The Whole Grains: the New Norm conference included nineteen sessions with more than two dozen speakers, detailing the health benefits of whole grains and creative efforts worldwide to increase consumption.

For many of the sessions listed below, copies of speakers’ presentations are available. (Some panels were discussion only, without presentations.) Click on the links to download each presentation. Remember, however, that speakers normally add considerable information orally that is not available in the PDFs; not all presentations will be completely comprehensible without this additional oral detail.

While we offer these presentations for their educational value, we remind you that these works are copyrighted by each speaker and may not be reproduced without the speaker’s written permission.

MONDAY JANUARY 31, 2011

I. Keynote Session

Welcome and Opening Remarks,
Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways
Michael Bittel, SVP and General Manager / Flour at King Arthur Flour and Chair of the Whole Grains Council

Whole Grains, the New Norm
(download 2.5M PDF)
Cynthia Harriman, Director of Food & Nutrition Strategies, Oldways / Whole Grains Council

What Do They Know That I Don’t? How and why “social norms” affect our behavior
(download 2.4M PDF)
Jerry Burger, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Santa Clara University

Whole Grains And Health: A Roundup of the Latest Research
(download 4.2M PDF)
Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, Professor of Nutrition, Penn State University

Whole Grains in the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines
(download 3.7M PDF)
Eve Essery, PhD, USDA Center for Nutrition Promotion and Policy

Fighting Childhood Obesity with the ECO Project
Bob Moore, Bob’s Red Mill and Courtney Jackson, ND, the ECO Project

Opening Reception, followed by Tweetup and Whole Grains Dine-Around in Portland area restaurants. Download our list of some local restaurants serving whole grains (4.4M).

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2011

II. Morning: From Nowhere to Norm
Examples of where whole grains have become firmly established as the default for grain foods, detailing the sea-change in consumer acceptance of whole grains – and how whole grains are now the fastest-growing segment of the grain-foods market.

How and Why Companies Commit to Whole Grains (Manufacturers’ Panel)
Sarah Murphy, RD, Nutrition Manager, Pepsico (FritoLay & Quaker)
Joan Rubschlager, Vice President, Rubschlager Baking
Todd Kluger, VP Marketing, Lundberg Family Farms
Kristin Harris, PhD, Senior Nutrition Scientist, General Mills

Whole Grains in Every Aisle: How a leading retailer promotes healthier foods
(download 2.5M PDF)
Craig Stacey, Director of Health & Wellness Marketing, SUPERVALU

Whole Grains Make Hospitals Healthier
(download 900K PDF)
Chef Cary Neff, VP of Culinary, Morrison Management

Whole Grains for a New Generation: Promoting whole grains to kids
Patty Wall, Director of Dining Services, Holton (MI) Public Schools

How magazines, newspapers, and blogs put whole grain first (Media Panel)
Jessie Price, Deputy Editor of Food, Eating Well magazine (download 4.8M PDF)
Heidi Swanson, blogger and author, 101 Cookbooks  (download 584K PDF)
Martha Rose Shulman, “Recipes for Health” columnist, the New York Times

Festive Whole Grains Buffet Lunch
The perfect chance to try a range of different grains and some wonderful foods made from them.


III. Afternoon: Pioneers and Pacesetters

These sessions detail some of the remaining barriers to whole grains – and how good products and clever programs can help dissolve those barriers.

The Pace Picks Up: the Whole Grain Stamp increases sales
(download 924K PDF)
Bobbi Leahy, Director of Sales West, SPINS

Healthy Corner Stores: A nationwide movement brings whole grains to convenience marts
(download 2.1M PDF)
Amy Ellings, Nurition Coordinator, Washington State Dept. of Health

Whole Grain Invasion: Vending machines make whole grains ultra-convenient
(download 444K PDF)
Sean Kelly, CEO, h.u.m.a.n. Healthy Vending

Marketing Whole Grains in Central and South America
(download 792K PDF)
Alejandra Inclan Ortiz, Manager of Corporate R&D, Grupo Bimbo

China’s Plans for More Whole Grains
(download 1.1M PDF)
Yu Xiaodong, General Director, Public Nutrition & Development Center (PNDC) of China

WGC Member Meeting
A review of 2010 achievements followed by brainstorming ideas for 2011 and 2012

Whole Grain Awards Dinner
• Recognition Certificates to 14 Founding Members
• Medals to 2 Whole Grains Challenge Winners
• Special Global Award presented to Grupo Bimbo

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2011

III. Morning: From Topsoil to Table
A dynamic whole grains community is made up of many interconnected parts. Follow whole grains from the field to the fork, to discover what’s new at every stage.

Down on the Farm: farming issues that affect whole grain quality and supply (Farmers’ Panel)
Wayne Carlson, The Teff Company (download 296K PDF)
Curt Sayles, CSF Farms and Farmer Direct Foods

Milling Around – What makes a grain “whole” even after it’s been milled?
(download 812K PDF)
Chris Miller, Instructor of Milling Science, Kansas State University

New Niches for Whole Grain Products: Gluten Free and Sprouted Grains
Tom Payne, Director of Marketing, King Arthur Foods
Kyle Bonorden, Broker / Marketing Agent, Sol Grains

Marketing Whole Grains: “You’ve convinced me!” (Foodservice Chefs’ Panel)
Mike Holleman, Director of Culinary Development, Indian Harvest
Anette Grecchi Gray, Foodservice Director, Central Market

Fast Food Discovers Whole Grains
Your choice of a box lunch, McDonald’s oatmeal, or snacks from our healthy vending machine.

Bonus Foodservice Workshop
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 offered 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.
Click here to download a flyer with more details about the free workshop.