-USA University-Industry regional collaboration.

We will cover the following areas of joint R&I between the UK and USA:

• Soil and water quality in agriculture
• Mitigating climate change and its impacts through adapting crop production
• Crop breeding and production methods for functional food ingredients
• Functional foods for health
• International trade and supply chains
• Diversification of food crops – niche/alternative crop species

Speakers

George Amponsah Annor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, General Mills Endowed Professor in Cereal Chemistry and Technology, University of Minnesota

German Bollero, Associate Dean for Research, University of Illinois

Douglas Buhler, Director, MSU AgBioResearch & Assistant Vice President for Research and Innovation, Michigan State University

Matthew Helmers, Director, Iowa Nutrient Research Center, Dean's Professorship in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University

Ruth MacDonald, Chair, Food Science and Human Nutrition , CALS Assistant Dean Graduate Programs, Interim Director, Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, Iowa State University

Lisa Schulte-Moore, Professor, Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Associate Director, Bioeconomy Institute, Iowa State University

Asheesh Singh, Associate Professor, Monsanto Chair in Soybean Breeding, Director of Graduate Education (Plant Breeding), Dpt of Agronomy, Iowa State University

Gunasekaran Sundaram, Professor in Biological Systems Engineering and College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), University of Wisconsin-Maddison

Alex Winter-Nelson, Associate Dean, College of ACES Office of International Programs, University of Illinois

Programme

09:30 – 10:00 Registration and Refreshments

10:00 – 10:10 Welcome and Introduction, Prof. Steve Banwart

10:10 – 11:15 Session 1: Lightning talks from US delegates

11:15 – 11:45 Tea and coffee break

11:45 – 12:30 Session 2: Establishing & ranking critical uncertainties

12:45 – 13:30 Networking lunch

13:30 – 14:30 Session 3: Scenario building: what does the future look like?

14:30 – 15:30 Session 4: Research and Innovation ideas and building collaborations

15:30 – 16:15 Group feedback and discussion

16:15 – 16:30 Round-up and closing note, Prof. Steve Banwart

16:30 Close followed by networking reception

Instructions

We will be using the Chatham House approach to scenario planning. We ask participants to think about agrifood and what the future might look like based on what we know and what we might anticipate. Scenario planning in this context is not about predicting the future, it is about thinking through alternative futures.

The Chatham House approach:

• Aids decision making under uncertainty

• Challenges leaders to think in new ways

• Provides new and actionable insights on potential trends and disruptions

• Motivates action

• Unblocks “business as usual” thinking

• Stimulates “do no harm” and “positive pathway” decision making

Organisers

Steve Banwart, N8 AgriFood & University of Leeds

Louise Dye, N8 AgriFood & University of Leeds

Kyle Dolan, Science and Innovation Network, British Consulate in Chicago

Marianna Ventouratou-Morys, N8 AgriFood