The Future of American Agriculture | Session 4
Recorded Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026
Featuring: Jack Bobo, University of California, Los Angeles Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies; and Julie Borlaug, Borlaug Consulting
Host: Chris Boomsma, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, CAST
About This Session
Scientific advances only create value when they are trusted, understood, and ultimately adopted. As agriculture becomes increasingly dependent upon scientific advancement and technological innovation, public confidence, effective communication, and leadership have become essential capabilities for long-term success. Building trust is not simply a communications challenge. It is a strategic requirement for continued progress.
As innovation increasingly influences how food is produced, marketed, and consumed, understanding how consumers engage with food and agricultural systems has become increasingly important. This discussion explored how agriculture can strengthen trust, communicate more effectively with diverse audiences, and foster stronger relationships among producers, food companies, consumers, and the broader public.
Guiding Question: How can agriculture strengthen the trust and leadership capabilities needed to support continued innovation and progress?
About the Series
The Future of American Agriculture is a public leadership dialogue series from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) that brings together leaders from across agriculture to explore the opportunities, challenges, and capabilities likely to shape the future of the agricultural enterprise.
The conversations are intended to inform the ongoing work of CAST’s Strategic Advisory Council as it considers how CAST can grow its impact as a trusted source of science-based expertise, strategic foresight, and cross-sector dialogue.
At the center of the series is a simple question: What capabilities, partnerships, and innovations will American agriculture need to thrive in an increasingly complex world?
View the full series → https://cast-science.org/the-future-of-american-agriculture/
