Attend Our Conference

The Whole Grains Council holds a major international conference about every year and a half. We hope you'll join us at our next conference, scheduled for January 31-February 2, 2011 in Portland OR, to learn more about the health benefits of whole grains, and best ways to increase consumption. Can't wait to learn more? Click on the links below.

• Who should attend our conferences – and who's come to past ones

• How your company can be an active participant and sponsor

Whole Grains – the New Norm
January 31 - February 2, 2011

Whole grains have become the default, rather than the exception, in a surprising number of cases. The Whole Grains Council's next conference, scheduled for January 30-February 2, 2011 in Portland, Oregon, will spotlight and celebrate the many foodservice operations, magazines, schools, government policies, and other circumstances where whole grains are now served, depicted, and proscribed, automatically, as the norm. This sea change will astound you – and inspire the best in your organization, too! Here's the overview of what's planned:

Day 1 (Monday January 31, 2011 ... 4-8 pm)
Exploring the New Norm
We'll kick off this event late Monday afternoon with three key sessions that set the context for the conference:
* Surprising evidence that whole grains have gone mainstream
* But Mom, Everyone's Doing it: How and why "social norms" affect our behavior
* Whole Grains in the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines
A networking cocktail reception will follow, with plenty of delicious whole grain nibbles.

Day 2 (Tuesday February 1, 2011 ... all day)
From Nowhere to Norm (morning)
Tuesday morning we'll look at examples from retail, foodservice, and manufacturing where whole grains have become firmly established as the default for grain foods. In five lively sessions, you'll learn about the sea-change in consumer acceptance of whole grains – and how whole grains are now the fastest-growing segment of the grain-foods market.

Lunch -- Grain Bar Buffet
This is your chance to try a range of different grains, and some wonderful foods made from them.

Whole Grain Pioneers and Pacesetters (afternoon)
We'll continue our exploration of the current market for whole grains, with five more sessions featuring in-the-trenches stories of individuals and organizations that are making whole grains happen. You'll learn about some of the remaining barriers to whole grains – and how good products and clever programs can help dissolve those barriers.

WGC Member Meeting
At the end of the afternoon, we'll offer WGC members a chance to share their ideas for 2011 and 2012 programs. Bring your inspiration and don't be shy. (Non-members welcome to attend and observe.)

Awards Dinner
After a day full of food for thought, we'll relax and enjoy a leisurely dinner, accented by a brief awards ceremony to honor three organizations that have distinguished themselves in their dedication to promoting whole grains.

Day 3 (Wednesday February 2, 2011 ... morning + optional afternoon workshop)
From the Ground Up: Topsoil to Table (morning)
A dynamic whole grains community is made up of many interconnected parts. This morning we'll follow whole grains from the field to the fork, to discover what's new at every stage.
* Down on the Farm – how locale and back-story add value to grains
* Milling Around – what makes a grain "whole" even after it's been milled?
* New Niches – our panel discusses gluten free, sprouted grains and more
* They Make THAT with Whole Grains? A lively look at some surprising new products
* To Market, To Market – a consumer trends specialist updates us on attitudes to whole grains

Lunch: Fast Food Discovers Whole Grains
As some of you run for your flights and others get ready for our bonus workshop, we'll offer you a chance to sample some of the whole grains now being featured in Quick Serve restaurants across the nation.

Bonus Foodservice Workshop (1-3 pm)
While whole grains have become firmly entrenched in the retail food-chain, foodservice got a later start – but is now beginning to take off. This bonus workshop will offer all of us the opportunity to share ideas for bringing more whole grains to schools, workplace cafeterias, healthcare, and everywhere else that consumers eat away from home.

Conference Logistics
A few logistics about attending, in case you're planning your budget early:

Hotel rooms – The Nines Hotel, Portland $139+tax (12.5%) per night

In late September we'll open registration for the conference, and add a link here, to our conference registration site.

In the meantime, want a preview of our conference theme? We've been collecting ads that show whole grains in a starring rôle – even though the ads aren't selling whole grains. A few years ago, ads for tuna fish, peanut butter, mayonaise and luncheon meat invariable used white bread as the norm –but now things have changed, and whole grain is the new norm. Click here to download our PDF photo gallery.(1.4M PDF)

Access Past Conference Proceedings

You can access a wealth of materials from our previous whole grains conferences through the links below, including:

• Summary agenda of presentations

• Reports and handouts

• Photos

PDFs of most presentations are available either online or on request, as noted on each conference's agenda.

1. Whole Grains Go Mainstream (November 2004, New Orleans)
2. Getting Whole Grains To 3 (January 2006, Orlando)
3. Just Ask for Whole Grains (November 2007, Kansas City)
4. Make (at least!) Half Your Grains Whole (April 2009, Alexandria, VA)