Registration is now open for the 2026 Organic Grower Summit, a two-day conference scheduled for December in Monterey, California. The event serves as a key gathering point for organic produce growers, agribusiness professionals, and supply chain stakeholders whose work feeds directly into foodservice and retail channels.
This year's edition introduces two notable additions: a partnership with This Week in Agribusiness, a broadcast media platform covering the agricultural sector, and a new Ag Tech Reception to be held at Reservoir Farms. The reception signals growing emphasis on agricultural technology within the organic supply chain — a trend with direct implications for food and beverage operators who depend on consistent, sustainably sourced ingredients.
Why Operators Should Watch
For restaurant and hospitality buyers, events like the Organic Grower Summit shape the upstream decisions that determine ingredient availability, pricing, and certification standards. As organic menu claims continue to carry weight with consumers, closer alignment between foodservice procurement teams and growers becomes a competitive advantage. The inclusion of an ag-tech-focused reception underscores how precision agriculture, traceability tools, and farm management software are reshaping the organic supply pipeline that ultimately serves commercial kitchens.
The Monterey region has long been a hub for specialty and organic produce, making it a logical focal point for dialogue between growers and the buyers — from grocery retailers to large-scale foodservice distributors — who depend on that output. Industry professionals tracking these upstream dynamics can find additional context in our food industry supply chain coverage and beverage industry analysis.
What's Next
Full program details, speaker announcements, and session topics have not yet been disclosed, but early registration is now available. Agribusiness professionals, organic certifiers, input suppliers, and foodservice procurement specialists are among the anticipated attendee segments. As the organic and regenerative agriculture space continues to attract investment and policy attention, the Summit's expanded programming — particularly around ag tech — positions it as a relevant touchpoint for anyone sourcing ingredients at scale.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
