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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. 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.
General Registration is Open
General Registration is OPEN unitl 11 AM CDT on June 17, 2025. Space is limited at the historic Union League Club, so be sure to register soon to secure your spot!
Conference Agenda
Tuesday, June 24
| 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
Opening Reception / Meet & Greet at Elephant & Castle (111 West Adams Street) |
Wednesday, June 25
| 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 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 Cara Murphy, Senior Manager, Market Intelligence, 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: Alex Gambonini, Senior Manager, Advisory Services, HighGround Dairy Amy Hath, Owner, Hath Dairy Amy Penterman, Owner/Manager, Dutch Dairy Scott Ruby, Managing Partner, Fir Ridge Holstein Farm |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm |
Networking Lunch |
| 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm |
Middle Eastern Dairy Demand: Insights from the Region Azize Yanina, Senior Manager, Procurement, Saudia Dairy & Foodstuff Company |
| 2:00 pm - 2:15 pm |
Break |
| 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm |
Canada's Dairy Industry: A History of Supply Management Brian Kipping, Consultant, Regulatory Affairs and Trade Compliance |
| 3:15 pm - 3:30 pm |
Break |
| 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm |
China Dairy Regional Update Dr. Ho Wanxing Eugene, Director of Research & Intellectual Property, Mengniu Dairy China Jeff Goodwin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Pivotal Ingredients |
| 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm |
Reception |
Thursday, June 26
| 8:00 am - 8:30 am |
Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30 am - 9:30 am |
European Dairy Industry Deep Dive Łukasz Wyrzykowski, Managing Director, IFCN Dairy Research Network |
| 9:30 am - 9:45 am |
Break |
| 9:45 am - 10:45 am |
Beef Market Insights from the Feedlot Billy Schmitz, Trade Analyst, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding |
| 10:45 am - 11:00 am |
Break |
| 11:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Session TBA |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm |
Networking Lunch |
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
.png?width=400&height=400&name=alex%20gambonini%20(1).png "Alex Gambonini")
Alex Gambonini
Senior Manager, Advisory Services
HighGround Dairy
Eric Meyer
President & Founder
HighGround Dairy
Cara Murphy
Senior Manager, Dairy Market Intelligence
HighGround Dairy
Jeff Goodwin
Founder & CEO
Pivotal Ingredients
Amy Hath
Owner
Hath Dairy
Dr. Ho Wanxing Eugene
Director of Research & Intellectual Property
Mengniu Dairy China
Brian Kipping
Consultant
Regulatory Affairs & Trade Compliance
Amy Penterman
Owner/Manager
Dutch Dairy
.png?width=400&height=400&name=Scott%20Ruby%20(2).png "Scott Ruby")
Scott Ruby
Managing Partner
Fir Ridge Holstein Farm
Billy Schmitz
Trade Analyst
Five Rivers Cattle Feeding
Łukasz Wyrzykowski
Managing Director
IFCN Dairy Research Network
.png?width=400&height=400&name=Azize%20Yanina%20(1).png "Azize Yanina")
Azize Yanina
Senior Manager Procurement
Saudia Dairy & Foodstuff Company
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!
Amy Penterman, Owner & Manager, Dutch Dairy
Session: Producer Panel: Boots on the Ground Perspective from US Dairy Producers
Billy Schmitz, Trade Analyst, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding
Session: Beef Market Insights from the Feedlot
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
ROOM BLOCK CLOSES JUNE 3, 2025
• 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
Read Alyssa Badger's Interview with Cheese Market News
"We take pride in the fact that when people come to this conference, they truly engage — this is not an event where attendees drift in and out of sessions. Every discussion is packed with insight, and there is not a single speaker you will want to miss. Our goal is for everyone to walk away with new knowledge that they can immediately apply to their business..."
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
.png?width=300&height=300&name=chicago%20green%20(1).png "chicago green (1)")
Secure Your Spot Now
General Registration is OPEN unitl 11 AM CDT on June 17, 2025. 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.
More details coming soon - Sign up to receive updates!
From now until June, 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!
A Special Thank You To Our Sponsor:
View Previous Agendas & Speaker Lists
Any other questions? Email us at info@highgrounddairy.com or click here to contact us.