Jesse Fulton
Meat Institute
Director of Animal Health and Welfare
Jesse Fulton, M.S. serves as the director of animal health and welfare at the Meat Institute where he provides timely assistance, analysis, guidance, and technical support for the meat, and poultry packing and processing industry on various topics, including animal production, health, handling, welfare, foreign animal disease, veterinary drugs, and pathology. As the staff liaison to the Animal Welfare Committee, Fulton ensures members have a forum for discussing issues, sharing best practices, and establishing industry-wide positions. Fulton oversees the
Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit. He provides technical support to other committees and represents the Meat Institute at external meetings and before government agencies on animal health and welfare issues.
Before joining the Meat Institute, Fulton spent five years with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and nearly five years with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he directed the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance program.
Fulton received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Morehead State University, his Master of Science in Animal Science from South Dakota State University with research focusing on beef cattle fetal programming and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Philosophy in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with his research focusing on ruminant nutrition.
Meat Institute
Director of Animal Health and Welfare
Jesse Fulton, M.S. serves as the director of animal health and welfare at the Meat Institute where he provides timely assistance, analysis, guidance, and technical support for the meat, and poultry packing and processing industry on various topics, including animal production, health, handling, welfare, foreign animal disease, veterinary drugs, and pathology. As the staff liaison to the Animal Welfare Committee, Fulton ensures members have a forum for discussing issues, sharing best practices, and establishing industry-wide positions. Fulton oversees the
Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit. He provides technical support to other committees and represents the Meat Institute at external meetings and before government agencies on animal health and welfare issues.
Before joining the Meat Institute, Fulton spent five years with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and nearly five years with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he directed the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance program.
Fulton received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Morehead State University, his Master of Science in Animal Science from South Dakota State University with research focusing on beef cattle fetal programming and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Philosophy in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with his research focusing on ruminant nutrition.
Dr. Kirby Childs
Greater Omaha Beef
Vice President of Quality Assurance
Dr. Kirby Childs is the current Vice President of Quality Assurance & Technical Resources for Greater Omaha Packing. Kirby started his career at Sun Land Beef (currently JBS Tolleson) in 2002 as a food safety manager and has also held QA and R & D positions in beef and pork processing and further processing facilities with Otto & Sons and Lopez Foods. Additionally, Kirby worked in poultry processing and further processing at OK Foods and Gold Creek Foods. Currently Kirby serves on the BIFSCO executive board and a co-chair of Meat Institute Scientific Affairs Committee and the Meat Foundation Board. Kirby received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology at Oklahoma Baptist University, Master of Science degree at Oklahoma State University and a Doctor of Philosophy from Colorado State University in Animal Science/Meat Food Safety.
Greater Omaha Beef
Vice President of Quality Assurance
Dr. Kirby Childs is the current Vice President of Quality Assurance & Technical Resources for Greater Omaha Packing. Kirby started his career at Sun Land Beef (currently JBS Tolleson) in 2002 as a food safety manager and has also held QA and R & D positions in beef and pork processing and further processing facilities with Otto & Sons and Lopez Foods. Additionally, Kirby worked in poultry processing and further processing at OK Foods and Gold Creek Foods. Currently Kirby serves on the BIFSCO executive board and a co-chair of Meat Institute Scientific Affairs Committee and the Meat Foundation Board. Kirby received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology at Oklahoma Baptist University, Master of Science degree at Oklahoma State University and a Doctor of Philosophy from Colorado State University in Animal Science/Meat Food Safety.
Jennifer Woods
J. Woods Livestock Services
Owner
Jennifer Woods is an Animal Care and Welfare specialist based out of Alberta, Canada, Woods obtained her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Colorado State University and her Masters degree in Veterinary Preventative Medicine - Animal Welfare from Iowa State University. She has over 25 years experience with production livestock and has been collaborating with the livestock industry in all aspects of animal welfare and care since 1998. She has been a professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) certified auditor for all five species groups since 2007. Her areas of expertise include euthanasia, animal handling and behavior, animal welfare auditing and assessing slaughter, farm, rodeo, agriculture exhibitions/events, feedlot and transportation), livestock emergency response, transportation and facility design. Jennifer’s work has taken her all over North America, across Europe, South America, into Asia and down to Australia. Her work has been used globally to audit, train and improve farm animal welfare.
J. Woods Livestock Services
Owner
Jennifer Woods is an Animal Care and Welfare specialist based out of Alberta, Canada, Woods obtained her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Colorado State University and her Masters degree in Veterinary Preventative Medicine - Animal Welfare from Iowa State University. She has over 25 years experience with production livestock and has been collaborating with the livestock industry in all aspects of animal welfare and care since 1998. She has been a professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) certified auditor for all five species groups since 2007. Her areas of expertise include euthanasia, animal handling and behavior, animal welfare auditing and assessing slaughter, farm, rodeo, agriculture exhibitions/events, feedlot and transportation), livestock emergency response, transportation and facility design. Jennifer’s work has taken her all over North America, across Europe, South America, into Asia and down to Australia. Her work has been used globally to audit, train and improve farm animal welfare.
Kayla Williams
American Foods Group
Food Safety & Inspection Veterinarian
Dr. Kayla Williams graduated with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 2014. After graduating, she went into private practice, specializing in dairy production medicine in Wisconsin. After practicing a few years, she became a Public Health Veterinarian with USDA-FSIS and was stationed at Green Bay Dressed Beef (an American Foods Group Establishment). In her current role with AFG, Dr. Williams oversees the animal welfare, drug residue, and modernization programs at all AFG establishments.
American Foods Group
Food Safety & Inspection Veterinarian
Dr. Kayla Williams graduated with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 2014. After graduating, she went into private practice, specializing in dairy production medicine in Wisconsin. After practicing a few years, she became a Public Health Veterinarian with USDA-FSIS and was stationed at Green Bay Dressed Beef (an American Foods Group Establishment). In her current role with AFG, Dr. Williams oversees the animal welfare, drug residue, and modernization programs at all AFG establishments.