TOGETHER WE GROW
Together We Grow is a consortium of some of the world’s largest agribusiness and food interests — major agricultural commodities and food companies, educational institutions, government agencies, and national nonprofits — focused on building the workforce of tomorrow and ensuring that the workforce is broad, talented, and engaged.
The TWG Connect Conference is more than a meeting; it is the primary engine for cross-sector innovation in the food and agriculture workforce. The power of this conference will build on the priorities outlined in the Together We Grow Strategic Plan “Growing with Intention,” focusing on how stakeholders can work together to implement the plan and ensure the sector has the skilled and broadened workforce needed to remain competitive in a rapidly changing global environment.
Through industry insights, collaborative dialogue, and expert panels, attendees will explore practical strategies to address labor shortages, accelerate skills development, support workforce access, navigate changes to organizational culture, and prepare for the impact of emerging technologies. It is our belief that by working together with our members and partners, we can transform our industry to create a broad, talented, and engaged workforce with the experience and capabilities to meet our evolving food and agricultural needs into the next century.
Click the above image to play the video.
Together We Grow started in 2016, when Michael D’Ambrose — who led the HR function for ADM — and Secretary Tom Vilsack — who is currently serving as Secretary of Agriculture in President Joe Biden’s administration and served for 8 years under President Barack Obama — brought the agriculture industry together to think about the state of the world in 2050. Leaders from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government, higher education, and agribusiness realized that to address the monumental challenge of feeding a rapidly growing global population with fewer resources, they would need to work together.
Since 2016, Together We Grow’s members have shared best practices and data, and made collaborative investments to build a broad, talented, and engaged workforce for the U.S. food and agriculture industry, in order to welcome the innovation needed to feed the world for generations to come.
Together We Grow + CSU Spur
Together We Grow is headquartered at CSU Spur, CSU’s public-facing campus in Denver, Colorado. The Colorado State University System brings the resources of its three higher education institutions (CSU in Fort Collins, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global) to CSU Spur, creating an inclusive and inspirational place that is open to all learners.
Through science-on-display, research on-site, and local and global partners, CSU Spur is focused on connecting rural and urban communities, bringing foremost experts together to research the world’s most pressing problems, and inspiring the next generation to take on roles in water, food, and health. CSU Spur is not only mission-aligned for Together We Grow but it also provides an opportunity to engage with youth, industry, community, and research — all under one roof.