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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251113T120000
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SUMMARY:Pathways for Industry and Agriculture to Reduce N2O Emissions from Synthetic Fertilizer
DESCRIPTION:This webinar is hosted by Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders and co-hosts Climate and Energy Funders Group and Health and Environmental Funders Network. \n\n\n\nSynthetic nitrogen fertilizer is essential to modern agriculture\, but it is often overlooked in climate conversations and remains an underrecognized driver of climate change. \n\n\n\nNitrous oxide (N₂O)\, released during both the production and application of fertilizer\, is nearly 300 times more potent than CO₂\, with emissions. Today\, the U.S. is the world’s fourth-largest producer of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. By 2030\, domestic production of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers is expected to quadruple. \n\n\n\nJoin us for a webinar to explore key findings from “Nitrous Oxide: A Hidden Threat\,” a new report produced by McKnight Foundation and Regenerative Agriculture Foundation. The report’s four authors highlight common-sense solutions to reduce N₂O emissions that center farmers and cross-sector collaboration. Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of how agriculture and climate partners can help catalyze action toward ambitious 2035 and 2050 reduction goals. \n\n\n\nThis webinar is open to all funders. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRecording\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTenzin Dolkar\, Senior Program Officer\, McKnight Foundation (moderator)\n\n\n\n\nTenzin Dolkar (Dolkar) is a program officer with the McKnight Foundation’s Midwest Climate & Energy program\, where she works to shape and guide the trajectory of the Foundation’s climate initiatives\, aligning McKnight’s equity goals. Prior to McKnight\, Dolkar served as a climate advisor to the City of Minneapolis through a Natural Resources Defense Council partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge. From 2016 to 2018\, Dolkar served as a senior policy advisor to Governor Mark Dayton on transportation and agriculture. \n\n\n\nDolkar holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a minor in social work from the University of St. Thomas. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMike Badzmierowski\, Manager\, U.S. Agricultural Policy\, World Resources Institute\n\n\n\n\nDr. Mike Badzmierowski is the Manager for U.S. Agricultural Policy at World Resources Institute. His role is to research and provide guidance on practices and strategies best suited to meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. \n\n\n\nMike’s research has focused on soil carbon and nitrogen and related greenhouse gas emissions with an emphasis on ensuring data quality. He earned his PhD in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences from Virginia Tech where he continued as a postdoctoral researcher. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Rhode Island. \n\n\n\nOutside his professional pursuits\, Mike loves to stay active and is an avid explorer. He has a goal to see all of the U.S. National Parks. When Mike is not on the move\, he loves finding amazing food! Break the ice and reach out to him about your favorite dish (and where he can try it) or feel free to be direct about talking how we can best achieve greenhouse gas reductions in agriculture! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCourtney Bernhardt\, Research Director\, Environmental Integrity Project\n\n\n\n\nCourtney is Co-Director of Environmental Integrity Project’s Center for Environmental Investigations and leads EIP’s team of dedicated analysts. She manages EIP’s public databases and analyzes and visualizes data to inform and support EIP’s advocacy efforts. She joined EIP in 2013 after earning a Master of Environmental Management and a certificate in geospatial analysis from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. Before then\, she spent several years working on CERCLA and CWA lawsuits as a paralegal at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. She also holds a B.A. in public policy from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nScott Faber\, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs\, Environmental Working Group\n\n\n\n\nScott Faber leads Environmental Working Group’s government affairs efforts to reform food\, farm\, water and chemical safety policies. Faber is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPatrick Molloy\, Principal\, Ammonia & Fertilizers\, Rocky Mountain Institute\n\n\n\n\nPatrick is a principal with RMI’s Climate-Aligned Industries Program\, where he leads workstreams focused on ammonia and fertilizers\, hydrogen infrastructure\, and hydrogen system innovation. He focuses on deployment potential\, system design\, market evolution\, and potential for disruption in next-generation traded markets. Patrick has been widely cited on next-generation technology emergence with particular focus on hydrogen applications in the industrial space. Previously\, he worked with RMI’s Business Renewables Center\, focusing on tax equity structures and PPA deal structures. Additionally\, as part of RMI’s mining team\, he led work on mine site remediation of on-site renewable resource development. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMark Muller\, Executive Director\, Regenerative Agriculture Foundation\n\n\n\n\nMark Muller serves as the executive director at the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation. He came to RAF in March 2020 after spending over 20 years working on related issues including agricultural conservation\, Midwest water quality\, racial equity in the food system\, and effective federal food and agricultural policy. \n\n\n\nMark served as director of the Mississippi River program at the McKnight Foundation\, and prior to that he directed the Food & Community Fellows program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. He also spent two years teaching high school in New York City and 18 months volunteering in Honduras and Guatemala. He and his spouse and three children live in south Minneapolis.
URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/pathways-for-industry-and-agriculture-to-reduce-n2o-emissions-from-synthetic-fertilizer/
CATEGORIES:Webinars
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251113T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251113T170000
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SUMMARY:SAFSF on the Road: Chicago
DESCRIPTION:Building Vision and Capital: Aligning Funding Practices with Entrepreneurial Realities \n\n\n\nSustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) invites you to a workshop where diverse capital partners will explore bridging the capital gaps to support the local food economy. We will hear from food entrepreneurs to explore ways philanthropy and investors can align funding practices with entrepreneurial realities.  \n\n\n\nJoin SAFSF and fellow funders\, including the Chicago Food Policy Action Council\, Fresh Taste\, Kinship Foundation\, Proofing Station\, and Builders Vision\, on Thursday\, November 13\, from 2:00–5:00 PM CT at The Hatchery. Learn from food entrepreneurs about how food serves as a critical philanthropy strategy that you can activate more deeply.  \n\n\n\nThanks to our Chicago-based  SAFSF members for their thought partnership!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAgenda At A Glance\n\n\n\n1:20 PM  Tour of The Hatchery *Optional*2:00 PM   Event Kick–Off2:20 PM   Facilitated Funder Networking3:00 PM   The Hatchery Entrepreneur Panel 3:45 PM   Funder Panel and Takeaways: Blended capital in practice 4:00 PM   Integrated Capital Stack Workshop 5:00 PM   Refreshments and Networking \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFunder Discussion\n\n\n\nA continuation from a conversation heard at the 2025 SAFSF Forum\, this conversation will explore how Chicago’s food system has evolved over the past decade with strong philanthropic support. A combined approach – community-led as Chicago Region Food Systems Fund\, impact investment as Proofing Station\, and the long-term strategic grantmaking model of Food:Land:Opportunity – offers the most effective path forward to co–create a more equitable and resilient food system. How can investments and philanthropy go hand in hand? \n\n\n\n// PHILANTHROPY: Kinship Foundation\n\n\n\n\nLenore Beyer is the Director of Conservation Initiatives at Kinship Foundation\, where she manages Food:Land:Opportunity\, a multi-year initiative to create a resilient local food economy in the Chicago region. Beyer manages a grant portfolio of $3M annually and spearheads projects in collaborative COVID response funding and innovative financing. Prior to joining Kinship Foundation\, Beyer was the vice president of policy and planning at Openlands\, a regional conservation land trust\, where she led projects to create Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and integrated farmland protection with local food initiatives. Beyer was previously the executive director of the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County\, a citizen advocacy organization\, and served as president of the Illinois Environmental Council. \n\n\n\n\n// COMMUNITY-LED: Chicago Region Food System Fund\n\n\n\n\nDion Dawson is a food-fighting social entrepreneur\, philanthropic leader\, and founder focused on health equity through an innovative and logistical lens. Dion’s penchant for challenging the solvency of food insecurity through the stabilization of the supply chain has reinvigorated the traditional food distribution model and been met with worldwide attention. With data-driven operations\, consistent quality\, and a deep commitment to a resident-informed process that meets residents and recipients where they are\, he prioritizes the end-user experience. \n\n\n\nDion is the Chief Dreamer of Dion’s Chicago Dream\, a nonprofit social enterprise combating food insecurity through logistics & last-mile delivery in the U.S’s Midwest region. His system provides fresh produce to the door steps of food insecure recipients and