LINCOLN — The Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board and the Nebraska Sorghum Producers Association will host and moderate a United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit Independent Dialogue on Monday, June 7th. The Dialogue will take place virtually, beginning at 3pm cdt and concluding at 5pm cdt. More information about how the public can participate in the event can be found here: Nexus Nebraska: Collaborative Convergence of Sustainability, Entrepreneurial Development, Healthy Foods, International Aid, and Ag Education – Food Systems Summit Dialogues
Panelists participating in the “Nexus Nebraska: Collaborative Convergence of Sustainability, Entrepreneurial Development, Healthy Foods, International Aid, and Ag Education” include:
- Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program: Director Dr. Tom Field
- Nebraska Food for Health Center: Director Dr. Andrew Benson
- Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Director Dr. Peter McCornick
- The Institute for Ag and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska:
Vice Chancellor Dr. Mike Boehm
- Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture:
Vice Chancellor for Administration and Operations Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture Dr. Ron Rosati
- United Sorghum Checkoff: Director of Sustainability Ms. Kira Everhart-Valentin
- Nebraska Secretary of State: Assistant Secretary of State: Ms. Cindi Allen
- Vivayic: CEO Mr. Seth Derner
- University of Nebraska – Lincoln: One Health Coordinator Dr. Elizabeth VanWormer
- United States Farmers and Ranchers Association/Nebraska Soybean Board: Chairwoman/Treasurer Ms. Anne Meis
- Rainfed Foods: CEO Ms. Sujala Balaji
“We are thrilled to host such a comprehensive panel showcasing Nebraska’s contributions as they relate to stated UN Food Systems summit priorities around Healthy Foods, Sustainability, Economic Prosperity, and Ag Education,” stated Nebraska Sorghum Executive Director, Nate Blum. “Those priorities all converge in, and adjacent to, Nebraska Institutions. This Independent Dialogue is an excellent opportunity to showcase the great work being done in and around Nebraska Agriculture in the public and private sectors. More importantly, this is our chance to help inform state and global policies which will impact agriculture for decades to come. The Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board and the Nebraska Sorghum Producers Association is especially grateful to all of our partner organizations undertaking this critical effort.”
The United Nations Food Systems Summit is scheduled to take place in New York City on September 13, 2021. Per UN Secretary-General Antoìnio Guterres, the Summit “serves as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The Summit will launch bold new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems.
The Summit will awaken the world to the fact that we all must work together to transform the way the world produces, consumes and thinks about food. It is a summit for everyone everywhere – a people’s summit. It is also a solutions summit that will require everyone to take action to transform the world’s food systems.
Guided by five Action Tracks, the Summit will bring together key players from the worlds of science, business, policy, healthcare and academia, as well as farmers, indigenous people, youth organizations, consumer groups, environmental activists, and other key stakeholders. Before, during and after the Summit, these actors will come together to bring about tangible, positive changes to the world’s food systems.” (United Nations, 2021, About the Summit | United Nations)
The seven sorghum farmers serving on the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board administer the check-off assessed on all grain sorghum sold in the state. The board’s annual budget is allocated to the areas of research, market development, and education.
— Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board
For more news from Nebraska, click here.