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 October 17-19, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas, to learn more about the health benefits of whole grains, and best ways to increase consumption.

As always, we'll be covering the topics and messages that are most important to educating the public (through the top-level media at the conference) and to helping companies make more and better whole grain products. Want general information? 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

Conference Schedule (subject to change)

Wednesday October 17, 2012
Preconference Activities
1:00-3:00 pm Whole Grain Baking Class for early arrivals
2:00-4:00 pm Registration and sponsor exhibits

4:00-6:30 Keynote Session Whole Grains on a Million Plates
Our keynote session will feature high-profile speakers whose work brings whole grains to large numbers of people

6:30-8:00 pm Welcome Reception and Networking Puttin' on the Glitz with Whole Grains

Thursday October 18, 2012
7:30-9:00 am WGC Members' Meeting Breakfast

9:00-11:30 Morning: Breaking Down the Barriers
What keeps some people from eating whole grains? We'll hear speakers on Price Parity for Whole Grains, Solutions to Gluten Sensitivity, Consumer Attitudes and more.

11:30-1:30 cooking demonstration and lunch: Whole Grain Comfort Food

1:30-5:30 Afternoon: Don't Mess with Texas
Healthy food in Texas? Absolutely! We'll showcase stories with a Texas twist, including the San Antonio Firehouse Makeover; El Sol Bakery, recipients of a health grant to reformulate traditional Latino baked goods to whole grains; and a local chain of convenience stores that is making whole grains more convenient, among other stories. These examples may be local – but they're universal in indicating what can happen everywhere.

6:00-7:30 reception and Texas line-dancing lessons

Friday October 19, 2012
7:30-8:30 breakfast

8:30-12:00 Morning: It's a Whole New Ball Game:
What's new in Whole Grains, and how it affects YOU!
Our updates provide news-you-can-use for media, marketing and R&D professionals, including New School Food Guidelines, Latest Research on Whole Grains and Health, New Whole Grain Ingredients, and more.

12:00-1:00 lunch Whole Grains Quick and Easy

Conference Logistics

A few logistics about attending, in case you're planning your budget now:

Hotel rooms – The Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio is the site of our conference. We've reserved a conference block of rooms in the same hotel where conference sessions will take place, at $154 (plus tax) per night. Click here to reserve.

Conference registration will be available online by mid-spring, 2012

Thanks to our early conference sponsors.

Event Sponsors

Benefactor Sponsors

Supporters

KAMUT Association and Montana Flour & Grains

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 (an unbelievable wealth of cool things you never knew about whole grains)

• Photos

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

• Whole Grains: the New Norm (January/February 2011, Portland, OR)

• Make (at least!) Half Your Grains Whole (April 2009, Alexandria, VA)

• Just Ask for Whole Grains (November 2007, Kansas City)

• Getting Whole Grains To 3 (January 2006, Orlando)

• Whole Grains Go Mainstream (November 2004, New Orleans)