Agenda - 16th World Processing Tomato Congress
Sunday, June 7
REGISTRATION OPEN
Steinbeck Lobby, Monterey Conference Center
WPTC BOARD MEETING
Ferrante’s Bay View Room, Monterey Marriott
WELCOME RECEPTION AT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
Shuttles will begin pick up in front of the Portola Hotel at 6:15 pm. The last shuttle will depart the Aquarium at 11:00 pm.
886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940
Monday, June 8
REGISTRATION OPEN
Steinbeck Lobby, Monterey Conference Center
CONGRESS AND SYMPOSIUM JOINT OPENING CEREMONY
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Welcome Address from Organizers.
Mike Montna, CTGA on Behalf of Organizing Committee
Welcome Address from WPTC President
Manuel Vazquez, President of WPTC
Welcome address from ISHS
Luca Sandei, Chair of ISHS Working Group Production of Vegetables for Processing
Welcome to California
Karen Ross, Secretary, CDFA
CHALLENGES TO FEEDING THE WORLD IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Richard Sexton, UC Davis
COFFEE BREAK
Steinbeck Lobby & 1, Monterey Conference Center
CROP RESULTS AND 2026 FORECASTS
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Amitom
Antonio Casana, Amitom President
North America
Mark De La Mater, The Morning Star Packing Company
South America and Rest of World
Manuel Goncalves, WPTC Vice President
China
Zhu Chenhui, Deputy General Manager of COFCO Tunhe
LUNCH
Club Room, Jacks Terrace & Beer Garden, Portola Hotel
CONSUMER CLARITY IN A MULTI-POLAR WORLD
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Thomas Bailey, Rabobank
Panel & Q and A
COFFEE BREAK
Steinbeck Lobby & 1, Monterey Conference Center
“EUPHORIA OR DESPAIR”: A look at the historical cycles and what the future may hold
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Martin Stilwell (Tomato News)
Panel Discussion
Tuesday, June 9
REGISTRATION OPEN
Steinbeck Lobby, Monterey Conference Center
NAVIGATING FOOD PACKAGING RECYCLING MANDATES: CHALLENGES AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director, Aseptic Bag Manufacturers Association (ABMA)
Samantha Kappalman, VP of Corporate Affairs, Public Policy US & Canada, Tetra Pak
Panel Discussion
Moderator: Trudi Hughes, President/ CEO, California League of Food Producers:
Trent Norris, Hogan Lovells
Will Prins, General Manager, JG Boswell Company
Rob Salinas, The Morning Star Packing Company
COFFEE BREAK
Steinbeck Lobby & 1, Monterey Conference Center
PUBLIC BREEDING AND THE FUTURE OF PROCESSING TOMATO IMPROVEMENT
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
David Francis, Professor of Tomato Breeding & Genetics, The Ohio State University
Panel Discussion: How Public and Private Breeding Can Move Faster Together
Moderator: Zach Bagley, Managing Director, California Tomato Research Institute
LUNCH
Club Room, Jacks Terrace & Beer Garden, Portola Hotel
ARTIFICIAL INTELLEGENCE
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Michael Bush, Vice President Technical Programs, Google
AI Roundtable Discussion – How are we using AI today and what future may hold
Moderator: Jason Fritsch, CEO Kagome USA
Panel Discussion from Processor, Grower and Allied Industry Perspective
COFFEE BREAK
Steinbeck Lobby & 1, Monterey Conference Center
THE OUTLOOK FOR GLOBAL FOOD DEMAND: 2025-2030,
NAVIGATING THE CHANGING CONSUMER LANDSCAPE
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Matthew Berry, Euromonitor
Q and A
Wednesday, June 10
REGISTRATION OPEN
Steinbeck Lobby, Monterey Conference Center
TRADE AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES: PRESENTATIONS ON CURRENT TRADE LANDSCAPES
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
US Outlook
Carolyn Gleason, McDermott-Will and Emory LLP
EU Outlook
Alex van der Laan, Tomato Europe
UK Perspective
Moderator – Manual Gonçalves, WPTC Vice-President
Panel & Q and A
COFFEE BREAK
Steinbeck Lobby & 1, Monterey Conference Center
CONGRESS AND SYMPOSIUM JOINT CLOSING CEREMONY
Steinbeck 2 & 3, Monterey Conference Center
Questions?
Contact our registration team:
Email: WPTC@executivevents.com
Phone: 844-736-6229 (Domestic)
+1-720-647-0048 (Non-US/International)