Monday, April 21, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Environmental Committee Meeting (Open to Members) (Closed to Media)
Dogwood

Additional registration is required for this event. Please register here.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Worker Safety Committee Meeting (Open to Members) (Closed to Media)
Dogwood

Additional registration is required for this event. Please register here.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Joint People Experience and Labor & Employment Meeting (Open to Members) (Closed to Media)
Dogwood

Additional registration is required for this event. Please register here.

5:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Meat & Greet: First-Timer Edition
Dogwood

Welcome to the ELS+ community! Connect with fellow first-timers and Meat Institute's Megan McCullough to discover all the resources and opportunities available to you. This is your chance to forge valuable connections and make the most of your conference experience.

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Happy Hour
Grand Ballroom Foyer
 
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
 
Cypress Room
 
 
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Welcome and Keynote- Shift Happens: Leading Through Change in a Gen Alpha & AI World
Sarah Bohnenkamp
Willow Birch
Welcome and Keynote- Shift Happens: Leading Through Change in a Gen Alpha & AI World

The workplace is evolving faster than ever, shaped by AI advancements, generational shifts, and unpredictable challenges. In this high-energy keynote, we’ll tackle how to navigate change by leading from the inside-out, listening first, and taking coaching cues from unexpected places—including the next generation, emerging technology, and even the natural world. Change isn’t coming—it’s here. Those who thrive will be the ones who adapt boldly, lead authentically, and embrace the wild workplace with curiosity and confidence.

9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Break
 
Grand Ballroom Foyer
 
 
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Worker Safety: Ergonomic Best Practices in Return to Work After Injury: Reintegration Strategies for Employers
Anand Iyer Samantha Treadman Blaga, CSP Tim Mikolajewski
Dogwood
 
 
Labor & Employment: Navigating Labor and Employment Priorities under the new Trump Administration (Closed to Media)
John Linker
Willow Birch
 

This session will address the ever-changing impacts of the new administration’s focus in myriad areas involving employee relations and best practices for employers in dealing with the shifting priorities within the enforcement agencies.  

Environment: Innovative Practices in Land Application of Residual Wastes from Meat and Poultry Production.
Brian Paulsen Jeffrey LeBlanc
Poplar Room
 

This session will explore the environmental, economic, and regulatory aspects of land application of residual wastes from meat and poultry production. With experts from both Denali and Pilgrims, the speakers will discuss best practices, challenges, and innovations in managing residual waste generated by these industries, highlighting the importance of partnership. 

10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Break
 
Grand Ballroom Foyer
 
 
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Joint Labor & Employment and Worker Safety Session: Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace HR and Legal Perspectives
Kimberly Crawford Cary Farris
Willow Birch
 

Join Kimberly Crawford and Cary Farris as they dive into Case Studies highlighting challenges and solutions for providing reasonable accommodations for your employees under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Environment: Environmental Legal and Regulatory Updates: What’s important in the new administration?
Christopher Dolan
Poplar Room
 

Join Christopher Dolan from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP for environmental legal and regulatory updates. Chris will have an open forum session that will discuss topics such as EPA Enforcement Priorities, a PFAS Regulatory Update, WOTUS post-SCOTUS and the future of GHG regulations/enforcement.  

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch
 
Cypress Room
 
 
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Worker Safety: Trump 1st 90 Days: Impacts On The Legal Landscape for Worker Safety. (Closed to Media)
Eric Conn Aaron Gelb
Dogwood
 

President Trump has returned to the White House for a second term, and resumed control over the vast Executive Branch bureaucracy, including the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  OSHA is coming off the heels of a period of record-setting enforcement and a flurry of new rulemaking under the Biden/Harris Administration.  The pendulum has already begun to swing as control at OSHA transitions to the Trump/Vance Administration.  We have some clues what that will look like based on historical trends, our experience with the Trump/Pence Administration, signals from the 2024 campaign trail, and the first few months of the second Trump Administration. In this session, we will review the enforcement and rulemaking landscape at OSHA during this period of transition, and peek into the crystal ball to predict what employers can expect from OSHA over the next several years.

Environment: Water Reuse and Alignment
Nick Gasbarro Chavis Ferguson
Poplar Room
 
 
Labor and Employment: Navigating Immigration and work authorization under the Trump Administration: Legal and HR Perspectives (Closed to Media)
Brent Reilly Edward Raleigh Catherine Panagopulos
Willow Birch
 

Join Brent Reilly, Counsel at Fragomen, Edward Raleigh, Partner at Fragomen, and Catherine Pangopulos, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition at Smithfield as they review what has happened in the first 90 days of the Trump administration and how to navigate moving forward. 

