Cargill speaker added to Neb. ag conference

A key Cargill official with expertise on the subject of agricultural sustainability has been added to the line-up of speakers for the Nebraska Governor’s Ag Conference, being held March 2-3 in Kearney.

Nicole Johnson-Hoffman serves as vice president and managing director for Cargill’s North American McDonald’s Business Unit. She is well-known nationally for her work on the U.S. and Global Roundtables for Sustainable Beef.

“Through her position with Cargill, Nicole has really helped shape the conversation about what the word ‘sustainability’ means from the farm gate all the way through the food chain,” Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach said. “The definition of ‘sustainability’ matters as our Nebraska food processing sector works to meet consumer demand, while allowing farmers and ranchers to be profitable.”

Ibach said Johnson-Hoffman received the national spotlight several years ago when she appeared, on Cargill’s behalf, on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as it took an inside-look at meat processing. She was Cargill’s Fort Morgan, Colorado, plant manager at the time.

Johnson-Hoffman replaces, on the conference agenda, JBS’s Cameron Bruett who had a scheduling conflict. She joins a slate of Governor’s Ag Conference speakers who will be addressing a wide variety of subjects important to the agriculture community, Ibach said. The event will be held at the Kearney Holiday Inn and Convention Center and gets under way at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2.

Farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness owners are encouraged to attend the event, Ibach said. Registration and additional information, including a detailed agenda with speakers, is available online at http://www.nda.nebraska.gov or by calling 800-831-0550.

“The conference is for anyone with an interest in agriculture,” Ibach said.

–Nebraska Department of Agriculture