U.S. Co-ops’ Doug O’Brien to Speak at Reuters Events Transform Food & Agriculture USA 2026

The Association of U.S. Cooperatives (U.S. Co–ops) today announces that President and CEO Doug O’Brien will join an influential lineup of global food, agriculture, retail, and sustainability leaders as a featured speaker at Reuters Events Transform Food & Agriculture USA 2026, taking place on October 27-28 in Minneapolis.

The conference will convene senior executives and policymakers to examine how the food system can strengthen resilience, improve supply chain performance, and deliver sustainable economic growth amid rising geopolitical, environmental, and market pressures.

As one of the nation’s leading voices for the cooperative business model, O’Brien will share how farmer-owned cooperatives are helping producers navigate economic uncertainty while strengthening domestic food production, enhancing supply chain resilience, and creating lasting value for rural communities.

“America’s food system is strongest when the people who grow our food have a meaningful stake in the markets they serve,” O’Brien said.

“Cooperatives empower farmers and ranchers to innovate, compete, and build resilient businesses that benefit entire communities. At a time when the agriculture sector faces mounting challenges, from input costs and market volatility to climate and trade disruptions, the cooperative model offers practical, market-based solutions that create long-term value across the food supply chain. I’m honored to join Reuters Events to discuss how cooperatives can help shape the future of American agriculture.”

Reuters Events Transform Food & Agriculture USA 2026 will feature senior leaders from across the food value chain, including major consumer brands, retailers, agricultural organizations, and government officials, to discuss topics ranging from supply chain resilience and artificial intelligence to sustainability, regenerative agriculture, food innovation, and the future of U.S. agricultural policy.

Sofia Gerrard, Senior Conference Producer at Reuters Events, added that, “At Reuters Events, we’re committed to creating a forum where decision-makers can come together to address the most pressing challenges facing the agri-food sector today. Building resilient food systems requires genuine collaboration across the value chain, and our goal is to provide a platform where leaders can exchange insights, forge meaningful partnerships, and identify the solutions that will drive progress, innovation, and sustainable long-term growth throughout the food system.”

U.S. Co-ops represents and advances cooperative enterprises that strengthen local economies and improve livelihoods throughout the United States and around the world. Through advocacy, education, and public awareness, the association works to ensure cooperatives remain an essential driver of economic opportunity and resilient communities.

For more information about Reuters Events Transform Food & Agriculture USA 2026, visit Reuters Events Transform Food & Agriculture USA.

About U.S. Co-ops

Founded in 1916, the Association of U.S. Cooperatives (U.S. Co-ops), formerly the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA), is the primary voice in the United States for people who use cooperatives to build a better world. Through advocacy, development, public awareness and education, U.S. Co-ops works to develop, advance and protect cooperative enterprise, empowering people and communities to build shared prosperity and well-being.

Contact Information

Samuel Amsterdam

Communications Counsel

Strategic Partnerships

Contact via E-mail