2024 RFSI Forum | Regenerative Food Systems Investment

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Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum

REGISTRATION OPEN!
October 9-10, 2024 | Denver, CO

stock photo - copy - copy

Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum

REGISTRATION OPEN!
October 9-10, 2024 | Denver, CO

Agenda | Speakers | Bootcamp | Farm Tour | Venue/Hotel | Sponsor

Elevate Your Potential to Drive Transformation

Be Part of the Community Using Capital to Unlock Regeneration

The 2024 RFSI Forum will take place October 9-10 in Denver, Colorado. With 450+ attendees, 45+ speakers and 9+ hours of networking, the Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI) Forum is the ONLY event that exclusively brings together investors, food and agriculture entrepreneurs, and critical stakeholders working to build resilient food systems.

The RFSI Forum is THE gathering for learning the why, how and where to invest capital in agriculture and food for financial and impact returns. Whether you have been engaged in the regenerative space for decades, are ready to dig in to this emerging opportunity, or are just a little curious, this event offers unparalleled insight and networking opportunities.

Don’t miss any updates, sign-up for the RFSI Newsletter here.

<ATTEND ANCHOR>

Attend

Make the commitment to join us today and expect to:

Listen and learn from innovative leaders building and investing in regeneration
Meet with existing and new connections from across agriculture, food, and finance
Find investors and projects to fund
Work toward solutions to challenges holding you and the space back
Advance your goals in this space

Who should attend?

Impact investors, family offices, pension funds, fund managers, foundations, and banks
Financial advisors and other investment services
Entrepreneurs
Farmers, ranchers, and producers
Corporate food companies, emerging brands, agricultural and food service providers
Advocates for healthy food systems

Farmer Scholarships

Farmers and ranchers are an essential part of the regenerative food system and to the ecosystem of capital and solution-builders at the RFSI Forum. To better enable farmers to join the conversation we offered a limited number of Farmer Scholarships to cover registration fees to the RFSI Forum and the RFSI Bootcamp. The winners of the Farmer Scholarships were be announced on August 14, 2024.

We would like to say a very special thank you to The Nest and the generous individuals who contributed to the farmer scholarships!

<PITCH>

RFSI Pitch Session with The First Thirty

Solutions to Accelerate Regeneration

The application period is now closed for the 2024 RFSI Forum Pitch Session on October 9. This exciting pitch session, hosted by The First Thirty, will feature four early stage companies working on diverse solutions to accelerate and enable regenerative agriculture and food systems, pitching to our audience of nearly 500 investors, funders and systems stakeholders.

<AGENDA ANCHOR>

Agenda at a Glance

We have a lot planned for this year’s RFSI Forum – you won’t want to miss a single moment!

October 8: RFSI Bootcamp – a half-day workshop before the main RFSI Forum
October 9-10: RFSI Forum
October 11: Regen Farm & Food Systems Tour

*****

Preliminary RFSI Forum Agenda
*Subject to change.

Day One

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Day 1: Wednesday, October 9

REGISTRATION / OPENING COFFEE | 8:00 am MT

9:00 a.m. MT

Welcome: Regenerative Agriculture Has Arrived!

9:15 a.m. MT

Soil Health: The Foundation for Climate Resilience in Farming, Business, and Investing

Emma Fuller, Fractal Agriculture

Soil health and the way we do agriculture influences farm well-being, climate, water, biodiversity, human health, and so much more. But the way we finance agriculture and food plays a critical role in either enabling or inhibiting the adoption of practices that bring these benefits. Explore these relationships as we frame the conversations for the coming 2 days.

9:30 a.m. MT

Panel: Building Successful Regenerative Farms

Aaron Cardona, Arevalos Farm; Johnny Hunter, Castor River Farms; Kevin Wolz, Canopy Farm Management

Moderated by: John Kempf, Advancing Eco Agriculture

Meet four very different farmers who have made the decision to transition on-farm practices and production systems. Learn what opportunities and obstacles have characterized each of their journeys, where capital has – or could have – played a role, and what is still needed to create thriving, regenerative systems from the farm up.

10:15 a.m. MT

Fireside Chat: Tools for Transitioning Growers at Scale

Charlie Dubbe, Agrology & Eric Morgan, Braga Fresh

COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING | 10:30 a.m. MT

11:10 a.m. MT

Investing in the Missing Links: The Role of Off-Takers for Regenerative

Matt Cohen, Simpli; Cole Mannix, Old Salt Co-op; Elizabeth Sheppard, McCain Foods

Moderated by: Anthony Corsaro, ReGen Brands

Farmers are a critical piece to systems-wide transition to regeneration but they depend in part on the markets that exist for regenerative products. Infrastructure, processing, emerging brands and corporate off-takers need to move in lock-step with the on-farm transition. What investments need to be made into these missing links to ensure this happens?

11:50 a.m. MT

Fireside Chat: Creating Investment Strategies that Embrace a Systemic Approach

Hallie Fox, The Nest & David Leon, Biome Capital Partners

What sets agriculture and food apart from so many other investment opportunities is how it touches nearly every aspect of human existence. this unique interconnected nature means investing in these systems effectively beckons for a systems-based approach.

– What does this look like in an investment strategy?
– What if you have already started investing and want to shift to a systems approach and how does this show up in a portfolio?
– How does one measure outcomes in this approach, especially at the early stage?

12:15 p.m. MT

Case Study: Investing in Agroforestry Systems

Sara Balwajder, Builders Vision; Keavin Hill, Hill Farms; Brett Hundley, Agroforestry Partners; Ethan Steinberg, Propagate

The integration of agroforestry into existing farming systems offers significant benefits – to the farmer, to ecosystem health… and to investors. Learn how capital is being put to work to create these benefits in Keavin Hill’s Kentucky operation.

LUNCH | 12:50 p.m. MT

1:50 p.m. MT

The Expanding Capital Landscape for Agricultural Transition

Patrick Smith, Soil Upside

2:00 p.m. MT

Panel: How Can We Put Capital to Work for Transition?

Moderated by: Patrick Smith, Soil Upside
Jacob Israelow, Dirt Capital; Cortney Renton, Proofing Station

Explore how different types of capital can be invested in regenerative agriculture and food systems transition, what this looks like, and what outcomes can be expected.

2:35 p.m. MT

Case Study: Integrated Finance for the Middle Supply Chain

Amanda Hendy, Terra Regenerative Capital; Kristen Moree, Builders Vision; Philip Taylor, Mad Markets

Moderated by: Calla Rose Ostrander, Terra Regenerative Capital

3:10 p.m. MT

Breakout Workshops & Small Group Discussions

These more intimate session will allow you to go deeper on some of the most pressing issues facing regenerative food systems investment.