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Break
 
Grand Ballroom Foyer
 
 
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Worker Safety Workshop: OSHA Mock Inspection
Eric Conn Aaron Gelb
Dogwood
 

Join Eric Conn and Aaron Gelb of Conn Maciel Carey, to be an active participant in an OSHA mock inspection. 

Environment Workshop: Action and Impact in Manufacturing Sustainability
Joe McMahan Shawn Lynn Mark Ritsema
Poplar Room
Environment Workshop: Action and Impact in Manufacturing Sustainability

Case studies that focus on 5 key production areas to impact your environmental footprint. This session will be interactive dialogue and breakouts. 

Labor & Employment Workshop: Fraud Typologies, Awareness and Detection, and Intersections with the I-9 Process (Closed to Media)
John Shofi Rebecca Hulgan Amy Lou Yancy
Willow Birch
 

Document and identity fraud have become more prevalent due to savvy actors on the street.  Counterfeiters and dark web vendors are selling identities and corresponding documentation to individuals who do not have authorization to work in the United States.  The I-9 and E-Verify are government tools to ensure the employment of a legal workforce.  Unfortunately, they are not enough for hiring teams in 2025.  Unauthorized workers, including many underage individuals, are attaining jobs in all industries by subverting E-Verify and under-educated HR teams.  This session is intended to quickly bolster attendees’ awareness of document and identity fraud schemes.  In a short amount of time, we will cover lots of territory in a practical and concentrated manner.

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Awards Reception
 
Cypress Room
 
 
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
 
Cypress Room
 
 
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Worker Safety: Using AI to Improve Worker Safety: Practical Examples and Learnings On How to Leverage AI to Help Keep Workers Safe
Revel Gordon
Willow Birch
 

Revel will share examples of how AI can be used to improve worker safety, such as monitoring Lockout/Tagout compliance, PPE compliance monitoring and monitoring potentially dangerous equipment and situations. He will also share practical tips for companies looking to implement AI solutions in these areas, and suggestions on building the business case. 

Environment: Sustainable Packaging Panel Discussion
Myra Foster Keya Peterson Sarah Paleg Ronald Cotterman Apurva Shah
Poplar Room
 
 
Labor and Employment: Changing Landscapes in Labor and Employment (Closed to Media)
Cary Farris John Linker Megan McCullough
Dogwood
 

Recent executive actions have impacted corporate strategy and internal programs that involve DEI initiatives. This session will give an overview of the current state of DEI and the impact and implications of these developments for both the private and public sector. It will also touch on practical strategies on reshaping DEI framework and continuing to foster an inclusive culture in the workplace amidst the changing external landscape.

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Break
 
Grand Ballroom Foyer
 
 
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Best Practices Blueprint: Labor & Employment (Closed to Media)
Kimberly Crawford Emily Moertl Sonja Totland
Dogwood
 
 
Best Practices Blueprint: Worker Safety (Closed to Media)
Lance Walker
Willow Birch
 
 
Best Practices Blueprint: Environment (Closed to Media)
Mark Ritsema Gregory Sindt Brittney O'Connor Kermann Laguerre
Poplar Room
Best Practices Blueprint: Environment (Closed to Media)
 
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Chew on This: Best Practices Lunch Digest
 
Cypress Room
 
 
12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Labor and Employment: Enhancing Managerial Effectiveness: Mastering Active Listening and Tactical Questioning
Sarah Bohnenkamp
Dogwood
 

In today's dynamic work environment, effective communication is paramount for managerial success. This workshop is tailored to elevate your leadership capabilities. Delve into art of active listening and tactical questioning—essential coaching skills that foster employee development and drive performance

Worker Safety: Line Speed Reports: Implications and Status (Closed to Media)
Adrienne Allison
Willow Birch
 
 
Environment: Optimizing Wastewater Treatment: Cost-Effective Equipment Based on System Needs
Brian Mulinix Mark Stone
Poplar Room
Environment: Optimizing Wastewater Treatment: Cost-Effective Equipment Based on System Needs

Join us for an insightful session on wastewater treatment focusing on selecting the right equipment based on system needs and exploring cost-effective strategies. Industry panel will discuss key considerations for equipment selection, balancing performance with budget constraints, and practical solutions to optimize wastewater treatment. The session will conclude with a Q&A segment, providing an opportunity to address specific challenges and gain expert insights tailored to your facility's needs. 

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
Closing General Session: Bringing it Back to the Plant
Bryan Burns Mark Ritsema Lance Walker Julie Yeary Sonja Totland
Willow Birch
Closing General Session: Bringing it Back to the Plant