Join Food Tank at Climate Week NYC from Sunday, September 21st, through Friday, September 26th, 2025, at WNYC–NPR Studios’ The Greene Space (44 Charlton St, New York, NY 10014). More than 300 luminary speakers, chefs, journalists, academics, CEOs, farmers, and Broadway performers have already been announced. More Summits will be available via livestream on Food Tank’s YouTube channel. See the full event program HERE. To request an in-person ticket, see the schedule HERE and email Bernard at bernard@foodtank.com.
Confirmed speakers and moderators across the week include: Eric Adjepong (chef, TV host); Chitra Agrawal (Brooklyn Delhi); Jamil Ahmad (UNEP); Jamie Ager (Hickory Nut Gap); Alexia Akbay (Symbrosia); Tonya Allen (McKnight Foundation); Douglas Alexander (Lions Clubs International); Appolinaire Djikeng (ILRI); Christa Barfield (FarmerJawn); Luiz Beling (Apeel Sciences); Eitan Bernath (UN WFP); Mark Bittman (Community Kitchen); Stacy Blondin (WRI); Alison Bodor (AFFI); Patrick Brown (Nature for Justice); Will Brinkerhoff (University of Michigan); Jennifer Burney (Stanford); Nick Cain (Patrick J. McGovern Foundation); Sean Carlson (WNYC); Augusto Castro-Núñez (Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT); Cecilia Chang (Mission Barns); Sweta Chakraborty (We Don’t Have Time); Emily Weedon Chapman (World Bank); Harry Chrispin (Hilton); Nikki Clifton (UPS Foundation); Melissa Clark (The New York Times); Clara Coleman (farmer); Julia Collins (Planet FWD); Dana Cowin (Progressive Hedonist); Emily Coppel (The Rockefeller Foundation); Abbie Corse (The Corse Farm Dairy); Matthew Dillon (Organic Trade Association); Maddy DeVita (chef, WFP USA); Vaughn Duitsman (Bartlett); Sheryll Durrant (Just Food); Nancy Easton (Wellness in the Schools); Oliver English (Common Table Creative); Simon English (Common Table Creative); Adriano Espaillat (U.S. Congress); Florence Fabricant (The New York Times); Sara Farley (The Rockefeller Foundation); Tim Fink (American Farmland Trust); Kathleen Finlay (Glynwood Center); Olivia Fuller (Fuller Acres); Evan Fraser (University of Guelph); David Gelles (The New York Times); Jeroen Gerlag (Climate Group); Daniel S. Goldman (U.S. Congress); Jay Goldmark (Stone House Farm); Kelly Goodejohn (Starbucks); Leslie Gordon (Food Bank For NYC); Robert Graham (FRESH Med); Don Grant (Cuna del Mar); Stephanie Grotta (Target); Miguel Guerra (Mita); Dana Gunders (ReFED); Riana Lynn (Journey Foods); Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin (Regenerative Agriculture Alliance); Sarela Herrada (SIMPLi); Kelly Hilovsky (ButcherBox); Ingrid Hoffmann (chef, host); Patrick Holden (Sustainable Food Trust); Robert Hokanson (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); Isabelle Kamariza (Solid’Africa); Sam Kass (Acre Venture Partners); Mark Kaplan (Wholechain; Better Food Future); Sarah Kapnick (J.P. Morgan); Amy Keister (Compass Group); Geoffrey Kie (Kie’s Pies); Kat Kinsman (Food & Wine); Jon Kung (chef, author); Priya Krishna (The New York Times); Rachel Krupa (The Goods Mart); Corby Kummer (Aspen Institute; The Atlantic); Tamika Lawrence (Broadway artist); Kenneth Lee (Lotus Foods); Caitlin Leibert (Whole Foods Market); Paul Lightfoot (Patagonia Provisions); Brandon Lombardi (Sprouts Farmers Market); Lorena Lourido Gomez (IKEA); Brita Lundberg (Lundberg Family Farms); Bryce Lundberg (Lundberg Family Farms); Geeta Maker-Clark (NorthShore University HealthSystem); Camilla Marcus (west~bourne); Gerardo Martinez (Wild Kid Acres); Brian Mattingly (Star Hill Farm, Maker’s Mark); Sea Matias (farmer, organizer); Jenny Lester Moffitt (American