Amaranth: Reviving an Ancient Crop
Program
THURSDAY, September 19th
5-6 PM Installation of poster presentations
5-8 PM Conference Registration
6-8 PM Poster Viewing Available
7-8 PM Welcome Reception
Opening Speaker Jonathan Walters: Director Sales & Marketing at Nu-World Amaranth, Inc. (d.b.a. Nu-World
Foods), and Conference Chair for the 2013 Amaranth Institute (15 minutes)
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FRIDAY, September 20th
9:00-9:15 AM WELCOME - Jon Walters and TBD (likely to be a representative of the Illinois
State Agricultural Department)
9:15-9:45 AM Mary Beth Wilson, Co-founder of start-up Innovesca and recipient of Phase I
Small Business Innovation Research grant from the NSF to commercialize the Gates Foundation
research, looking at amaranth leaf potential in Africa and other developing countries. Cell
mechanics to increase nutrition of Amaranth leaves post-harvest
9:45-10 AM Introductions and Break
10:00-11 AM Lara Field MS, RD, CSP, LDN Pediatric Dietician Section of Pediatric
Gastroenterology, Heptology, and Nutrition The University of Chicago Comer Children's
Hospital
Discussing Celiac Disease and Amaranth as a hypoallergenic nutritional relief, etc. 45 minute
presentation 10-15 minute Q&A
11 AM-12 PM LaManda Joy Founder/President Chicago Peterson Garden Project discussing
Farm to Table Initiatives, Urban Gardening Initiatives, Nutrition, and her love of Amaranth,
including benefits!
12: 20 – 12:40 PM 20 minute presentation on cooking leafy Amaranth
12:20 -12:45 PM LUNCH - provided at hotel
12:45 Get on Bus for Tour (Visiting multiple sites including the "flagship" gardens of the
Peterson Garden Project, including Amaranth. Multiple varieties will be on display).
1PM - 4 or 5 PM TOUR
4 or 5 PM Return to Radisson
5:30 PM Amaranth Institute Board Meeting (participant free time and/or networking)
6:30 PM BANQUET (provided at hotel)
7:30 PM Business Meeting
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Saturday, September 21st
15 minute presentations w/ 5 minutes Q & A
9:00 – 9:20 David Brenner, Status of the Amaranthus Seed Collection
9:20 – 9:40 Erika Viljoen, PhD Student, Biotechnology Platform, Agricultural Research Council
- Onderstepoort
9:40 – 10:00 Rob Myers, University of Missouri/USDA-SARE, Best management practices for
grain amaranth production in the U.S.
10:00 – 10:20 Pete Noll, Director of Puente a la Salud Comunitaria, Amaranth’s increasing role
in Mexico: How to look at it from a Livelihoods framework
10:20 – 10:40 Mary Delano, Mexico Tierra Amaranto, Queretaro, Mexico, Successful amaranth
experience in Mexico.
10:40 – 11:00 Dr. John Paul Delano Frier CINVESTAV, Irapuato, México, Amaranth
hypochondiacus transcriptome as a platform for the deciphering of grain amaranth`s responses to
(a) biotic stress,
11:00 – 11:20 Craig Bielema, Appropriate Technology Specialist at ECHO, How ECHO is
working to promote amaranth worldwide
11:20 – 11:40 Amaranth popper demonstration, Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative
11:40 – 12:00 Divide out for networking and more individual discussions
12:00 – 1:00 LUNCH
1:00 – 1:20 Closing remarks and plan next conference