Workshop 1: Bridging the Funding Gap: Mobilizing Venture Capital, Philanthropy, and Everything In Between for Regenerative Agriculture

Connie Bowen, Farmhand Ventures & Eva Goulbourne, Littlefoot Ventures

Explore the critical need for a diversified funding approach to support and scale regenerative agriculture projects. By leveraging the strengths of venture capital alongside concessionary public and philanthropic dollars, we can create a robust financial ecosystem that accelerates the transition to regenerative farming practices. Designed specifically for alternative asset fund managers, investors, and philanthropists, this session will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the unique roles each type of funding can play and how they can be effectively combined to maximize impact. Attendees will leave equipped with actionable strategies and insights to attract and deploy these diverse funding sources to their regenerative agriculture initiatives.

Workshop 2: Breaking Down Silos: Creating Systems Change that Aligns Across Sectors

Facilitated by: Rex Raimond, Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS)

Workshop 3: The Growing Demand Pull for Regenerative: Where Are We Today & What’s Your Role?

Ryan Pintado-Vertner, Smoketown

Workshop 4: Post-COVID Commitments to Equity: Where Do We Go from Here?

Facilitated by: Candace Spencer, Meridian Institute

COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING | 4:10 pm MT

4:45 p.m. MT

Deciphering the Chaos: Carbon & Biodiversity Market Update

Lauren Gifford, Associate Director of the Soil Carbon Solutions Center at Colorado State University

Conceptually, carbon markets offer a win-win for farmers and investors but the market is still nascent and it can be hard for farmers and investors to decipher the latest science and program. Get the latest market update, plus the status of biodiversity credits and what else is coming down the pike for ecosystem service markets.

5:10 p.m. MT

Regenerative Food Systems Pitch Session – hosted by The First Thirty

Hosted by: Antony Yousefian, The First Thirty

Hear from 4 innovative start-ups working on new tools to accelerate regeneration. Apply to pitch here!

5:55 p.m. MT

Closing of Day 1

EVENING RECEPTION | 6:00-7:30 p.m. MT

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Day One

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Day 2: Thursday, October 10

REGEN OATMEAL BAR & NETWORKING | 8:00 am MT

Brought to you by:

9:00 a.m. MT

Welcome

9:10 a.m. MT

Risk & Returns: How Will They Shape the Future of Regenerative Investments?

9:30 a.m. MT

Featured Discussion: The Next 10 Years of Regenerative Finance Innovation

Alexander Bashian, The Rockefeller Foundation; Renee Cheung, Bonterra Partners; Amanda Pinelli, NatureX; Wood Turner, Agriculture Capital

Moderated by: David Bennell, Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS)

10:10 .m. MT

Key Lessons from a Decade in Farming and Finance Transformation

Anna Jones-Crabtree, Vilicus Farms & Chris Zuehlsdorff, Iroquois Valley Farms

After more than a decade of working on investments agricultural transition on the farm, what key lessons can both funders and farmers offer to inform future investment in the space?

COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING | 10:30 a.m. MT

11:10 a.m. MT

The Necessary Ingredients for Scaled Capital, Acres, and Impacts

11:15 a.m. MT

Institutional Scale Investment Regeneration: What Does it Take and When Will We See More?

11:40 a.m. MT

Panel: Building Financial Infrastructure & Project Capacity to Scale Investment

Jeff Bos, Soil & Climate Alliance; Skya Ducheneaux, Akiptan; Shea Flanagan, Conservation Resources; Erica Goodman, American Farmland Trust

Some of the most critical financial infrastructure needed to expand food systems transformation are that of the intermediaries that hold the on the ground expertise and relationships needed successfully deploy capital at scale. Dig into the role of these diverse intermediaries and how each can facilitate investment across systems.

12:20 p.m. MT

Ecosystem Transformative Capital: A Case for the Regenerative Pathway

Diane Christophore, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance & Reginaldo Haslett-Maroquin, Tree Range Farms

LUNCH | 12:40 p.m. MT

1:45 p.m. MT

Unlocking Creative Strategies & Vehicles to Enable Diverse Capital Participation

Mitch Rubin, Elemental Excelerator

2:15 p.m. MT

Breakout Workshops & Small Group Discussions

These more intimate session will allow you to go deeper on some of the most pressing issues facing regenerative food systems investment.

Workshop 1: Enhancing Brand & Consumer Confidence with Resilient Supply Webs and Creative Financial Strategies

David Cooper, DAF Capital Partners & Alissa Knapp, Grows Together Consulting

Delve into how to collaboratively create a regenerative supply network for alternative ingredients where every stakeholder wins. This exploration of systemic change applies universally as we examine a diversified and transitional food system that requires coordinated transformation across farms, processing, brands and retail – as well as finance. There is remarkable entrepreneurship required to meet the nuanced barriers that face each of these players. We’ll ask key questions: How is the transition progressing? How can our actions contribute to the greater good? Who will bear the costs?

Workshop 2: The Integral Role of Water & How Investments Can Influence This

Workshop 3: The American Health Collapse & How to Invest in a More Nutritious Future

Nora LaTorre, Eat Real

3:10 p.m. MT

The Policy Landscape & The Role It Can Play in Enabling Capital Flows

Maggie Monast, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

The past two years of U.S. policy has opened a relative floodgate of public funding to climate smart and regenerative agriculture. What are the various roles that policy can play in de-risking capital to move into the the regenerative space.

3:35 p.m. MT

Changing Incentives: The Role of Insurance Markets in Incentivizing (or Not) Regeneration

Jonathan Sherrill, Aon

The risks and costs of current agricultural systems are becoming increasingly obvious. However, current insurance systems are not built to account for and address these risks. How might insurance, policy and Agriculture evolve to meet this challenge?

3:50 p.m. MT

Action Plan for Systemic Transformation

John Kempf, Advancing Eco-Agriculture; Tina Owens, Snowehaven Regeneration

4:35 p.m. MT

Closing Remarks

CLOSING DRINKS | 4:45-6:00 p.m. MT

*****
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<SPEAKERS>

Speakers

Preliminary speaker list. Check back soon – we’re adding more speakers every week!

Connie Bowen is passionate about driving more investment towards improving agrifood systems in an intentionally inclusive way. She actively does this as a co-founder of Farmhand Ventures, an impact venture studio focused on building the future of work in ag. She's also a Venture Investor with The Yield Lab Europe, co-founder of The Yield Lab Institute, and co-creator of the Women in Agrifood Directory.

