The Future of Food Conference
Event Information
About this event
Join us on Canada’s Agriculture Day for a virtual conference that will explore how to create long-term growth in agriculture and food while leaving a positive impact on our society and the environment.
The event will feature a panel with Casper Kaastra from Sollio Agriculture; Charlie Angelakos from McCain Foods; Alanna Koch from the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan, and Samara Foisy from Loblaw Co. Ltd.
Special guest Terry O’Reilly, host of CBC Radio’s Under the Influence, will then take you through a journey to understand how organizations and businesses can achieve outstanding results when they apply “out-of-the-box" thinking.
We’ll also be joined by The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Food and Mary Robinson, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
Don’t miss out! Pre-registration is required.
This event is free. The event will not be recorded.
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Eastern
Find the event time for your area.
- St. Johns, N.L. | 12:30 p.m. NST
- Halifax, N.S. | 12 p.m. AST
- Ottawa, Ont. | 11 a.m. EST
- Winnipeg, Man. | 10 a.m. CST
- Regina, Sask. | 10 a.m. CST
- Edmonton, Alta. | 9 a.m. MST
- Vancouver, B.C. | 8 a.m. PST
Agenda
Introduction and welcome
- Darlene McBain, FCC Industry Relations Manager
Opening remarks:
- Mary Robinson, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Industry discussion panel:
- Charlie Angelakos, Vice-President, Global External Affairs & Sustainability, McCain Foods Ltd.
- Casper Kaastra, Chief Executive Officer, Sollio Agriculture & Executive Vice-President, Sollio Cooperative Group
- Alanna Koch, Producer and Board Chair of the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan
- Samara Foisy, Director of Product Development, Loblaw Co. Ltd.
Keynote speaker:
- Terry O’Reilly, Host, CBC Radio, Under the Influence
Keynote Speaker:
Host, CBC Radio, Under the Influence
Jump the Fence: The Power of Counterintuitive Thinking
"Most marketers think within the confines of their category - But that’s an artificial boundary.” Terry will explore how when out-of-the-box thinking is applied to strategies, marketing problems can be solved, obstacles can be blasted out of the way, and revenues can dramatically improve. All you must do is “jump the fence.”
Terry O’Reilly is the familiar voice behind the hit CBC radio shows O’Reilly on Advertising, The Age of Persuasion, and his current program, Under the Influence, where he explores the business, the craft, and the promise of promotion. In his intriguing talks, O’Reilly shares his unique insights and solutions as he explores the big and small things organizations must do to create effective marketing, and provides his expertise on branding, campaigns, and more.
Industry Panel Discussion
Vice-President, Global External Affairs & Sustainability, McCain Foods Ltd.
Charlie Angelakos is Vice President, Global External Affairs & Sustainability at McCain Foods. In this role, Charlie leads the company’s external communication, public affairs and sustainability strategy across 160 countries. Before joining McCain, Charlie worked at Labatt Breweries of Canada for 18 years, most recently as Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs. He also spent time in Canadian politics, working as an advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Charlie is actively involved with the Jays Care Foundation and the Harbourfront Centre, along with several other charitable endeavours in the community. He currently serves on the National Advisory Board of the Walrus, an award-winning independent news outlet. In 2012, Charlie received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his support of the True Patriot Love Foundation.
Chief Executive Officer, Sollio Agriculture & Executive Vice-President, Sollio Cooperative Group
Born on a dairy farm near Aylmer, Ontario, Casper Kaastra was predestined for a career in agriculture. With a wealth of experience, including General Manager of Crop Production with Sollio Agriculture since 2016, he has been a major contributor to the industry’s growth nationwide. Mr. Kaastra has extensive experience in developing and executing strategic business plans, and a proven track record in management, including optimizing assets and creating value-added synergies.
Producer and Board Chair of the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan
Alanna Koch is a farmer, industry leader, long-time agriculture champion, former senior government executive and experienced corporate director from Edenwold, Saskatchewan. She’s the Board Chair of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) and CN Agricultural Advisory Council and sits on the board of SeedMaster Manufacturing and the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame. She also works with farmers and the agriculture industry through her consulting company, KoHert Agri Inc. Before this, she served as Deputy Minister to Premier Brad Wall and Cabinet Secretary and was the Saskatchewan Deputy Minister of Agriculture for nine years.
Alanna has been widely recognized for her contributions to the agricultural industry and community, including her induction into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2011 for outstanding achievement in the sector.
Director of Product Development, Loblaw Co. Ltd
Samara Foisy is the Director of Product Development for Loblaw Co. Ltd. She holds a Master of Health Science in Community Nutrition from the University of Toronto and is also a registered dietician.
At Loblaw, Samara has held both nutrition and product development roles. Her previous experience resides with non-governmental associations such as Health Check and the Nutrition Resource Centre. Over the last 13 years Samara has worked with a variety of industry, government and public health stakeholders who are committed to improving the health of Ontarians.
