German American Business Series (GABS)

The annual German American Business Series highlights the key issues of the German-American business community in Colorado.

German American Agricultural Technology Symposium 2019

September 19, 2019 | Denver, CO

The German American Chamber of Commerce – Colorado Chapter (GACC-CO) hosted the German American Agri-Tech Symposium at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO on Thursday, September 19, 2019. This day-long event brought together innovators and investors from across the Atlantic to address the most pertinent questions in AgTech - inciting dialogue, exchange, and action.

Event Review

Thank you to our speakers and over 70 attendees for supporting GACC-CO’s third German American Business Symposium; it was our most successful symposium to-date. A special thank you to our partners, the Transatlantic Agricultural Dialogue and Wunderbar Together initiative.

The 2019 Agri-Tech Symposium took place at the National Western Complex and featured 14 diverse speakers, including experts from the German Embassy, the Lower Saxony Farmer’s Association, Bayer Crop Science, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University, and more. Our keynote provided valuable insight on the steps that need to be taken to increase the benefits that AgTech can provide the average German farmer. Education and affordability were key variables in this discussion.

Panel 1 discussed the topic of “Technology, Innovation, and Supply Chains.” Attendees learned more about the correlation between the trajectory of technological innovations in comparison to the practical needs of farmers. Panel 2 opened up the topic of “Sustainability, Climate, and the Consumer,” with a discussion which encompassed both the experience of the local farmer and consumer, as well as the global demographic and economic patterns that will have the largest impact on sustainability.

The event was rounded out by a delicious farm-to-table lunch, catered by CaterWest, and a happy hour with beer provided by Bierstadt Lagerhaus. Thank you again to all of participants and partners!

Vielen Dank!

Program & Presentation

Agri-Tech Symposium Program 2019

10:30am - 11:00am Symposium Check-in
11:00am - 11:30am Welcoming Remarks
An Introduction to Agricultural Economies of Germany and Colorado
11:30am - 12:00pm Farm2Table Lunch Buffet catered by CaterWest
12:00pm - 12:30pm Keynote: Opportunities and Threats of Digitalization for the German Farmer
12:30pm - 1:30pm Exposition of Ag and Technologies
1:30pm - 2:40pm Panel 1 - Technology, Innovation & Supply Chains
2:40pm - 3:10pm Coffee Break & IGNITE Talk
Topic - "From Grapes to Wrath: Wine Within the Age of Climate Change"
3:10pm - 4:20pm Panel 2 - The 2030 Look: Sustainability, Climate, and the Consumer
4:20pm - 4:30pm Closing Remarks, Announcements & Thank Yous
4:30pm - 6:00pm Happy Hour Reception & IGNITE Talk presented by Bayer Crop Science
Topic - "From Dirt to DNA & Back to Dirt"

Agri-Tech Symposium Presentation 2019

Learn more about what our expert speakers had to say about the current Agri-Tech industry and the upcoming challenges and solutions for sustainability. View the Agri-Tech Symposium Presentation.

Speakers & Panelists

Welcoming Remarks
Hermann Huckert
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, German Embassy
Tom Lipetzky
Director, Marketing Programs & Strategic Initiatives
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Keynote: Opportunities & Threats of Digitalization for the German Farmer
Jörn Ehlers
Vice President
Landvolk Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony State Farmers Association)
Panel 1 - Tech, Local Farms, Global Markets
Marc Arnusch - Moderator
Owner
Arnusch Family of Companies, LLC
Dr. Thomas Herlitzius
Professor of Agricultural System & Technology
Technical University of Dresden
Jon Moreland
Managing Director
PETKUS North America, LLC
Chris Schooley
Co-Owner
Troubadour Maltings
Panel 2 - The 2030 Look: Sustainability, Profitability, and Climate
Sarah Bohnenkamp - Moderator
Agriculture Communication Consultant
Sarah J. Bohnenkamp Coaching & Consulting, LLC
Dr. Greg Graff
Professor, Agriculture & Resource Economics
Colorado State University
Andy Knepp
Director of Environmental Strategy & Advocacy
Bayer Crop Science US
Kara Smith
Co-Owner
Colorado Craft Beef, LLC
Chris Uhlig
CEO
Ceres Greenhouse Solutions
IGNITE Talks - Coffee Break & Happy Hour Reception
Simone FM Spinner - Coffee Break
Author & Educator
Wine Rocks & Chasing Grapes
Robert Sakata
Owner
Sakata Farms

Speaking Opportunities

Interested in joining as an expert speaker for our Outdoor Sports & Recreation Symposium fall 2020? Contact Mary Wallace by email or call (720) 772-9630.


German American Business Series (GABS)

Since 2017, the German American Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Chapter has been the proud host of an exciting program promoting international business exchange in Colorado, the German American Business Series (GABS). Since its creation, GABS has highlighted key issues and influenced beneficial change in the German-American business community in Colorado.

Learn more about GABS

Each year, GABS features a symposium that serves as a platform to discuss a topic critical to the Colorado business ecosystem such as advanced energy, in-state manufacturing, agricultural technology, and outdoor sports and recreation. We invite expert speakers from both the United States and Germany who educate our audience on the chosen topic with the goal of inciting business collaborations and investments in a setting specific to the year’s topic.

Every symposium includes a keynote speaker and two panels of national, international, and local experts to discuss the most pressing issues and interesting developments related to the year’s topic. In addition, each symposium has included a tour or interactive experience to immerse participants in the working reality of the Symposium’s theme. Previous Symposiums have included tours of the Advanced Manufacturing Sciences Institute at Metropolitan State University Denver, and of the Energy Systems Integration Facility at NREL.

GACC members enjoy deeply discounted entry to GABS Symposiums and all other GACC-CO events.
Sign up for membership today!

Upcoming & Previous Symposium Topics

Upcoming Symposiums:

  • 2020: Outdoor Sports & Recreation

Previous Symposiums:

  • 2019: Agricultural Technology - Scroll up to learn more about this year's symposium
  • 2018: Advanced Manufacturing
  • 2017: Advanced Energy