Connie BowenFarmhand Ventures | Founding General Partner

Sara Balawajder is a Director of Investments on the Builders Initiative Investment Team and is energized by finding scalable market solutions that not only drive positive climate impact, but also deliver financial returns. In her role, Sara seeks to leverage alternative investment strategies that best align incentives for various stakeholders, and with an eye towards systems change. Sara leads an investment vehicle focused on sustainable food and agriculture. Her strategy makes investments utilizing early-stage direct equity checks, creative debt financing, and anchoring fund managers to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable food system that affords healthy food to all. Additionally, Sara supports the private investment activity of the Builders Initiative endowment and helped establish the group’s emerging fund manager program. Sara has over 10 years of institutional investment experience. Previously, Sara worked at Hall Capital Partners and helped manage global, diversified portfolios for ultra-high net worth families, endowments, and foundations. It was during her tenure that Sara developed her passion for impact investing and assisted the firm launch its first Full Consequence Investment Fund. Sara holds a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University. In her free time, Sara loves to spend time with her family, cook, golf, ski, and is a novice gardener.

Sara BalawajderBuilders Initiative Investment Team | Director of Investments

David Bennell is a leading Sustainability professional with over 25 years of experience with corporations and investors, as well as with many of the world’s top NGOs and philanthropic foundations. He’s a managing director the $28 billion Transformational Investing in Food Systems Initiative and an investor in start-ups focused on digital climate solutions and bioscience. He worked in the corporate sector for three prominent corporations leading R&D, leadership development and sustainability programs and held a 5-year appointment at MIT as adjunct faculty in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. David helped co-found the for-profit social enterprise company CottonConnect (a 2012 finalist for World’s Most Ethical Company), helped launch a multimillion-dollar USA impact investing fund focused on rural economic development, and co-created and led the global apparel industry standards non-profit Textile Exchange. David wrote and presents one of the world’s most watched sustainability education courses viewable on Linked In Learning (titled Sustainability Strategies) named the #1 global course for impact investors. He serves on the board at Wolfe’s Neck Center, home of the global agriculture technology platform OpenTEAM, and is a board director at American Forests, the USA’s oldest forest conservation organization founded in 1876.

David BennellTransformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS) | Managing Director

Jeff Bos is the Managing Director (acting) for Green America’s Soil & Climate Initiative, a holistic farm-to-shelf regenerative agriculture program with options for third-party verification. SCI’s offers an ecosystem of services for food companies, foundations and investors who are looking to funding regenerative transition while tracking science-based outcomes on the ground. SCI’s Regenerative Transition Services supports farmers, investors, foundations and food companies to accelerate and scale the transition to regenerative agriculture. With over 250,000 acres already in transition, across 23 states, and

Jeff BosSoil & Climate Initiative | Managing Director

Aaron Cardona is a third generation Mexican-American farmer who farms organic grains and vegetables at Arevalos Farm in McNeal, AZ. The farm, which was started by Grandfather Gilbert Arevalos in the 1950s, continues to operate with the support of 3 generations of the Arevalos Bloodline. The belief was that organic farming was the best way for small farms to make a living wage. Due to the many struggles that small farmers face, Aaron founded the Sulphur Springs Valley Produce Cooperative. With a motto of collaboration instead of competition, the co-op works together and markets collectively to provide quality organic produce to the local food shed. Most recently, he has established a nonprofit, F.O.C.O. (Farmers Organizing and Creating Opportunities), led by farmers, to provide technical assistance to other farmers, as well as elevate a farmer voice and perspective to issues and policies which will ensure the future of rural farming communities.

Aaron CardonaArevalos Farm

David co-creates funding strategies at DAF Capital Partners. He and his team create opportunities that match risk with return and reconnect impact investors to the entrepreneur's performance. David’s work is focused on an industry-wide commitment to agroecological, social, environmental, and climate impact investing and asset management. David has 20-plus years of experience directing the acquisition, alternative financing, ownership, and disposition of early-stage mission- and purpose-driven entrepreneurs. He brings a deep knowledge of equity and debt transactions, including due diligence, structuring, closing, and operational management. He has a track record of profitable impact investing and strategic advising. David has long-standing relationships with crucial multi-cycle finance, growth, and disposition industry champions.

David CooperDAF Capital Partners

Anthony Corsaro is an entrepreneur, investor, and regenerative agriculture evangelist whose mission is to help heal our people and planet through ventures that inspire the production and consumption of healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Anthony is the Managing Director at Outlaw Ventures: a family office backing the rebels, radicals, and revolutionaries building the better food system of tomorrow. Outlaw Ventures is in the process of raising a venture capital fund to invest in early-stage regenerative consumer brands. Anthony is also the Creator and Co-Host of The ReGen Brands Podcast: a podcast about the consumer brands supporting regenerative agriculture and how they’re changing the world. He is also a Co-Founder of Regen Coalition: a non-profit trade association of regenerative CPG brands working to solve the biggest problems facing regenerative brands in a collective and collaborative fashion. Anthony’s family has been deeply involved in the food system for almost 100 years since his orphaned grandfather started selling fresh produce in the early 1930s. That business grew into one of the leading regional fresh produce distributors in the country and today serves 2,500+ retail customers in 20 states. Anthony helped steward the most recent growth phase of the company as a third-generation contributor and executive leader in the business. His professional background in food distribution and personal health journey led him to his work in building regenerative food systems.

Anthony CorsaroOutlaw Ventures | Founder & Managing Director

Diane is the Executive Director at the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance, the non-profit backbone organization for the Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agriculture (PCRA) Ecosystem. She is responsible for aligning the priorities of the organization and ensuring the ecosystem’s social, economic and ecological criteria remain intact as it grows in scope and scale. Diane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Food Systems Studies at the Evergreen State College (Olympia, Wa) and pursued a career that centers on her passion for stewardship, socially responsible strategies and regenerative outcomes. She augmented her education by earning an International Permaculture Design Certificate from the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies (Dutchess County, NY). Previously, Diane worked as the Community Engagement Director for a Minnesota farm-table restaurant, Birchwood Cafe and Regional Infrastructure Director for a transitional healthcare group purchasing organization, Homeplate Holdings LLC.

Diane ChristoforeRegenerative Agriculture Alliance | Executive Director

Tim Crosby is Principal of the Thread Fund, Steering Committee Member Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Chair Transformational Investing in Food Systems Initiative, and advisor to numerous projects. He has developed a regional food hub, a loan loss reserve fund at a credit union, researched a logic model gap between for-profit and non-profit investors, and partnered to develop a sustainable ag loan program at a CDFI. Prior, Tim was a professional photographer and graphic designer. Tim holds a Sustainable MBA from Presidio University and a BA in Anthropology from Kenyon College.

Tim CrosbyThread Fund & Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS) | Principal & Chair

Julie Davenson

Skya Ducheneaux is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and spent her first 18 years of life on a cattle ranch on the CRST Reservation in South Dakota. She has a MBA in Business Administration. She previously spent her summers interning for the Intertribal Agriculture Council, where she was introduced to the Native CDFI world (Community Development Financial Institution). Skya worked diligently to create the first national Native CDFI dedicated to Indian agriculture, which launched in 2019. Skya remains connected to agriculture, just from the other side of the table.