Farmland Trust); Anne McBride (James Beard Foundation); Jennifer McClellan (U.S. Congress); Caleb McClennan (RARE); Jay McEntire (Arva); Joshua McFadden (chef, restaurateur); David Moscow (From Scratch); Bianca Moebius-Clune (American Farmland Trust); Roni Neff (Johns Hopkins University); Marion Nestle (NYU, emerita); Justina Nixon-Saintil (IBM); Clare Reichenbach (James Beard Foundation); Ricardo Levins Morales (artist); Bob Quinn (farmer, Kamut); Caroline Radice (Black Dog Farm); Chloe Sorvino (Forbes); Kim Severson (The New York Times); Sean Sherman (The Sioux Chef; NATIFS); Sabrina Servais (Organic Valley); Jilly Stephens (City Harvest); Kimberley Sundy (Kellanova); Ron Mardesen (Niman Ranch); Máximo Torero Cullen (FAO); Eve Turow-Paul (Food for Climate League); Stacey Vanek Smith (Bloomberg); Marcela Valladolid (Matriarca Foods); Grace Young (cookbook author); Karen Washington (Black Urban Growers); April Wilson (Seven W Farm); Andrew Zimmern (chef, TV host); Prahlada Rastogi (Youth Poetry Winner, Stop Food Waste Day); and Sloan Spiegel (youth poet).
Performers across the week include: Afra Hines (Hadestown; Hamilton tour; former Rockette); Amber Rubarth (Cover Crop); Antoine L. Smith (MJ the Musical; The Color Purple); Brandon Burks (Gypsy; Penthouse IV); Cajai Kennedy (Wicked; Frozen; The Lion King tour); Celia Hottenstein (Wicked; Phantom tour); Chelle Denton (Jagged Little Pill tour; Smash); Clair Rachel Howell (Wicked); Daniel J. Maldonado (& Juliet); Douglas Ewart (composer, multi-instrumentalist); Eliza Ohman (Hamilton; SIX); Emily Kristen Morris (Wicked tour; Something Rotten tour); Janayé McAlpine (MJ: The Musical; Moulin Rouge!); Jennafer Newberry (Wicked); Jennifer Noble (King Kong; Kinky Boots); Joey Contreras (In Pieces); Jordan Tyson (Gypsy; The Notebook); Jidenna (Grammy-nominated, Classic Man); Nana Kwabena (Grammy-winning producer); Penthouse IV (The Prom; Aladdin; The Great Gatsby); Racquel Williams (The Book of Mormon); Ryan Fielding Garrett (Kinky Boots; Wicked); Noah Turner (Jersey Boys); Adam Cole Klepper (Gypsy; Spamalot); Maria Caputo (Off-Broadway, 54 Below); Micah Elijah Caldwell (A Strange Loop); Rebekah Bruce (Mean Girls; Dead Outlaw); Cullen Curth (The Karate Kid Musical); Nick Potocki (Dead Outlaw); Hannah Verdi (In Pieces); and the Catalyst Coffee cast — Stacey Sargeant, Kalyne Coleman, Keshav Moodliar, Erin Neufer, Alex Morf, and Brooks Brantly.
“The urgency of the climate crisis demands that we not only talk about solutions but also bring together the people who can make them happen. At our Summits, we’re creating a space where food system leaders—from farmers to policymakers to chefs—can collaborate, share insights, and create tangible solutions,” says Danielle Nierenberg, President of Food Tank. “This is how we move from talk to action, and how we make food part of the solution to the climate crisis.”
Co-hosts and partners across the 15 Summits include: Acme Smoked Fish; Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT; American Farmland Trust; Applegate; Arva; Atarraya; Better Food Future; Broadway Green Alliance; ButcherBox; Certified Origins; J.P. Morgan; Journey Foods; Kerry Dairy Ireland; King Arthur Baking; Lundberg Family Farms; McKnight Foundation; Meat Institute; Nature’s Fynd; Niman Ranch; Organic Valley; Regal Springs; Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation; The James Beard Foundation; The Rockefeller Foundation; TikTok; UN Environment Programme; Unilever; Wholechain; and World Food Program USA, with deep thanks to Great Performances for powering culinary experiences and Arva for receptions all week.
