June 8, 2015 – DUBAI –The Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) is delighted to announce that Bush Brothers & Company will be the lead sponsor for the Sackler Institute of Nutritional Sciences Scientific Symposium on Pulse Health and Nutrition at the New York Academy of Sciences, one of the signature events of the 2016 International Year of Pulses (IYP 2016).

Beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas together comprise the category of food known as “pulses.” The General Assembly of the United Nations has declared the year 2016 as The International Year of Pulses. The Global Pulse Confederation, including farmers, traders, and food processors of pulse crops, is organizing a wide range of global events and projects that will focus on the role that pulses can play in addressing some of the greatest challenges that we face today. Nutrition and food security, agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, as well as pulse market-access issues are some of the thematic areas that will be addressed in IYP activities during 2016, led by an international committee whose members are volunteering their time and resources to organize IYP projects, events and conferences.

“Beans and other pulses have been staple foods featured in the diets of ancient civilizations for over 10,000 years” said Tom Ferriter, Chief Executive Officer of Bush Brothers and Company. “As today’s consumers increasingly seek sustainable diets that offer maximum nutritional benefit, the International Year of Pulses, and the Symposium on Pulses that will be held at the Sackler Institute, provide opportunities to remind people about the wonderful properties of beans and other pulses, and their role in meeting the global nutritional and agricultural challenges of our time.”

The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Sciences at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) will host a major scientific conference on November 19, 2015. Scientists and researchers, health experts, governmental representatives, and international agro-food experts from all over the world will gather to learn about the latest research on the benefits of beans and other pulses and set a new global agenda for pulse nutrition. (http://www.iyp2016.org/events/event/14-scientific-symposium-on-pulse-health-and-nutrition

Bush Brothers will be the main sponsor of the Scientific Symposium. The Global Pulse Confederation, Pulse Canada, and the American Pulse Association will serve as supporting sponsors.

“We are thrilled to have Bush Brothers & Company on board for such an important conference, which will provide scientific background to what we know about pulses.” says Hakan Bahceci, Chairman of GPC's IYP Oversight Committee. “Our ancestors knew about their benefits in the past, and that is a powerful reason to consider them as the food of the future.”

Contact for further information: Gavin Gibson, Executive Director Global Pulse Confederation: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Paulina Ceballos, Global Pulse Confederation Secretariat for International Year of Pulses activities, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Bush Brothers & Company

For over 100 years, Bush Brothers & Company has been an innovator and leader in delivering consistent taste and quality products using only the finest ingredients. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee and distributed through North America, the company is best known for its Baked Beans-- slow-cooked according to a Secret Family Recipe, the bold flavors of its Grillin’ Beans®, and its range of culinary beans that are featured in delicious salads, dips, soups, or bowls of chili.

About GPC

The Global Pulse Confederation is the not for profit peak body for the whole global pulses industry value chain. As the sole international confederation for the industry it enjoys membership from 18 national associations (federations) and over 600 private sector members in an industry worth over $100 Billion at the retail level and over 60 million tonnes in pulse production and distribution in over 55 countries.