Skya DucheneauxAkiptan | Executive Director

Charlie brings over 10 years of on the ground experience in regenerative and organic agriculture. He has been the COO at a variety of farms on the central coast of CA, managing commercial blueberry production, diversified veggie operations, and hemp seed production. He is the co-founder of ReCommon, a climate impact startup that creates public goods infrastructure to support community-held lands across the globe, such as the Regenerative Community Land Trust (RCLT) model. At Agrology, Charlie leads regenerative partnerships and business development. With real-time, continuous soil respiration and carbon flux monitoring, Agrology allows the soil to speak, facilitating a more robust dialogue between farmers and their soil microbiomes. This empowers farmers to tie their practices to real-world soil health outcomes, and optimize their regenerative programs within their unique context. When not thinking about plants or soil life, you are likely to find Charlie surfing, kayaking, or hiking in the mountains around his home in Santa Cruz, CA.

Charlie DubbeAgrology | Head of Regenerative Partnerships

Shea joined Conservation Resources in 2021 and serves as the Director of Sustainability and Strategy. She brings to the group a background in natural resources and conservation transactions. Previously, Shea developed forest carbon initiatives in Latin America with the BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group, and market-based conservation solutions to advance sustainable water and agriculture programs in the Western US with LegacyWorks Group. Prior to these positions, she held several roles focused on land, water and habitat conservation with The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire and the Adirondacks. Shea holds a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College, and an MEM from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. She is a member of the Women’s Forest Congress and previously was a board fellow for The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut.

Shea FlanaganConservation Resources | Director of Sustainability and Strategy

Hallie FoxThe Nest | Senior Associate

Emma Fuller leads data science and impact underwriting at Fractal Ag, where she focuses on integrating both climate risk and soil health into land valuations while also overseeing Fractal’s regenerative theory of change. Before cofounding Fractal, Emma co-created Corteva Agriscience's carbon program while also leading Sustainability Science. She earned a PhD in ecology at Princeton and has held several roles in data science and sustainability at both Granular and Corteva, including developing AcreValue’s first comparables-based land valuation model. Emma and her husband live on Vashon Island, WA where they have a horse-powered organic produce farm supporting a 40 person CSA.

Emma FullerFractal Agriculture | Co-Founder

Bert is the founder of Impact Ag Partners whose expertise has been instrumental in the strategic approach the asset management company has taken to real asset investing in ag and creating value for investment partners. Bert has turned his 25 years of agribusiness experience towards asset management to meet the growing demand from investors who wish to invest in Ag as a profitable impact investment and NbS in addressing climate change. IAP has over $600m of AUM across Australia & North America under separate managed accounts. These assets have produced 2% increase in soil carbon sequestration and realized $1 million in soil carbon sales along with other natural capital co-benefits.

Bert GloverImpact Ag Partners | Managing Director

Erica Goodman is American Farmland Trust’s Farms for a New Generation Director. She leads national efforts to connect a new generation of farmers and ranchers with land in ways that support viability today and resiliency for the future. She previously served as the Deputy Director and Director for AFT’s New York Regional program where she helped launch Farmland for a New Generation New York, the top-ranked state sponsored farmlink program in the country. Erica grew up on a family dairy farm in upstate New York where she saw firsthand the challenges and opportunities of generational transition. Residing in Saratoga County, she also serves as representative-at-large for urban, suburban, and rural non-farm interests on the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee.

Erica GoodmanAmerican Farmland Trust | Farms for a New Generation Director

Eva Goulbourne, Founder & CEO of Littlefoot, is a seasoned food systems strategist and philanthropy advisor with 17 years of experience driving change in global agriculture and food issues. Her expertise spans various sectors, including foodservice, restaurant, and retail industries, as well as food and climate philanthropy spaces.  Through Littlefoot Ventures, Eva empowers businesses, nonprofits, investors, and foundations to future-proof the food system. Her strategy and implementation firm offers a range of services, including food waste reduction implementation, corporate philanthropy advising, nonprofit fundraising support, strategic communications development, marketing, and impact narrative strategy. Eva's client portfolio includes some of the most transformational leaders in the food industry, ranging from multinational CPGs and foodservice operators to emerging brands, technology providers, grocery retailers, trade associations, and family and corporate foundations.

Eva GoulbourneLittlefoot | Founder & CEO

Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin is the co-founder/CEO of Tree-Range Farms, farmer Salvatierra Farms, founder/board president Regenerative Agriculture Alliance, and co-founder of Regenerative Agriculture Solutions.

Reginaldo Haslett-MarroquinTree-Range Farms | Co-Founder & CEO

Amanda HendyTerra Regenerative Capital

Keavin Hill raises corn and soybeans across Pickaway, Franklin, and Adams County Ohio, and Mason and Flemings County Kentucky. Since the 1980's he's embraced and pioneered sustainable agricultural practices including biological fertilization and no-till techniques. Mr. Hill has participated in the Cargill regenerative program since its inception and is part of Cargill's new agroforestry partnership program for carbon sequestration. In the last 2 years Keavin converted 2000 acres he farms to chestnuts in partnership with Agroforestry Partners creating the largest chestnut orchard in North America which is on track to expand to 3500 acres of chestnut production by the end of 2027. When he isn't spending time with his family Keavin enjoys a day spent on a bulldozer or excavator which he refers to as his heavy machinery therapy sessions.

Keavin HillHill Farms

Brett is the president of Agroforestry Partners (AP), an alternative impact investment fund designed to implement agroforestry practices on American farms in pursuit of economic and nature-based returns. AP solves for the financial and technical hurdles associated with agroforestry/regenerative agriculture adoption, and it aims to be a positive force for solving cultural hurdles that slow this transition, as well. Prior to Agroforestry Partners, Brett worked in the ESG & Sustainability Advisory Solutions practice at FTI Consulting, advising corporate clients and asset managers on their sustainability programming and communications. Prior to FTI, Brett spent 15 years as a sell-side equity research analyst covering the packaged food and agribusiness industries in North America and EMEA for BB&T Capital Markets (now Truist), The Vertical Group, and Seaport Global. His sustainability research areas include climate adaptation planning, natural resource systems mapping, U.S. environmental law, and global ESG reporting standards, frameworks, and ratings. Brett graduated from the University of Scranton with a BS in Finance and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with a MS degree in Natural Resources.

