PolyConversions to have booth at IPPE

PolyConversions Inc. will be exhibiting at the Georgia World Congress Center, Booth 7148, during the 2013 International Production and Processing Expo, being held January 29–31 in Atlanta, Ga.
PolyConversions provides food processing and industrial/safety professionals with products that are approved for direct food contact according to the Food and Drug Administration's Code of Federal Regulations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. PolyCo's VR Protective Wear solutions contain no toxic substances or plasticizers and can be recycled, placed in landfills or incinerated with no harm to the environment.
The products are designed to be reused, recycled and to replace traditional protective wear made of vinyl as well as other durable materials. The material provides strength and puncture resistance as well as lighter weight protection, according to the company. Free of vinyl and latex, VR has been clinically tested to offer resistance to fats, oils and chemicals, especially acids such as nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric and hydrofluoric.

New International Student Career Program part of IPE 2013

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and the USAPEEC International Poultry Development Program are jointly sponsoring a new International Student Career Program at the 2013 International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo. Held in conjunction with the long-standing USPOULTRY College Student Career Program, the new program has been created to provide companies with an opportunity to interview top students from various countries for industry jobs and internships in the poultry industry while in one location.
"[USAPEEC International Poultry Development Program] is pleased to honor Henry Holler, one of the pioneers of our industry, by establishing the Henry L. Holler International Management Studies Fund to support this international student career program," said Development Program Chairman Eric Joiner, AJC International. "Henry was one the founders of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and served as the first chairman of [USAPEEC International Poultry Development Program]."
"Several of our interviewing companies have locations outside of the United States and are looking for students to fill positions in various countries. We are excited to offer our interviewing companies an opportunity to meet and talk with these international students," added John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY.
The 2013 IPPE, one of the world's largest poultry, feed and meat industry events, will be held from January 29-31, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The International Student Career Program will be held in conjunction with the College Student Career Program and is scheduled for January 29-31.

Poultry Market Intelligence Forum to return at IPPE 2013

The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum is returning to the 2013 International Production & Processing Expo.
Sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association, the program will identify the challenges facing the industry and provide insight into how domestic and international poultry industries are positioned to move forward in 2013. The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum is free to all Expo and National Poultry & Food Distributors Association meeting attendees.
“The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum has been one of the most popular programs on the Expo schedule since its inception, and we are pleased to add it back for 2013,” said USPOULTRY President John Starkey. “Feed costs, global competition and consumer demand present constant challenges for the poultry and egg industry, so it is important to stay informed about current conditions and projections for the future. This program helps keep industry leaders current on the various factors that could impact their financial performance."
The program will feature two industry economists and a major food service provider. Mike Donohue, Agri Stats, will review performance trends for the poultry and egg industry. Dr. Paul Aho, Poultry Perspective, will discuss domestic and global drivers for 2013. Barry Barnett, vice president of global supply and purchasing for Church’s Chicken, will provide insight into the customer’s view of the poultry and egg industry.

The 2013 IPPE, one of the world's largest poultry, feed and meat industry events, will be held January 29–31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum is scheduled at 9–11:30 a.m., on January 30.

International Poultry Expo, University of Georgia partner on poultry education

The International Poultry Expo, a component of the International Production & Processing Expo, is partnering with the University of Georgia to promote the International Poultry Short Course 2013 to be held February 1–5, 2013, in Athens, Ga. Registrants who sign up for the International Poultry Short Course will also receive registration to the 2013 International Poultry Expo, which will take place January 29–31, 2013, in Atlanta, Ga.
The International Poultry Course is a 3.5-day conference created by the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia. It will cover a broad range of topics for individuals new to the poultry industry, as well as for experienced professionals. In addition to formal instruction, demonstrations in various areas of poultry science will be conducted at the university research facility in Athens. During this program, participants will have the opportunity to interact with experts in many areas. The course will be held in Athens immediately following the International Poultry Expo.
Topics span from genetics and breeding to processing and food safety and will cover essentially all the important areas in between. This year’s program will focus on the challenges in producing and processing the modern broiler chicken.
Registration for the course is $795 and includes all luncheons, dinners and basic materials for the course. Space is limited, and registration closes on January 18, 2013. 