has provided millions of pounds of fresh produce annually to the Chicago region food system\, with numerous community jobs created and one powerful movement. \n\n\n\n\n// IMPACT INVESTMENT: Proofing Station\n\n\n\n\nCortney Renton\, Executive Director of Proofing Station\, is a seasoned food systems leader with experience driving change from farm to shelf. She is rooted in 15 years of multidisciplinary experience in research\, sustainability\, strategy\, and fundraising roles across diverse social impact organizations. \n\n\n\nMost recently\, Cortney served as the Executive Director of CitySeed\, a nonprofit based in New Haven\, CT building an equitable local food system through community and economic development.  \n\n\n\nCortney is a proud Midwesterner. She was born and raised in Minnesota and built her career in Chicago. Previously\, she led national programs focused on rural hunger relief by building strategic relationships with donors\, partners\, and farmers at Feeding America\, one of the largest nonprofits in the country. Cortney has also held research\, fundraising\, and sustainability roles with The Chicago Council on Global Affairs\, The Greater Chicago Food Depository\, and Sir Kensington’s.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeatured Entrepreneurs \n\n\n\n// BRICK AND MORTAR: Twisted Eggroll\n\n\n\n\nChicago native and passionate entrepreneur\, Nikkita Randle\, founded Twisted Eggroll in 2015 to bring a fresh\, culturally inspired twist to traditional egg rolls. What started as a frozen packaged product has expanded into consumer packaged goods and e-commerce\, and will soon include a Chatham storefront in 2026.   \n\n\n\nAwards and Recognition: Red Eye Big Idea Award Food & Drink\, Neighborhood Opportunity Fund\, and Midwest Dairy Pitch Competition winner. \n\n\n\n\n// CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS: Sorghum Symphony\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlending expertise in agriculture\, genetics\, food chemistry\, and nutrition\, John Hammerstone and Shwetha Shrivatsa—a retail expert and mother—turned their shared love of food and music into Sorghum Symphony. Inspired by the need for safe\, healthy snacks for people of all ages—especially children with food allergies—they created a line of nutritious\, allergen-free snacks made from sorghum and other climate-friendly crops\, all free from the Top 9 allergens. Dedicated to both health and sustainability\, Sorghum Symphony proudly maintains a carbon-neutral footprint and contains no added sugar—snacks that are good for people and the planet. \n\n\n\n\n// AGTECH: Oishii \n\n\n\n\nKnown for its high-tech\, solar-powered vertical farms\, Oishii is redefining what’s possible in agriculture and the future of food. From AI-driven strawberry production to sustainable packaging and robotics\, Oiishi’s premium berries are nutrient-rich\, hyper-local\, and Non-GMO Project verified.  \n\n\n\n“Vertical farming technology is critical to solving one of the world’s largest problems – our failing agriculture system\,” said Hiroki Koga\, CEO and Co-founder of Oishii in Forbes. “Vertical farming does not require pesticides; we can recycle most of the water that we use\, and we can use significantly less land. \n\n\n\nOishii operates the world’s largest indoor vertical strawberry farm. Oishii is on a mission to fix our broken agriculture system – one perfectly plump berry at a time. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSAFSF On the Road is a curated event series designed to connect influential and emerging decision makers with capital providers who are deploying funds toward systemic change. Each event is an opportunity to deepen relationships\, exchange insights\, and discover how philanthropy and investment can drive a just and resilient food future. \n\n\n\n\nREGISTER
URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/safsf-on-the-road-chicago/
CATEGORIES:In Person Gathering,Meetings
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