Brett HundleyAgroforestry Partners | President

Jacob started Dirt Capital Partners in 2013 as a platform to channel private investment in support of farmland access, conservation and long-term land security for regenerative farmers and ranchers. The company’s unique approach has been featured in the Transformative 25 (a list of funds shifting power and mobilizing capital for financial justice); The New York Times Food for Tomorrow Conference; Modern Farmer Magazine; and the ImpactAssets 50. Jacob chairs Dirt Capital’s Investment Committee and also serves on the New York Advisory Council of American Farmland Trust and the Investment Committee for Belltown Farms. He previously served on the Board of the National Young Farmers Coalition for 10 years from 2013-2023 including several years as Treasurer. Previously, Jacob was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in Asia, where he acquired and developed real estate and infrastructure on behalf of the firm. He has an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a BA from Williams College.

Jacob IsraelowDirt Capital Partners | Founder & Managing Partner

Anna and her husband Doug own and manage Vilicus Farms, a first generation, organic, 12,500 acre dryland crop farm in Northern Hill County, Montana growing a diverse array of organic heirloom and specialty grain, pulse, oilseed and broadleaf crops under five and seven-year rotations. In fifteen seasons, Vilicus Farms grew from 1,280 acres using USDA’s beginning farmer programs, employing extensive conservation practices, and fostering unique risk sharing relationships with food companies, land investment firms and individuals that care about having an intact planet. Over 26% of their land is in non-crop conservation and 300 acres seeded to native pollinator habitat. Annually they seed over 3,000 acres of cover crops, and use integrated grazing. Vilicus Farms became Bee Better certified and Real Organic Project Certified in 2019. They received Regenerative Organic silver certification in 2024. They have hosted 14 apprentices, many interns and more farm campers than can be counted. Their value-added enterprise sells identity preserved rye direct to distillers, bakers and eaters. Anna currently is on the Xerces Society Bee Better Advisory Board, and serves as Chair of the Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT’s Board of Directors. She is the Executive Director for Vilicus Institute, a land-based learning laboratory with the mission of supporting social and economic conditions conducive to life for organic farmers on the Northern Great Plains. Anna served on the USDA Secretary’s Advisory Council on Beginning Farmers & Ranchers and is a Donella Meadows Sustainability Leadership Fellow. In 2010 she received the White House Greening the Government Sustainability Hero Award. Given the realities of agriculture, she still holds an off-farm position as with the Northern Region of the US Forest Service. Anna holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a minor in Sustainable Systems from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Anna Jones-CrabtreeOwner/Farmer Vilicus Farms & Executive Director Vilicus Institute

John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture, a regenerative agronomy consulting company. John is the host of the Regenerative Agriculture podcast, and is known for developing crop nutrition management systems that increase yields and profitability while reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

John KempfAdvancing Eco Agriculture | Founder

Alisa Knapp grew up at Green Gulch Farm Zen Buddhist Meditation Center in Northern California and has dedicated her career to building a more resilient food system. From global food service operations to CPG innovation and fine dining to policy- Alisa has worked across the food industry and believes we are poised for a paradigm shift where the focus can now be regeneration through innovation. She is passionate about accelerating farmland transition to organic and regenerative through demand and market generation for biodiverse ingredients. Alisa is the founder and principle at Grows Together Consulting where she advises on full cycle innovation and growth strategy for consumer brands of all sizes.

Alisa KnappGrows Together Consulting | Founder & Principle

Nora LaTorre is the CEO of EatReal.org, a mom, Board Member, Health Advocate and Strategic Advisor and all around go-getter. As CEO of Eat Real, an award-winning systems change nonprofit, she supports her team to nourish the future by working with 600+ schools to improve childhood nutrition and solve the root cause of the health crisis facing future generations. The White House recently celebrated the nonprofit’s national impact. Additionally, Nora is a board member of One Green Thing, a Tufts Nutrition Security Council member, and a member of the CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture Advisor on Health, Data, and Systems. She is part of XPRIZE, HATCH and is Chairwoman of the Aspen Institute Socrates Scholars program as well as a leader on numerous national public health coalitions. Nora contributed to the White House Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Conference and is a top speaker at global conferences. Her impact has been highlighted by ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, Fast Company and beyond. She was just onstage at TED and launched a research initiative with Stanford. Nora built her career sparking the conscious consumer movement, working with and advising nonprofits, startups and Fortune 500 companies on the triple bottom line and consumer activation. She works to inspire results and collaboration. She invests in future-changing ideas, female leaders, and rising stars. Nora is motivated by her two small children and her love of big days in the mountains.

Nora LaTorreEat Real | CEO

David LeonBiome Capital & Farmer’s Footprint

Cole is part of an extended family that has ranched together near Helmville, MT since 1882. In undergrad at Carroll College he studied biology, then philosophy, then in graduate school at Boston College he studied theology. From ‘12-’16 he got a bath in business working for a valiant startup beef cooperative that failed. Then he tried and failed to acquire a struggling jerky business. From ’17-’20 he worked for Western Landowners Alliance in their mission to advance policies and practices that sustain working lands, connected landscapes, and native species. As a co-founder of Old Salt Co-op he is building a regenerative agriculture for damn fine Montana meat. He was part of Helena’s 20 under 40 class of 2022 and in 2023 was named Montana Ambassadors Entrepreneur of the Year. He and spouse Eileen Brennan live in Helena with two sons, Finn and Charlie.

Cole MannixOld Salt Co-op | Co-Founder

Kristen Moree is a Senior Investment Associate at Builders Vision, where she supports the Builders Initiative Investment Team’s food and agriculture investment strategy. This strategy makes investments utilizing early-stage direct equity checks, creative debt financing, and anchoring fund managers to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable food system that affords healthy food to all. Additionally, Kristen supports the private investment activity of the Builders Initiative endowment. Prior to Builders Vision, Kristen worked at Bio-Logical Capital, a food & agriculture real asset management, owner-operator, & strategy consulting firm, where she was an early team member of a pioneering regenerative farm, food processing center, market, restaurant and soil health research center and a founding team member of Colorado’s first outdoor rooftop farm. She holds an MBA from Duke University and a BA from Colorado College. Outside of work, you can find Kristen climbing rocks or baking a new recipe out of her kitchen in Berkeley, CA.

