Ian Affleck, is the Vice-President of plant biotechnology for CropLife Canada. In this role, Affleck works with domestic and international agricultural stakeholders and governments on the development of policies, regulations, and science related to plant biotechnology. Prior to joining CropLife Canada, Affleck worked at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for 10 years. His work there focused on the regulation of novel plants and new varieties. Affleck holds a B Sc from Nova Scotia Agricultural College and a Masters from the University of Guelph. Affleck has been involved in agriculture from an early age, having grown up on a potato farm in Bedeque, PEI.

Albin Gunnarson works for SFO the Swedish Seed and Oilseed Growers Association, where he is the specialist in canola with responsibility for trials and research. Albin has been working with SFO for over 20 years and has been involved in a lot of projects like agronomy, plant pathology and the taste of canola oil.

Albin grew up on the family farm and entered the Swedish University of Agriculture in 1998. He has received an MSc in Biology and Plant Production. Since 2024, Albin has been the President of GCIRC, Global Council for Innovation in Rapeseed and Canola.

Dr. Chadwick Koscielny is currently the North American Canola Breeding Lead at Corteva Agriscience. He is responsible for the breeding, testing and advancement of canola hybrids for Canada, the U.S and Australia.

Chad grew up on a grain farm in Cardale, Manitoba and attended the University of Manitoba where he completed his BSc in Agriculture, MSc in Agronomy and PhD in Plant Breeding with a focus on breeding for canola heat tolerance. He has worked in soybean and canola breeding for the past 26 years in numerous agronomic and breeding roles.

Dr. Boyd Mori is an Associate Professor of Agricultural Entomology at the University of Alberta. His research group develops integrated pest management strategies for insect pests of field crops, with an emphasis on Prairie cropping systems. His research combines behavioural, chemical, molecular, and population ecology to better understand interactions among insect pests, their host plants, and natural enemies. Current research in the Mori Laboratory focuses on insecticide susceptibility and resistance, host-plant interactions, biological control, and the development of improved monitoring and management tools for economically important crop
pests, including flea beetles in canola.

Nate Ort is a crop physiologist and agronomist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa. His research focuses on crop physiology, phenomics, and abiotic stress tolerance in canola, soybean, spring wheat, winter wheat, and corn. Nate has a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan and has experience working on farms, conducting scientific research, and supporting practical agronomic knowledge exchange.

Alison Sunstrum is a visionary Canadian entrepreneur and global leader at the intersection of agriculture, innovation, and investment. As Managing Partner of NYA Ventures and CEO CNSRV-X Inc., she backs diverse founders addressing agriculture’s most urgent challenges.  Alison was formerly the Co-Founder and CEO of GrowSafe Systems,  a Canadian garage-based startup that grew into a global AgTech leader recognized for its groundbreaking, science-based innovation to reduce livestock emissions, improve animal well-being and on-farm profitability. Alison holds patents and has spoken widely on sustainable agriculture and frontier technology. She is a Founding Partner and Fellow at CDL-Rockies, serves on Ivey’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value Advisory Council, and mentors the Weston Foundation’s Homegrown Innovation Challenge. An advocate for women in STEM, she is a  champion of inclusive progress in innovation.

Yixing Zheng, PhD, is an agricultural economist and Postdoctoral Associate with CALS Global and the Center for Agricultural Trade at Virginia Tech. She currently leads the modeling and analysis for Total Factor Productivity Growth Frontier: The Case of Saskatchewan Crops, a study by Virginia Tech’s Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Initiative in partnership with SaskCrops. The study examines yield gaps, technological change, and the factors affecting productivity across Saskatchewan’s major crops, including canola. Her broader research focuses on agricultural productivity, international trade, agribusiness, and climate change, with the aim of producing policy-relevant insights that support sustainable productivity growth and climate-resilient agricultural systems. She holds a PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Virginia Tech.