International Production & Processing Expo surpasses 1,100 exhibitors

The 2013 International Production & Processing Expo has surpassed 1,100 exhibitors, covering more than 420,000 net square feet of exhibit space, according to show organizers. Comprised of the three integrated tradeshows—the International Poultry Expo, the International Feed Expo and the American Meat Institute's International Meat Expo—the International Production & Processing Expo is continuing to grow.
“The response and excitement for the show has been overwhelming," said John Starkey, president of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. "We thought integrating the shows made sense, and the response has been even better than imagined. IPPE has instantaneously established itself as the premiere feed and protein event of the western hemisphere."
According to Joel G. Newman, American Feed Industry Association president and CEO, the 2013 expo will offer an ideal venue for businesses to collaborate, network, learn about new products and services and solve common challenges facing the feed, poultry and meat industries. "With the response so far, we expect attendees will agree that it is worth their time to come to Atlanta,” said Newman.
The global poultry, feed and meat industry tradeshow will be held Tuesday through Thursday, January 29–31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. The expo will highlight the latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing of poultry, meat and feed products. The expo will also feature education programs that will be held from January 28 through February 1, 2013, and will include the annual line-up of the International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Animal Agricultural Sustainability Summit and International Feed Education Program. The 2013 expo will also feature eleven new educational programs:


• Recalls and Public Health Investigations
• Improving Food Safety, Sanitation and Maintenance
• Animal Care and Handling: Focus on Poultry Processing
• Meat and Poultry Processing: A Global Perspective
• Consumer Trends
• Plant Operations and Management
• Antibiotics Conference—Current Issues for the Poultry & Egg Industry
• The Future of the U.S. Egg Industry
• Meat & Poultry Research Conference
• Media Training for the Meat & Poultry Industry
• Poultry Handling and Transportation Quality “Train the Trainer” Workshop

Also returning for this year are the Poultry Market Intelligence Forum and the International Rendering Symposium. 

American Feed Industry Association to hold international forum at IPPE

The American Feed Industry Association will host the International Feed Education Forum at the International Production and Processing Expo, addressing issues unique to feed manufacturers in three knowledgeable sessions.
The event, which will take place on January 30, 2013, will highlight the following:

• Keith Epperson, American Feed Industry Association: the latest regulations from Environmental Protection Agency and specifically OSHA
• Richard Sellers, American Feed Industry Association: the continued implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and other government compliance rules
• Dr. Adam Fahrenholz, North Carolina State University: training new feed mill managers using web-based tools
The 2013 International Feed Expo will be co-located with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association's International Poultry Expo and the American Meat Institute’s International Meat Expo into a single, large tradeshow. The International Poultry and Processing Expo will be hosted in Atlanta, Georgia, January 29–31, 2013.

USPOULTRY to highlight antibiotics at 2013 international production, processing expo

"The Antibiotics Conference — Current Issues for the Poultry and Egg Industry," sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, aims to explore and discuss antibiotic use as viewed from the regulatory and scientific perspective of leading industry experts and will take place during the 2013 International Production & Processing Expo.
At the International Poultry Expo, experts from the U.S., Europe and Latin America will discuss the current use of antibiotics throughout the world, explore the differences in regional perspectives involving antibiotics, investigate how antibiotic use is monitored, and review the current science behind alternatives to antibiotics. The registration fee for the conference is $150 and includes admission to the expo.
Program topics will include:

• Current State of Affairs Regarding Antibiotics — How We Got to Where We Are, How We Currently Use Antibiotics
• Antibiotic Resistance — Science Behind Antibiotic Resistance, How Is It Being Monitored, How Is Data Being Used? Is There a Disconnect Between Use in Animals Compared to Antibiotic Resistance in Humans? Is the Issue Consumer or Government Driven?
• Alternatives to Antibiotics
• Future of Antibiotic Usage — Industry and FDA Perspective
The 2013 International Production & Processing Expo will be held January 29–31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. The "Antibiotics Conference — Current Issues for the Poultry and Egg Industry" program will be on January 30 and January 31, at 8–11:30 a.m.

