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.
Impressions from our Agri-Tech Symposium 2019
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