IDF World Dairy Summit 2026 has confirmed more than 100 speakers

The six-day summit is being organised by the International Dairy Federation (IDF) and New Zealand’s organising committee. Its programme will include plenary sessions, specialist forums, networking events and technical visits.

Topics on the agenda include sustainability, nutrition, animal health and welfare, trade, innovation, technology and future dairy systems. The event is intended for participants from across the dairy value chain, including farmers, processors, scientists, policymakers, regulators and international organisations.

Gilles Froment, president of the International Dairy Federation, said that dairy sectors were not facing identical conditions worldwide. “Each region faces its own opportunities, priorities and challenges, but there is enormous value in sharing experiences and learning from one another,” he said.

Mr Froment said that few events brought together the full range of participants shaping the sector’s future. He identified producers, processors, scientists, policymakers, regulators and international organisations among those involved in that process.

Steve Holroyd, chairman of the programme committee for IDF WDS2026, said the programme reflected “both the depth and diversity of knowledge existing in the global dairy sector”. He said the participation of leaders from different parts of the world would provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, build lasting connections and develop new perspectives on the sector’s challenges and opportunities.

The organisers describe the IDF World Dairy Summit as a global forum for knowledge exchange, collaboration and leadership in the dairy sector. Professionals from all stages of the dairy value chain are invited to register for the 2026 edition, for which enrolment is currently open.