These co-hosts and partners emphasize the importance of bringing together food systems leaders at global climate events such as Climate Week NYC.
“We know that our global food system sits at the heart of both the climate crisis and the solution. That’s why summits like this one are so important during Climate Week,” Dorothy Shaver, Global Food Sustainability Lead at Unilever, says about Food Tank’s “A Roadmap to a Delicious, Nutritious, and Regenerative Food Future for All” Summit. “They bring together changemakers from every corner of the food world to inspire new ideas, spark collaboration, and accelerate progress. My hope is that attendees walk away with a renewed sense of urgency—and optimism—for how we can nourish both people and planet.”
The week’s Summits focus on regenerative food systems from various angles, from school meals to financial sustainability for farmers to transparency.
“Regenerative agriculture is the climate solution that should be the highest priority for both policymakers and the private sector. As we explore agriculture’s role in building resilient supply chains and achieving net-zero commitments, we see that the impact from investing in regenerative agriculture improves farmer livelihoods, builds resilient supply chains, and improves soil health,” says Jay McEntire, CEO of Arva.
People depend on agriculture not only for sustenance but also to produce fiber, feed, fuel, and biofeedstock derivatives for critical manufacturing, says McEntire: “Investing here produces benefits for society at a very competitive price relative to engineered solutions for carbon capture. Programs like ‘Regenerative Food Systems: Scaling Impact from Soil to Shelf’ are crucial for convening leaders in food, farming, and finance to discuss these powerful—and underutilized—climate solutions.”
“Awareness of regeneration has grown from 4% to 7% in just 18 months—a clear sign of momentum, yet reaching the Tipping Point requires collective action. Partnerships are essential to scaling regenerative solutions that restore healthy soil and nurture both human and planetary health,” says Evan Harrison, CEO of Kiss the Ground. “We’re excited to join Food Tank and Arva at Climate Week NYC to share insights and amplify impact from soil to shelf.”
“Regenerative school meals are more than a menu tweak: it is a market unlock for farming that restores soil health, water, and biodiversity, while nourishing children and sustaining farmers,” says Sara Farley, Vice President of The Rockefeller Foundation’s global food team. “Rooted in Indigenous know-how, regeneratively produced food can turn the world’s biggest safety net—school meals—into a lever for climate resilience, feeding pupils today, and safeguarding the planet for tomorrow.”
“The only way we are going to realize agriculture’s promise to help combat climate change is if we have enough farmers who can make a living while following regenerative practices,” says John Piotti, CEO of American Farmland Trust. “We need to help existing farmers who are doing the right things stay in business and make it financially possible for forward-looking new farmers to get into the business.”
“Food systems are only as strong as the trust and transparency behind them. That’s why traceability and data standards matter—they’re the foundation that allows food to move fairly, safely, and sustainably across the globe,” says Mark Kaplan, Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer at Wholechain. “At Digital Futures: A Better Food Celebration, we’ll show how these global standards come alive—from seafood to beef to leather—and why they’re essential for the future of food.”
“The Sustainable Foods Showcase is a catalyst for connection across the food and agriculture ecosystem. We’re bringing together visionary founders, investors, and industry leaders from all corners of the industry to feel, taste, and see these next-generation products up close,” says Eric Cohen, Head of Green Economy Banking at J.P. Morgan. “Events like these highlight the power of collaboration in building a more sustainable food system while creating new market opportunities.”
Food Tank’s Summits will also cover the intersection of food, health, hunger, and climate—and how cross-sector participation is crucial.
“[The Food is Medicine and Eating for Health] summit is about connecting the dots between food, health, and wellness,” says Lyndsey Waugh, Executive Director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. “It brings together diverse perspectives to deepen that conversation and inspire new ideas. We hope attendees leave with a stronger sense of how food can truly serve as medicine and how each of us can play a role in building healthier communities.”
