The perfect primer for attendees new to the animal handling world to learn the basics, this session will cover handling principles such as flight zone, distractions that impede movement, and proper use of driving aids. Led by animal and behavior scientist, and the world’s foremost authority on animal welfare, Dr. Temple Grandin will provide great opportunities for questions and discussion with an industry icon.

Kicking off the conference, Technomic – the leading food industry consumer trend experts, will share insights from the Trust in Animal Protein consumer survey. Curious what label claims, gene editing, and animal welfare certifications mean to the consumer? Technomic has been working with the Meat Institute to get the questions in front of consumers that are most important to you and your organization. Further your understanding of consumer insights and bring that information to your customers in your next discussion about animal welfare.

Hear from a panel of experts who interact with consumers through restaurant, retail and home delivery. Representatives from Wendy’s, McDonald’s, HEB, and Hello Fresh will share their company’s approaches to animal welfare, what influences their decisions, and consumer insights into animal welfare. Developing an understanding of what direction these companies are headed in and what signals they are getting from their customer base around animal welfare will provide invaluable insights to attendees.

Gene editing is a tool that has potential to improve livestock health, welfare, and sustainability. Come learn from the experts at the forefront of livestock gene editing and walk away better prepared to discuss the science of gene editing, the regulatory landscape, and what the future may hold. Experts from the Pig Improvement Company and Acceligen will share their ongoing gene editing research and discuss the traits they are exploring. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn about a technology that can speed up genetic improvement and benefit animal welfare.

Casey Gallimore, Director of Regulatory Policy at the Meat Institute will share an update on Prop 12, Product of the USA, and an outlook of the regulatory landscape for the remainder of 2024. Josh White, Senior Executive Director of Producer Education and Sustainability at NCBA, will share updates from the organization including results from consumer insights research into animal welfare and sustainability.

This year’s bullet sessions will cover a range a topics from developing programs to improve your organization’s Protein PACT metric reporting to the evolution of activist pressure campaigns. Speakers will also share lessons learned to prioritize safe animal handling and advances in new technologies to measure animal welfare outcomes at the plant. Attendees will walk away with a toolbox of ideas to implement at their organizations to continuously improve animal welfare.

The animal welfare research session will highlight results from livestock transporter interviews, the impacts of shade and mats on cattle comfort, and factors that influence bison welfare. Discover ways to improve animal welfare at your facility and become more knowledgeable about factors that can negatively affect animal welfare. Graduate students from the animal welfare labs of Dr. Lily Edwards-Callaway, Dr. Ruth Woiwode, and Dr. Kurt Vogel will contribute to the session, sharing the meaningful research that these lab groups are conducting in animal welfare.

This year’s Stunning and Insensibility track—led by Chuck Bildstein and Ryan Malone, along with Dr. Temple Grandin—will allow attendees to learn stunning techniques and appropriate tools based on species and age, correct anatomic locations, and indicators to assess insensibility. Bunzl’s Product Specialists, Chuck Bildstein and Ryan Malone, are expert trainers on captive bolt tools and electrical stunning systems at plants throughout the United States. They will provide the opportunity to identify the proper tools and techniques to effectively stun different animal classes with the opportunity for hands-on learning.

Most Americans love and consume meat and poultry products and three-quarters of Americans consider these an overall healthy choice in their diet. However, the many negative headlines surrounding meat consumption combined with the celebration of vegan and vegetarian choices have some consumers concerned. Join us to take a look at how perceptions of nutrition, planet and animal welfare prompt about 3 in 10 consumers to consider eating less meat and poultry. What are their animal welfare perceptions, definitions, sources and informational needs? How, what and where should we communicate about animal welfare? Anne-Marie Roerink, the author of the Power of Meat, will cover consumer animal welfare perceptions and realities along with a tour around the world illustrating how animal welfare is playing out in-store and on menus globally.