Kristen MoreeDirector of Investments on the Builders Initiative Investment Team

Eric MorganBraga Fresh of Vice President of Environmental Science and Resources

Calla Rose Ostrander is a founding partner of Terra Regenerative Capital, an investment group focused on catalyzing the adoption of climate smart agriculture in the United States through the development of robust national supply chains. She works with leading scientists, farmers, ranchers, business entrepreneurs, policy makers and capital providers to plan for and develop regenerative regional economies that restore financial, social and environmental health. Before co-founding Terra Regen, Calla Rose served as a strategic advisor to the State of California’s Natural Resources Agency and Office of the First Partner to support the inclusion of nature based climate solutions in the State’sClimate Strategy and related funding programs. She has spent the last decade working to pass state soil health policies, develop functional science, and helping philanthropic partners and consumer brands to support the emergence of the regenerative agriculture movement. Before her time in climate smart agriculture she co-authored the City of Aspen's Climate Action Plan, the second municipal climate action plan in the nation, and led climate policy and planning for the City & County of San Francisco. Calla Rose is also a classically trained cellist and a science communicator; she has a weekly public radio show and podcast Rain & Shine, co-authored the short film the Soil Story, and served as a science advisor to the films Kiss the Ground and Fantastic Fungi. She attended Waldorf School in Boulder Colorado K-12, received her bachelor degree in International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound, and was a communications and economic development fellow with the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Calla Rose OstranderTerra Regenerative Capital | Founding Partner

Tina is a systems leader, strategist and futurist within the Organic and Regenerative Agriculture movements in the United States. Her background spans two decades within the world’s largest food companies and includes leading transformational shifts in food and agriculture systems via supply and operations as it relates to on-farm profitability, sustainability, regenerative agriculture financing, consumer activism related to clean label and organics, plus unfolding food as medicine and nutrient dense systems. Tina holds multiple board and advisory positions across the regenerative agriculture movement. From 2022 to 2024 Tina co-founded and led the Nutrient Density Alliance, an effort to link consumer demand to regenerative agriculture and shore up the demand systems needed to support safe framer transition into regenerative systems. From 2018-2022 Tina worked for Danone North America where she was the Senior Director of Food & Agriculture Impact and developed the first stacked financing program within the CPG regenerative movement, comprised of millions of dollars in grant, philanthropic, and impact investing capital directly available to key farming partners. Tina worked at Kellogg Company from 2001-2018 on food systems transformation and sustainability for some of the world’s largest organic brands. She walks the talk through regeneration of the land on her own family farm in Michigan where Tina and her family raise heritage, pastured animals for nutrient dense outcomes, to regenerate their land, and to provide a deeper understanding as it relates to scaling regional regenerative food systems.

Tina OwensSnowehaven Regeneration | Principal, Regenerative Agriculture Consulting

$Ryan Pintado-Vertner is a Chicago-based activist and strategic marketing veteran with two decades of experience guiding the strategy, marketing and innovation choices of Fortune-level brands, startups, and nonprofit organizations. He earned his MBA from the Haas School of Business at U.C.-Berkeley. Ryan believes it’s not enough to create yet another brand in the marketplace. We have to go beyond the basics to create brands that will bring more justice, regeneration, equity and wellness to the world. He is the Founder & CEO at Smoketown, a boutique brand consultancy whose fractional CMO services and strategy practice help mission-driven consumer brands maximize their growth and build more traction, while having meaningful ESG impact. Clients include Bragg Live Foods, Purely Elizabeth and DeeBee’s Organics. He is also an advisor at Trailhead Capital and Whipstitch Capital, and a co-founder of (included), the largest peer network of BIPOC CEOs in the CPG industry.$ Ryan Pintado-VertnerSmoketown | Founder & CEO

Rex Raimond has more than 20 years of experience developing strategy and building effective partnerships for sustainable and equitable food systems. He applies his partnership-building skills to help build a movement among concessional, impact and commercial investors, companies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to increase investing in principles-aligned food system businesses that are economically viable and deliver sustainable impact. Rex has worked on many aspects of food and agricultural systems transformation, including sustainable finance, crop insurance and agricultural policy, market incentives for soil health practices, sustainable supply chains, food safety, science and emerging technologies, sustainable landscape planning, and climate change. Rex is a multi-lingual, international environmental lawyer. Prior to joining the TIFS Initiative, he built partnerships at Meridian Institute, practiced environmental and land-use law in the Netherlands, and supported rural development projects in Zimbabwe. He lives in Colorado, USA with his wife and three children. He has lived in the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zimbabwe.

Rex RaimondTIFS Initiative

Cortney RentonProofing Station | Executive Director

Jonathan serves as Senior Vice President of Business Development at AON helping organizations access and leverage risk capital for regenerative agriculture initiatives to improve and protect the resilience of their supply base and physical assets. Food, agribusiness and beverage industry respondents to AON’s 2023 Global Risk Management Survey noted the industry’s growing vulnerability to business interruption. A key evolving driver of disruption stems from climate change effects, adding climate change and weather and natural disasters to the industry’s top 10 current risk list at numbers five and six, respectively. And climate change ties directly to the industry’s top-ranked risk, commodity price risk or scarcity of materials, highlighting how some companies see yield or production volatility because of climate change while others face volume reductions following extreme weather events. Jonathan and his colleagues are developing new solutions to de-risk exposures arising from transition and infrastructure investments; to protect producers while implementing regenerative agriculture; and to ultimately to mitigate these top risks and volatility for clients.

Jonathan SherrillAON | Senior Vice President of Business Development

Patrick is the Founder and CEO Soil Upside. We help producers navigate the on-farm economics of regenerative transition. We do that by aggregating data about the financial vehicles available for transition including public incentives, market demand, lending products, corporate insetting programs, emerging risk products, philanthropic programs and more. Patrick is a member of the board of directors of the Climate Collaborative. Previously, he was the managing partner at Wolf Tree Ventures and the founder and CEO of food-as-medicine platform Territory Foods. He's been building impact-focused technology companies for 20+ years.

Patrick SmithSoil Upside | Founder & CEO

Candace Spencer is a Mediator and Program Manager in Meridian Institute’s Washington DC office. She concentrates on food and agriculture, with a focus on racial equity in agriculture. Her portfolio includes creating a guidebook to assist conservation professionals in equitably delivering technical assistance to historically underserved communities and developing regional hubs across the United States to serve farmers of color. Candace is an attorney who is passionate about Black farmland ownership, food sovereignty, and racial equity. Her prior experience includes policy advocacy on agriculture structure issues, such as crop insurance, commodity payment reform, and livestock competition, and legal clinical education with the University of Florida College of Law Conservation Clinic focused on heirs property, community economic development, and urban agriculture policy. Candace lives in DC and has the most fun baking dairy-free desserts, swinging in her hammock, and embracing the summer heat (she’s a native Floridian!).

Candace SpencerMeridian Institute | Mediator & Program Manager

Ethan is the CEO at Propagate, an entrepreneur and startup growth expert. He co-founded Propagate to make it easier for farms to turn a profit when adopting agroforestry practices and is passionate about using business to deliver climate solutions. Prior to co-founding Propagate, Ethan spent his career leading growth strategy and sustainability initiatives at startups as well as consumer facing companies and sports entities. He holds a B.A. in Social Justice & Sustainability from Miami University.