“With over 300 million people facing severe hunger, it’s critical that the humanitarian sector invest in food security solutions that mitigate climate risks and save lives,” says Barron Segar, President and CEO of World Food Program USA. “From low-tech solutions like home-grown school meals to advanced predictive technologies and logistics, we’re working with communities and private-sector partners to build resilience and lasting change.”
“Chefs are on the frontlines of climate every day, sourcing from farmers, shaping what diners eat, and influencing how communities understand food. Their voices carry far beyond the plate,” says Anne E. McBride, PhD, Vice President of Impact at the James Beard Foundation. “That’s why bringing chefs into the climate conversation isn’t optional. It’s essential if we want real solutions that resonate with both policymakers and the public.”
Finally, Food Tank’s Climate Week NYC Summits are about joy, celebration, and hope. Musical and theatre performances and tastings will be hosted alongside live discussions to emphasize the importance of celebrating progress and fueling optimism in the face of climate challenges.
“At Journey Foods, we believe solving today’s food and climate challenges requires more than technology. It requires joy, collaboration, and the cross-pollination of ideas. Digital Futures is designed as a night of dance and discovery where leaders, innovators, artists, and creatives come together to celebrate progress and accelerate solutions in today’s digital landscape. My hope is that attendees leave feeling energized, connected, and inspired to act faster and more creatively for a more delicious food future,” says Riana Lynn, Founder and CEO of Journey Foods.
“Climate Week can feel like a tidal wave—from packed schedules to the sheer scale of the climate crisis. But there’s a powerful reason to keep going: hope,” says Brita Lundberg, Fourth-Generation Farmer and Chief Storyteller at Lundberg Family Farms. “At Hope on a Plate, we’re putting hope center stage with personal stories from farmers, inspiring musical performances, chef-led tastings, and real conversations with changemakers driving the regenerative organic movement.”
“As we kick off Climate Week, we know we are at a tipping point. The climate crisis is no longer abstract—it’s here. Yet so is an opportunity: to lead with culture, with care, and with collective vision,” says Tonya Allen, President and CEO of the McKnight Foundation. “This is where performing artists and cultural bearers play a vital role. They give us language to express our grief, fear, and curiosity. They remind us that joy and justice go together. They invite us into spaces of imagining that a different world and a different way is possible, and that in some places, it’s already taking shape.”
“The climate crisis can feel overwhelming, but ‘The Performing Arts Lights the Way’ shows the power of creativity and collaboration to spark change,” says Molly Braverman, Director of the Broadway Green Alliance. “We are thrilled to join forces with Food Tank and the McKnight Foundation to harness the joy of the arts, uplift solutions, and leave attendees inspired, connected, and ready to carry the momentum of Climate Week forward.”
The week concludes with “A Night Honoring Our Farmers: Food and Agriculture Storytelling,” a special presentation by 10 extraordinary farmers sharing experiences of land, legacy, hope, and resilience through theater-inspired storytelling and unscripted narratives.
“As a theater-maker, I’m sold on the power of storytelling, but to be hearing from voices we never hear from—farmers doing vital work to ensure we’ll be able to feed our grandchildren—well, that’s going to make for storytelling flavored with a special sauce of compelling importance and captivating entertainment,” says Anika Larsen, Tony Award Nominee and Broadway Green Alliance Board Member. “And at the Broadway Green Alliance, we know that when stories like these are lifted up, they don’t just entertain—they inspire action for a more sustainable future.”
Ron Mardesen, a third-generation hog farmer from Elliott, Iowa, who has raised pigs for specialty meat company Niman Ranch for over 20 years, emphasizes the weight of each farmer’s story—and why it’s important to listen.
“When a farmer shares a story, their story is wrapped in life. The listener feels the struggles of the farmer. The listener hears the emotion in the farmer’s voice. And ultimately, the listener sees the vision that has moved the farmer to where they are right now,” says Mardesen. “When a farmer shares a story, their story, they are exposing a part of themselves that most of us are uncomfortable to do. It’s hard to bear it all. We’ve all had successes, and we’ve all had failures. But the bottom line is we’ve all learned from our experiences.”