International Production & Processing Expo offers a new name, much larger show

The 2013 International Production & Processing Expo — the exciting new collaboration resulting from the co-location of the International Poultry Expo, International Feed Expo, and the International Meat Expo — will bring together more than 1,000 exhibitors and an anticipated 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from January 29-31, 2013.
Hosted by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, the American Feed Industry Association, and the American Meat Institute, the Expo will highlight the latest technology, equipment, and services used in the production and processing of poultry, meat and feed products, with opportunities for learning and conducting all aspects of business, from farm to fork. The entire tradeshow will cover close to 400,000 net square feet of exhibit space, making it one of the 50 largest tradeshows in the United States.
The 2013 Expo will also mark the International Poultry Expo’s 65th year of continual exhibition services to the poultry industry.

2013 Expo highlights
Resuming for 2013 is the popular Members to Atlanta program, known as M2A, which waives the registration fee for attendees from member firms of all three associations engaged in the production of poultry, eggs and meat for consumption, and feed and pet food manufacturers. The program is supported through the sponsorship of elite Expo exhibitors. They include Agranco Corp. USA, Alaso, Alltech, Aviagen, Ceva, Cobb-Vantress, Diamond V, Dupont, ISI-Incubator Supply, Jamesway, Jefo, Marel Stork Poultry Processing, Kemin, Mosaic, Myuang, and Pfizer Poultry Health.
International Production & Processing Expo show organizers will be hosting a special reception Tuesday, January 29, from 4-6 p.m. on the respective floors of the show. There will be non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, and musical entertainment and activities taking place during the reception.

Educational programs
The week of January 28, 2013, has been designated as “IPPE Week” and will feature dynamic education programs addressing current industry issues. The education program schedule includes the annual line-up of the International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Animal Agricultural Sustainability Summit, and American Feed Industry Association International Feed Education Program. Back by popular demand is the National Renderers Association’s International Rendering Symposium and the Poultry Market Intelligence Forum.
New for 2013 are the following educational programs: Improving Food Safety, Sanitation and Maintenance; Animal Handling: Focus on Poultry Processing; Antibiotic Conference – Current Issues for the Poultry & Egg Industry; USPOULTRY/United Egg Producers Conference on the Future of the U.S. Egg Industry; Meat and Poultry Research Conference; Processed Meats Workshop; Consumer Trends – Best New Meat and Poultry Products; Operations: Risk Management and Lifecycle Analysis; and International Regulatory Topics for Meat.

Registration now open
Attendee and exhibitor pre-registration and hotel registration for the 2013 International Production & Processing Expo is open through January 11, 2013. Online is the only way to pre-register for the discounted price of USD $40. Visit the International Production & Processing Expo website, www.ippe13.org, for links to the International Poultry Expo, International Feed Expo, and the International Meat Expo websites for more information about registration, hotel reservations, a video describing the upcoming International Production & Processing Expo experience, and a schedule of 2013 educational seminars offered during the Expo. 

International Poultry Expo marks 65 years of industry service

The International Poultry Expo is celebrating 65 years of tradeshow service to the poultry and egg industry.
Sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, the first “poultry convention” was attended by 200 poultry men in Atlanta in 1948. Suppliers in the early years exhibited in the halls of the convention hotel. The first “poultry exposition” was held in January 1951. With approximately 2,000 attendees and 67 exhibiting companies, the exposition began its run of steadily growing and expanding year after year to become what is today’s annual International Poultry Expo.
Over the years, the International Poultry Expo has expanded to incorporate other areas of related production and processing. In 2007, the American Feed Industry Association signed an agreement to co-locate the International Feed Expo with the International Poultry Expo; and in 2013, the International Poultry Expo will expand even further with the addition of American Meat Institute’s International Meat Expo.
The International Production & Processing Expo is the new umbrella name for the three integrated tradeshows, and it will be one of the 50 largest tradeshows in the U.S. The entire tradeshow, which will be held Jan. 29–31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga., is expected to include more than 1,000 exhibitors and 400,000 net square feet of exhibit space. The show is expected to bring over 25,000 industry leaders from over 100 countries.