Ethan SteinbergPropagate | CEO

Philip Taylor, Ph.D. (he/him) is the Executive Director of Mad Agriculture. He co-founded the organization in 2016 with his life partner, Nicole Brinks, to reimagine and restore our relationship to the land, sea, and each other through good agriculture. Prior to founding Mad Ag, Philip was a career global ecologist who specialized in ecosystem and soil carbon cycling. His research ranged widely, from understanding soil ecology and ecosystem biogeochemistry to exploring solutions to the sustainability challenges of agriculture. Philip’s work has been published in numerous journals, including Nature, Nature Climate Change, and Ecology, and he has diverse international experience in both private and public sectors, having led research and business efforts throughout North America, Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Now, he is bringing his entire being into Mad Agriculture—his life’s work, until he returns to the soil.

Philip TaylorMad Agriculture | Executive Director & Co-Founder

Sami Tellatin is the co-founder and chief operating officer of FarmRaise, an agtech company that delivers software to help farmers master their farm finances. Sami’s career has focused on increasing farmer financial access and climate smart practice adoption, starting with sustainable agriculture research and project management roles at the USDA-SARE program and University of Missouri Extension. Sami has also spent time in the field, working as a research associate for the MU Center for Agroforestry and building composting and water recycling systems for small farms in Missouri and Costa Rica. In her free time, Sami writes on her substack - AgPunk - about a positive future for climate and agriculture and enjoys gravel biking and paddle boarding in natural landscapes. Sami holds a bachelor's degree in biological engineering from the University of Missouri and master’s degrees in agricultural land use and business administration from Stanford University.

Sami TellatinFarmRaise | Co-Founder and COO

Wood has worked for 30 years with international NGOs, public agencies, and consumer brands to develop ideas that restore environmental quality, regenerate working landscapes, and build community. He was previously the VP Sustainability Innovation at Stonyfield Farm, an organic pioneer then part of the Danone Group, and the founding executive director of Climate Counts. He has advised Sustainable Brands and Harvard’s Center for Health and the Global Environment and now sits on boards for the Duke University Campus Farm and the Center for Good Food Purchasing. He began a five-year appointment to the National Organic Standards Board in early 2020 and is leading a regenerative transition of his family’s farm in North Carolina. Wood has an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a graduate degree in urban and environmental planning and design from the University of Washington.

Wood TurnerAgriculture Capital | Senior Vice President

Kevin’s work as a farmer, scientist, non-profit co-founder (Savanna Institute), and CEO of Canopy is emblematic of his deep-rooted drive to transform agriculture into a natural climate solution. Kevin is leading Canopy to drive innovation in tree establishment and management via a mobile fleet of state-of-the-art farm equipment, appropriate automation, and holistic strategies for tree-crop integration. Prior to Canopy, Kevin co-founded the Savanna Institute in 2013, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and promoting perennial and tree-based regenerative agriculture systems.

Kevin Wolz, PhDCanopy Farm Management | CEO

Antony Yousefian passionately believes in harnessing technology for a meaningful impact. As a Partner at The First Thirty, he is at the forefront of addressing the critical finance gap in nature-based solutions, channelling investments into early-stage innovators dedicated to regenerating soils and revitalizing natural ecosystems. His journey began in asset management, where he developed a profound commitment to ESG and impact investment. This path led to significant roles in tech, including scaling 30MHz’s agricultural IoT solutions and founding Bx to help farms quantify their ecological footprint. Antony also lends his strategic expertise to Wiliot, focusing on the application of Ambient IoT in the circular economy. Additionally, he supports the Tech Nation Climate Program, the Earth Shot Prize, and chairs the Advisory Board at Agrimetrics.

Antony YousefianThe First Thirty | Partner

Amanda joined Dirt Capital Partners in 2022 and is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and closing new investments. She has a background in commercial real estate acquisitions and a passion for impact investing in sustainable agriculture. In roles at Strategic Office Partners (a platform of TPG Real Estate), Angelo Gordon, and W. P. Carey, Amanda acquired ~$2B in predominately single tenant real estate, including office, industrial, and retail properties. Additionally, she worked on social impact investments in the food and agricultural sphere as an angel investor, consultant, and entrepreneur, with groups such as Slow Money NYC, Blue Marble Ice Cream, and Local Farms Fund. Amanda received a B.S. in Finance and Accounting and a M.A. in Food Studies from New York University. She is also a CFA® charterholder and serves on the board of Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders (SAFSF). Previously, she served as a board member of the CFA Society of Phoenix and the Orange County Land Trust.

Amanda ZakharovDirt Capital Partners | Director of Investments

Chris serves as Chief Executive Officer at Iroquois Valley, where he combines his investment management experience and personal farming background in support of the strategic vision of the organization. Prior to joining Iroquois Valley, Chris served as Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Investments at EnTrust Global, an alternative investment firm based in New York. He was a member of the Management Committee and the Global Investment Committee. As a senior investment professional, Chris covered most asset classes and investment strategies across both public and private markets. Chris grew up on a family dairy farm in Minnesota and maintained an interest in food and agriculture throughout his career. Since 2016, he has been a board member at The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, a non-profit organization supporting regional food and farming in New York’s Hudson Valley. Chris graduated with an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Carnegie Mellon University in 2003 and a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Saint Olaf College in 1998. He is a CFA® Charterholder. Outside of work, Chris enjoys traveling, gardening and hiking with his wife and three sons.

Chris ZuehlsdorffIroquois Valley Farmland REIT | Chief Executive Officer

<BOOTCAMP ANCHOR>

RFSI Bootcamp – October 8th

Slide 1

Are you an entrepreneur just starting your fundraising journey?

Are you a farmer seeking to understand the full range of funding opportunities that exist for you?

The RFSI Bootcamp – a half-day, pre-course to the RFSI Forum – is geared toward farmers, ranchers, producers, emerging brands and early stage start-ups that would like to better understand the regenerative food systems investment landscape and how best to engage in it.

You do not have to register for the RFSI Forum to attend the RFSI Bootcamp.

Join us from 1:00-5:00 p.m. MT on October 8th!

Thank you Bootcamp supporters:

Slide 3

Attendees can expect to:

Understand the different types of capital players funding regenerative farms, farmers, companies and start-ups, and the implications of each type of capital.

Engage with capital allocators and learn what they are looking for in their investments as well as what they will expect from you in the decision-making process.

Learn from others who have been down similar fundraising paths as you and glean lessons learned.

Gain tips for how to engage capital allocators and what questions are most important for you to ask them.

Workshop through challenges you have faced with experience investors, funders and fundraisers.

Walk away with a deeper understanding of the ecosystem, some strong connections with others in the space, what you need to do to be successful in it, and who it is most important for you to engage with.

Join us from 1:00-5:00 p.m. MT on October 8th!

