This isn't Your Typical Regenerative Agriculture Conference

Gina Nagel – formerly Vice President of Mission and Regenerative Agriculture at Applegate, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand, she oversaw the creation of consciously scaled supply chains rooted in the principles of regenerative agriculture. Currently Gina, along with business partner Zack Angelini, last year’s conference keynote speaker, have joined forces to create Public Good Provisions, a regenerative supply chain procurement company. Gina will fill us in on what has happened in the past year as well as walk us through finding our ranch stories, a “must have” component in the regenerative space going forward.

Sara Andrews – founder and CEO of Bumbleroot, Sara is passionate about accelerating the pace of regenerative agriculture by contributing to food production that works with nature instead of against it. She believes that a food system should be climate-friendly (sequestering soil carbon and protecting biodiversity), equitable, and nourishing. Sara is currently working on a regenerative processing center in Big Timber, Montana, that would be a distribution hub for state and national companies wanting to source regenerative products.

Chris Smallwood – Chris serves as the Chief Scientist for Ecosystem Services Market Research Consortium (ESMC), a non-profit organization that compensates farmers and ranchers who improve the environment through their land management practices. Learn what projects can get funded, how the payment system works, and where this market is headed. This marketplace is an exciting new opportunity for land managers throughout the northern Great Plains, and you will hear it here first!

Todd Churchill – Chief Marketing and Financial Officer at Blue Nest Beef. Todd will be on hand to discuss their aggregation beef program as well as make a big announcement that will affect regenerative ranchers throughout the West.

Johnny Wood – Hailing from Missouri, Johnny is the next generation of US Wellness Meats, an aggregator in the grass-fed beef, sheep, and goat markets sourcing products throughout the United States.

Paul Neubauer – Organic farmer from Havre and an instrumental figure in helping make the Montana Premium Processing Cooperative a reality. He is currently working with ranchers in the Flathead to purchase a processing plant that would otherwise be shut down. Paul, along with representatives from RancHERS and the Yellowstone Food Hub, will be on hand to discuss the power of partnerships and cooperatives no matter where you reign from.

Annika Charter-Williams – 4th generation rancher and founding member of the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub (YVFH), a grower’s cooperative serving central Montana. YVFH sources quality, local food from over 45 local farmers, ranchers, bakers, and makers. It is their desire to help develop food hubs throughout Montana and the West by replicating their model.

Nic DeCastro – Founding member of LandTrust, a recreation access network based in Bozeman, Montana, that aims to increase quality, private land access for recreators and create a new, profitable revenue stream for farmers & ranchers to keep rural lands intact & in family hands.

Mark Kleinschmidt – Co-founder and COO/CFO of The Other Half Processing (OHP), a company dedicated to working directly with regenerative farmers/ranchers and processors to verify, trace, aggregate, and buy hides and other meat processing byproducts. OHP sells raw and finished products to apparel, food supply, and pet sector companies while providing real economic returns to the farmers/ranchers, meat companies, and processing supply chain partners.

Farley Green – Marketing manager for Ranching Conservation at the National Audubon Society, where she works to promote the organization’s Conservation Ranching program and its accompanying land certification, the Audubon Certified bird-friendly seal, a fast-growing certification on beef and bison products, noting their source as lands managed through grazing practices for birds and biodiversity. Farley is passionate about transparency in food and ensuring that working lands can be better managed through regenerative practices to provide environmental benefits – for people and wildlife alike.

Brian Engle – Founder and operator of USDA inspected Pioneer Meats in Big Timber, Montana. Brian believes that being active within the meat processors industry is paramount for a successful operation.  Brian is on the Board of Directors for the Montana Meat Processors Association, a member of the North West Meat Processors Association, and serves on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Meat Processors.

Jake Feddes – Co-owner of Feddes Family Meats in Manhattan, Montana. Jake and crew pride themselves in selling meat that has never been treated with hormones, was raised humanely, including the utilization of low-stress cattle handling, and making sure that any antibiotics used are done so in a responsible manner. They currently source, process, and sell meat that is grass-raised and grain-finished as well as grass-raised and grass-finished, and they always label their meat properly so that all of their customers know exactly what they are eating.

Numerous ranchers from throughout Montana, including: Brittany Masters (Roam Free Bison), Tricia Kimmel (Wholesome Beef Direct), Roger Indreland (Indreland Angus Ranch), Dave Scott, Abby Bruski, Bart Morris (Oxbow Cattle Company), Caroline Nelson (Little Creek Lamb & Beef), Matt Skoglund (North Bridger Bison), and Mickey Steward