Co-located ag summits -- Women in Agribusiness and Oilseed & Grain Trade -- bring comprehensive sector knowledge to single venue

BOSTON, Feb. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3rd annual Women in Agribusiness Summit and 9^th annual Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit will bring key agriculture sector knowledge and networking power to one venue, the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, La., during the week of October 6, 2014. 

Women in Agribusiness Summit

This exceptionally well-received event has added another information-filled day to the agenda and has more than doubled the number of attendees since its inaugural event in 2012.  With a focus on highlighting food and agriculture as career opportunities for today's talented women, and providing tools for women to become informed leaders in the industry, this Summit attracts female leaders from across the ag value chain.

During this conference, which will be held October 6-8, a dynamic roundtable format, as opposed to static presentations, will be used to address unique experiences in the industry and cutting-edge trends.  Hear what past attendees have to say about the event:

"I love how the conference is designed. There are no PowerPoints, which allows for great conversations. I've sat in the back of many of the rooms, and can see people fully engaged. I was invited to speak as one of the panelists, and I had no idea this was a conference that was very different than any other conference I have attended!"

-- Marcella Szymanski, Ph.D., Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of State

"I thought the event was great! It was not only a good networking forum, it also provided some very informative workshops. My problem was that I wanted to go to more than one workshop at the same time!"

-- Lisa Zannoni, Head, Global Biotechnology, Regulatory and Stewardship, Seeds, Syngenta

Key agenda topics for the 2014 Women in Agribusiness Summit, many of which were suggested by participants of the 2013 event, include:

• Addressing the Challenges Facing Agricultural Producers
• From STEM to STEAM: Incorporating Agriculture into Educational Priorities
• Understanding the Impacts of a New Farm Bill
• Employee Retention Strategies
• Developing an Internal Mentorship Program

Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit

The Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit, which will be held October 7-9, is the largest annual industry event that convenes buyers, sellers and global leaders in the trade to share the latest information on the oilseed and feed grains markets, and to network with their peers and meet with existing and potential new clients in order to broaden their competitive edge.  Attendees hail from around the world – the 2013 event included over 75 exhibitors and hosted nearly 650 attendees from 30 U.S. states and 25 countries.

"The 2014 agenda is packed with engaging, informative topics on feed, food, global trade, and commodity markets designed to maximize participants' strategic outcomes," said Joy O'Shaughnessy, event director from HighQuest Partners, the agribusiness strategic advisory firm that hosts the Summits.  "This year's event is under new direction and will see some updates, including a re-invigorated plan for the exhibit floor – now called the Agribusiness Expo – that offers a variety of interactive activities, special exhibits and unique networking opportunities to boost industry engagement for all participants and keep the area bustling with foot traffic."

Here's what 2013 event attendees had to say:

"I've exhibited with this group every year. This is an annual event to meet with old customers, renew those acquaintances, and an opportunity to stay fresh with what's transpiring in the trade."

-- Brian Bickford, President, AgriLogistics

"The Summit is a great opportunity to meet with our U.S. and international customers. They attend from the Middle East, South America and Southeast Asia. Additionally, we find the Summit has been an opportunity to network with suppliers from all over the world. It's a dual opportunity that we take advantage of."

-- Diaa Ghaly, Director of Business Development, Mirasco, Inc

Attendees are encouraged to capitalize on the knowledge and networking opportunities provided by attending both events, and will receive a 40% discount when choosing dual registration. Visit www.oilseedandgraintrade.com or www.womeninag.com for detailed event and registration information.

SOURCE HighQuest Partners