Agri-Pulse will bring industry leaders, university deans and state and federal officials together in Sacramento for the Food & Ag Issues Summit on June 2, 2026. The one-day event is designed to spotlight university research and workforce development while convening panels on policy, markets and emerging technologies affecting California producers. Organizers say the summit is widely attended by growers, commodity groups, agribusiness and agency staff.
Two academic leaders will share a stage to discuss their institutions’ priorities for research, extension and training the next generation of agriculture professionals. Attendees will hear from UC Davis dean Ashley Stokes, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis, and CSU Fresno dean Rolston St. Hilaire, dean of Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at California State University, Fresno. Both deans are expected to lay out plans for curriculum, industry partnerships and applied research that support California’s specialty crop, livestock and water-management sectors.
Panels will explore a broad agenda, including trends in the state’s agricultural economy, debates over regenerative practices and the Make America Healthy Again movement, consideration of data center development on agricultural land, and issues facing the next generation of growers. Organizers say sessions will combine policy discussion, market analysis and practical case studies to give attendees actionable takeaways for operations and community planning.
Speakers and agenda
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (invited)
USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden (invited)
California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross
Shannon Douglass, President, California Farm Bureau
Chris Zanobini, President & CEO, Ag Association Management Services Inc.
Ian LeMay, President & CEO, California Table Grape Commission
Emily Rooney, President, Agricultural Council of California
Danny Bernstein, Founder, Reservoir Farms
Matt Woolf, Specialty Crop Analyst, Terrain
Jenny Maloney, Global-Americas Strategic Accounts Manager, Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds
Matthew Vosseler, California Young Farmers & Ranchers state committee
Michael Boccadoro, West Coast Advisors
The summit also provides networking and sponsorship opportunities for firms and organizations that work with California agriculture. Those interested in sponsoring should contact [email protected], and media or attendees seeking more event information can reach out to [email protected]. Registration is available through Agri-Pulse’s events page, and organizers say additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
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