SALINAS, CA – With its kickoff year one for the books, the Organic Produce Summit (OPS) is gearing up for another year filled with even more organic-centric features and opportunities for the produce industry. Planning is well underway for OPS 2017 from July 12-13. 

“We’re very excited about this year’s event and making OPS 2017 a premier event for the produce and retail communities. We want to keep it an intimate and energetic two-day event that gives all attendees insightful, informative, and inspiring educational sessions, first-rate keynote presentations, and outstanding networking opportunities between the production and buying segments of the organic produce industry,” said Susan Canales, Executive Director of OPS.

New to the event this year, are retail/buyer tours to the following places:

• Driscoll’s: Strawberry research station for an overview of the latest R&D of strawberries
• Taylor Farms: organic processing operations
• Braga Fresh: organic processing operations
• Vitalis Seed Research Center: for firsthand look of items that will appear on supermarket shelves in the coming years 

OPS 2017 will team up with Forbes Live! for an exchange of informative presentations. Forbes Live! will host the popular AgTech Summit in Salinas, which brings together the minds of Silicon Valley to tackle critical world ag challenges. OPS will also host a presentation at Forbes Ag TechSummit 2017, and Forbes will also present a session at OPS 2017. 

As more sessions, topics, and keynote presenters are finalized in the coming weeks, the event’s educational breakout sessions are currently slated to include: 

• H2O & H2A–Water and Labor: The two biggest challenges facing California Agriculture
• Excellence in Organic Produce Retail Merchandising
• Opportunities around the globe for Organic Fresh Produce

Keynote presentations for the event will include A.C. Nielsen presenting on the overview of Organic Fresh Produce sales and trends, a retailer roundtable of three operators discussing sourching/selling organic, and the Co-Founders of the first USDA-organic approved fast food restaurant chain The Organic Coup. 

OPS is currently the only event exclusively dedicated to organic produce for the fresh fruits and vegetable industry, according to a press release. The event will feature a sold-out exhibitor area featuring over 120 producers and distributors of organic produce. The products of these companies will be displayed to over 100 different retail and buying organizations.

Retailer registration is open now, with qualified retail and buying operations available for complimentary hotel and registration available. For registration information, go here. The event will take place at the newly renovated Monterey Convention Center.

General attendee registration will open later this month. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

Organic Produce Summit