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June 24-26, 2025 | Union League Club, Chicago
Building on three years of success, HighGround Dairy is eager to host our fourth Annual Global Dairy Outlook Conference in Chicago June 24-26, 2025. We hope you will join us as we bring new voices to the stage, explore the latest trends shaping global dairy markets, and connect with industry leaders through a variety of networking opportunities.
Conference Agenda
Tuesday, June 18
| 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
Opening Reception / Meet & Greet at Elephant & Castle (111 West Adams Street) |
Wednesday, June 19
| 8:00 am - 8:30 am |
Registration & Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30 am - 8:45 am |
Opening Remarks Eric Meyer, Founder & President, HighGround Dairy |
| 8:45 am - 10:15 am |
Dairy Market Outlook: US & Global Fundamentals, Price Forecasts, Federal Milk Marketing Order Status Update Alyssa Badger, Vice President, Global Operations & Insights, HighGround Dairy Betty Berning, Contributing Dairy Economist, HighGround Dairy Stu Davison, Senior Manager, Global Market Insights, HighGround Dairy Alex Gambonini, Senior Manager, Advisory Services, HighGround Dairy |
| 10:15 am - 10:30 am |
Break |
| 10:30 am - 12:00 pm |
Producer Panel: Boots on the Ground Perspective from US Dairy Producers Moderator: Curtis Bosma, Vice President, Producer Services, HighGround Dairy Bill Wavrin, DVM, Owner, Sunny Dene Ranch LLC Christina Zuiderveen, Managing Partner, Black Soil Dairy LLC Preston De Jong, Chief Operating Officer, Horizon Dairy, LLC & Four Leaf Dairy |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm |
Networking Lunch |
| 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm |
Global Weather Outlook: Overview & Potential Impacts on Agriculture Drew Lerner, Founder & President, World Weather Inc. |
| 1:55 pm - 2:05 pm |
Break |
| 2:05 pm - 3:30 pm |
Ag Lending Panel Amanda Durow, Vice President, Corporate Agribusiness Banking Group, CoBank Jim Moriarty, Vice President, Ag Lending, Compeer Financial |
| 3:30 pm - 3:45 pm |
Break |
| 3:45 pm - 5:30 pm |
Understanding China: Economics, Policy & Dairy Demand Trends Jeff Goodwin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Pivotal Ingredients Nancy Qian, Professor of Economics, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University |
| 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm |
Reception |
Thursday, June 20
| 8:00 am - 8:30 am |
Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30 am - 9:30 am |
European Dairy Industry Deep Dive Christophe Lafougère, Managing Director, GIRA |
| 9:30 am - 9:45 am |
Break |
| 9:45 am - 10:45 am |
Navigating the Consumer Demand Landscape Tom Bailey, Executive Director, Consumer Foods & Foodservice, Rabobank |
| 10:45 am - 12:00 pm |
Exploring Global Demand Trends in Dairy Proteins Nick Morgan, Managing Director, Nutrition Integrated Jing Hagert, Vice President, Human Nutrition Ingredient Sales, Milk Specialties Global |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm |
Optional Networking Lunch |
Early Bird Registration is NOW OPEN!
Early Bird Registration is NOW OPEN to accommodate those who want to get a head start on their 2025 plans. Space is limited at the historic Union League Club, so be sure to register soon to secure your spot!
Meet Our Speakers
More to be announced!
Alyssa Badger
Vice President, Global
Operations & Insights
HighGround Dairy
Betty Berning
Contributing Dairy Economist
HighGround Dairy
Stu Davison
Senior Manager,
Global Market Insights
HighGround Dairy
Eric Meyer
President & Founder
HighGround Dairy
Eric Meyer
Founder & President
HighGround Dairy
Speaker Interview Podcast Series
Leading up to the conference in June, we will interview selected speakers and panelists to give you a sneak peek into their backgrounds and sessions at the conference. Find the first episode with Bill Wavrin below!
Amanda Durow, Corporate Agribusiness Banking Group, CoBank
Session: Ag Lending Panel
Nick Morgan, Managing Director of Nutrition Integrated
Session: Exploring Exploring Global Demand Trends in Dairy Proteins
Christina Zuiderveen, Managing Partner of Black Soil Dairy LLC
Session: Producer Panel – Boots on the Ground Perspective from US Dairy Producers
Bill Wavrin, DVM, Owner of Sunny Dene Ranch LLC
Session: Producer Panel – Boots on the Ground Perspective from US Dairy Producers
Chicago Accommodations
Here are some of our recommendations on where to stay nearby depending on your loyalty preference:
• Union League Club (Conference Host): Call 1.800.443.0578 or Email clubservices@ulcc.org & Reference HighGround Dairy Group for $259/night
• Palmer House a Hilton Hotel
• Hampton Inn Theater District (Hilton Affiliation)
• W Chicago (Marriott Affiliation)
• JW Marriott Chicago
• Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Central Loop
• Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop
• The Buckingham Hotel
Things to do in Chicago
Since you are visiting us in our city, here is a guide for you with must-do activities during the long-awaited Chicago summer! The timing of the conference is perfect for you to bring your family and enjoy an extended weekend in the Second City! We Look forward to seeing you in June. Some things featured in the guide below include:
• A complete list of Chicago beaches
• Links to the city's best museums & tours
• Our favorite dive bars and pizza places (all types of crusts included!)
• Unique locations to listen to live music while enjoying the best places around Chicago
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Secure Your Spot Now
Early Bird Registration is NOW OPEN to accommodate those who want to get a head start on their 2025 plans. Space is limited at the historic Union League Club, so be sure to register soon to secure your spot!
Market Intelligence customers can add their registration fee to their renewal invoice for the upcoming year. Email us at info@highgrounddairy.com if you are interested in taking advantage of that option.
A Special Thank You To Our Sponsor:
More details coming soon - Sign up to receive updates!
From now until June 2025, we will continue to provide more information about the committed
speakers, agenda, hotel options, and more. Fill out the form below to be the first to know!
View Previous Agendas & Speaker Lists
Any other questions? Email us at info@highgrounddairy.com or click here to contact us.