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June 16-18, 2026 | Union League Club, Chicago
Building on four years of success, HighGround Dairy’s Global Dairy Outlook Conference will return to Chicago in June 2026. Join us as we welcome fresh perspectives, dive into the global trends influencing dairy markets, and connect with industry leaders through a variety of networking opportunities.
General Registration is OPEN
General Registration is OPEN, but space is limited at the historic Union League Club. Register today to secure your spot!
Registration has closed
| 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
Opening Reception / Meet & Greet at Panchos Rooftop Cantina (327 S Plymouth Ct.) |
Wednesday, June 17
| 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 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 Amber Horn-Leiterman, Managing Director, Hornstead Dairy LLC Denton Ross, Owner/Manager, Arizona Dairy Company Jason Sheehan, Partner Manager, J & K Dairy, LLC |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm |
Networking Lunch |
| 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm |
Perspectives on International Markets Philipp Goetz, Head of Sales and Business Development, IFCN Earl Rattray, Managing Director, Dairy Link Ltd. |
| 2:30 pm - 2:45 pm |
Break |
| 2:45 pm - 4:15 pm |
Dairy's Path Forward in a Protein-Focused World Tom Bailey, North America Head: Consumer, Rabobank Lucas Fuess, Senior Dairy Analyst, Rabobank Jaime Underwood, Food Scientist, Edible Chemistry |
| 4:15 pm - 4:30 pm |
Break |
| 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm |
Connecting Trade Policy, Shocks, and Food Price Trends David Ortega, Professor and Noel W. Stuckman Chair in Food Economics and Policy, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University |
| 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm |
Reception sponsored by Global Dairy Trade |
Thursday, June 18
| 8:30 am - 9:00 am |
Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00 am - 10:00 am |
Butter Session: Consumer Demand and Market Signals Michael Burdeny, Chief Commercial Officer, California Dairies Inc. |
| 10:00 am - 10:20 am |
Break |
| 10:20 am - 12:00 pm |
Retail & Restaurant Outlook Panel Moderator: John Barone, President, Market Vision, Inc. Ralph Hoffman, Chief Business Officer, Schuman Cheese Jessi Webb, Senior Director, Strategic Sourcing, Casey’s General Stores |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm |
Networking Lunch |
Meet Our Speakers
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
Eric Meyer
President & Founder
HighGround Dairy
Cara Murphy
Senior Manager, Dairy Market Intelligence
HighGround Dairy
Tom Bailey
North America Head: Consumer
Rabobank
John Barone
President
Market Vision
Michael Burdeny
Chief Commercial Officer
California Dairies Inc.
Philipp Goetz
Head of Sales & Business Development
IFCN
Ralph Hoffman
Chief Business Officer
Schuman Cheese
Lucas Fuess
Senior Dairy Analyst
Rabobank
Amber Horn-Leiterman
Managing Director
Hornstead Dairy LLC
David Ortega
Professor & Chair in Food Economics & Policy
Michigan State University
Jaime Underwood
Food Scientist
Edible Chemistry
Earl Rattray
Managing Director
Dairy Link Ltd
Denton Ross
Owner/Manager
Arizona Dairy Company
Jason Sheehan
Partner Manager
J & K Dairy, LLC
Jessi Webb
Senior Director, Strategic Sourcing
Casey's General Stores
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 +
20% Club Access Fee (ROOM BLOCK IS LIMITED & CLOSES MAY 27, 2026)
• 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
Speaker Interview Podcast Series
Leading up to the conference, 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 Jaime Underwood below!
Jaime Underwood, Food Scientist, Edible Chemistry
Session: Dairy's Path Forward in a Protein-Focused World
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
Secure Your Spot Now
General Registration is OPEN, but space is limited at the historic Union League Club. Register today 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:
Registration opens soon - Sign up to receive updates!
Fill out this form to receive notifications and updates as they are available.
A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors:
View Previous Agendas & Speaker Lists
Any other questions? Email us at info@highgrounddairy.com or click here to contact us.