RFSI Bootcamp Agenda – October 8

Day One

1:00 p.m. MT

Welcome

Regenerative Food Systems Investment

1:10 p.m. MT

Introduction to the Capital Ecosystem for Regenerative Agriculture & Food

Sarah Day Levesque, Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI)

– What does the landscape of capital for regeneration look like?
– What are the different types of capital available?
– How does each type of capital fit into the landscape and into the life cycle of a farm or company?

1:30 p.m. MT

Reverse Pitch Session: Meet the Funders

Alissa Welker, Steward; Antony Yousefian, The First Thirty; Amanda Zakharov, Dirt Capital Partners

Meet the very diverse types of investors and funders working in the regenerative agriculture and food space through this fun and informative pitch process! Learn about what types of projects each funder invests in, what they are looking for from your operation, and what they bring to the table through investment – including what size check and strategic support.

1:55 p.m. MT

Dismiss to Breakout Tracks

Farmer/Rancher Track

Start-Up/Emerging Brand Track

2:00 p.m. MT

The Capital Landscape for Farmers & Ranchers

Sami Tellatin, FarmRaise

Framing the Fundraising Journey

Anthony Corsaro, ReGen Brands & Antony Yousefian, The First Thirty

2:20 p.m. MT

How Debt, Equity, and Grant Capital Can Fit Your Goals

Navigating the Ecosystem of Investment

COFFEE BREAK | 2:55 p.m. MT

3:20 p.m. MT

Roundtable Work: What to Expect & How to Best Prepare Yourself

4:05 p.m. MT

Dismiss Back to Plenary

4:10 p.m. MT

Fireside Chat: Lessons from the Fundraising Journey

Ethan Steinberg, Propagate

Learn from experience fundraisers who have already raised capital and have plenty of lessons to share from their journey.

– What do other farmers and fundraisers wish they knew before they started their capital journey?
– How can you navigate the additional complexity of raising outside capital?
– What if an investor says no – where to go from there?

4:30 p.m. MT

Building an Ecosystem to Thrive In: Leveraging Resources & Each Other

The ecosystem of support services for both fundraisers and investors in the regenerative agriculture and food systems space is growing. Equipped with a new understanding of the capital landscape and those that are engaged in it, how can solution builders and funders work together to create a fundraising environment that allows everyone to thrive.

5:00 p.m. MT

Close of Program

RFSI FORUM WELCOME DRINKS | 5:30 p.m. MT

Separate Location

<TOUR>

Regen Farm & Food Systems Tour – October 11th

There’s no better way to learn about regenerative farming than by visiting a farm!

After a few days at the RFSI Forum in the city, plan to get out to a farm and learn from the land and those who steward it. The Regen Farm & Food Systems Tour is an optional add-on experience taking place 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on October 11, the day after the RFSI Forum ends.

This year we are excited to tour West Bijou, the Savory Institute’s holistically-managed ranch and learning site. This 7,500-acre landscape dominated by shortgrass prairie is home to a herd of 400+ bison, a thriving wildlife population, and archeological and cultural assets such as one of the world’s most robust and intact sites of the K-T Boundary, a window to past geologic times. In addition to a tour of this working bison ranch, attendees will also have an opportunity to: see a demo of their Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) land monitoring protocol, learn how EOV data feeds into Savory’s Land to Market initiative which has helped bring 1,000+ products from verified regenerating landbases into the food, fashion, and footwear industries, and hear about the new Savory Foundation, based in Denmark.

Air conditioned bus transportation is provided, as is lunch. Tour will start and end at the conference hotel in downtown Denver. Reserve your spot here.

< VENUE ANCHOR >

Venue

DCPA

1350 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO

The 2024 RFSI Forum will be held at the Denver Performing Arts Complex in the Seawell Ballroom! Seawell Ballroom is conveniently located in downtown Denver, within walking distance to many hotels, restaurants and entertainment options. The ballroom offers stunning panoramic views of the city and mountains and plenty of space for our growing community!

The Seawell Ballroom is located in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, at the northwest corner of the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

Accommodations

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver

Denver Monaco Exterior

1717 Champa Street, Denver, CO

The RFSI Forum room block is located at the Kimpton: Hotel Monaco Denver, 1717 Champa Street, Denver, CO.

We’ve secured a great discount and perks that include: $20 off parking per day and no guest amenity fees for RFSI Forum attendees at the Kimpton: Hotel Monaco Denver.

Use our custom booking page linked here to receive the group discount.

Thank You To Our Sponsors

DIAMOND SPONSOR

Transformational Investing in Food Systems

TIFS is an impact ecosystem of investors, funders, and enterprises dedicated to unlocking capital for regenerative businesses. We are helping to build a market for a regenerative, equitable, and climate-resilient food future.

Further information

DIAMOND SPONSOR

A luxury leather goods brand utilizing 100% traceable, regeneratively sourced American hides. Our mission is to increase economic returns to regenerative ranchers, reduce waste, and give consumers the opportunity to participate in land regeneration through the purchase of heirloom-quality products.

Further information

TABLE SPONSOR

SnapLands

We work with land owners, businesses, organizations, and ground crews to create and verify sustainable working landscapes.

Further information

<DONORS>

Block

Food & Beverage Donors

Not only do we TALK about investing in regenerative agriculture and food, we ENJOY tasty, nutrient dense regenerative foods at the Forum! Attendees get to choose from many regenerative snacks throughout the day and proteins at lunch all sourced from regenerative farms and ranches.

Become a Sponsor

Sponsors of the RFSI Forum are the organizations leading the transition to a more regenerative food system. Sponsorship packages are designed for diverse types of businesses and offer unique value, including:

Increased visibility and thought-leadership among a unique investor and activator community
Opportunity to showcase your expertise and services
Media coverage before, during and after event
Branding throughout the event

For information on how to sponsor future events, please contact us here →

Agenda | Speakers | Bootcamp | Farm Tour | Venue/Hotel | Sponsor

Elevate Your Potential to Drive Transformation

Be Part of the Community Using Capital to Unlock Regeneration

Attend

Farmer Scholarships

<PITCH>

RFSI Pitch Session with The First Thirty

Solutions to Accelerate Regeneration

Agenda at a Glance

Preliminary RFSI Forum Agenda *Subject to change.

<SPEAKERS>

Speakers

RFSI Bootcamp – October 8th

RFSI Bootcamp Agenda – October 8

<TOUR>

Regen Farm & Food Systems Tour – October 11th

< VENUE ANCHOR >

Venue

1350 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO

Accommodations

1717 Champa Street, Denver, CO

< SPONSOR ANCHOR >

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Terra Regenerative Capital

Propagate & Agroforestry Partners

<DONORS>

Become a Sponsor

Preliminary RFSI Forum Agenda
*Subject to change.