International rendering symposium focuses on quality, risk management

The International Rendering Symposium, held during the 2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo, focused on the quality of rendered products as well as the risks for bacteria such as Salmonella and how to manage and maintain safety in rendering plants.
The industry has developed an aggressive quality assurance program that includes a code of practice, with more than 100 plants certified to date, said Dr. David Meeker, senior vice president of the National Renderers Association, during his presentation Rendering Code of Practice for Safety and Quality. “This code goes a long way in demonstrating that plants are safe,” said Meeker.
Tom Dobbs of Darling International Inc./Griffin Industries gave a presentation on Quality Assurance in Manufacturing Rendered Products. According to Dobbs, plants must have a lengthy list of plans, policies and procedures for safety and quality. “The rendering industry is striving all the time to improve its processes," said Dobbs. "The bottom line is we all want safety."
Dr. Frank Jones, emeritus professor at the University of Arkansas and president of Performance Poultry Consulting, presented on Controlling Salmonella in Feed. According to Jones, Salmonella is highly adaptable to a variety of environmental situations and can survive for a long time. Because of these evolutionary advantages, it’s unlikely that the bacteria will be eradicated from the food chain any time soon, if ever. “It’s going to be a continuing battle, so we’d better get used to it and go forward,” said Jones. 

Pre-harvest food safety discussed at International Feed Expo 2012

At the Pre-Harvest Food Safety Conference held during the 2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo, Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, United States Department of Agriculture under secretary for food safety, spoke on the importance of pre-harvest food safety.
Hagen commended the poultry industry for coming together to work toward better food safety. Dr. Alling Yancy, vice president of food safety and production programs for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, addressed the topic of Poultry Industry Concerns Regarding Pre-Harvest Food Safety Regulatory Initiatives.
“Poultry producers need to understand both their rights and their responsibilities, such as compliance with food safety regulations and the importance of educating consumers. One thing they cannot do is ignore pressing issues and scientific realities,” said Dr. Yancy said. Dr. Steven Clark, senior technical services manager-poultry at Pfizer Animal Health, gave a presentation on Current Trends in Antiboitic Usage in Food Animal Production, remarking that one of the most significant challenges is how to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics.  “Antibiotics are important not only for human health but also for animal health. They also have implications for food safety; we can indirectly understand how healthy animals produce healthy food. In addition, there are economic benefits for everybody,” Dr. Clark said. The results of a pre-harvest intervention survey for best practices in pathogen control were also discussed, showing that most breeders are taking biosecurity measures on their farms, vaccinating their birds, and conducting water and litter testing, while smaller numbers reported regularly washing vehicles, cages, crates and other equipment. “Much of this information is encouraging,” said Dr. Shelly McKee, an associate professor in the Poultry Products Safety and Quality Program, Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University. “But there is no silver bullet. This is risk mitigation. Someday maybe we can get to eradication; but today if we can mitigate risk during pre-harvest, the things we do at the processing plant may help control some of these pathogens better.”  

Georgia governor speaks to poultry industry at IPE 2012

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal addressed poutry industry executives at a luncheon held during the International Poultry Expo.

Georgia governor, Nathan Deal, spoke with a group of poultry industry executives at a luncheon held during the 2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo in Atlanta.

"Poultry is the number one income producing activity for the state of Georgia, and the International Poultry Expo is the largest annual meeting of its kind held at the Georgia World Congress Center every year,” Deal said.  During his speech at the event, sponsored by Rabobank, Deal addressed many topics including the need to end ethanol mandates, Georgia’s new state-of-the-art poultry lab, the necessity for immigration reform to be addressed at the federal level, expanding export markets, and the importance of poultry exports to the port of Savannah, Ga., and its continued growth and expansion.

“Governor Deal has long been a friend and advocate for the poultry industry. We appreciate him taking the time to meet with our industry leaders at the International Poultry Expo,” said John Starkey, president of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. 

Hatchery-Breeder Clinic held at International Poultry Expo

The Hatchery-Breeder Clinic was recently held in conjunction with the 2012 International Poultry and International Feed Expo, focusing on improvements in broiler performance.
In his presentation on Profiles in Breed Development, Scott Martin, hatchery specialist for Cobb-Vantress’ technical support team, commented that breeders should address incubation management, and said that improvements in broiler performance start at the hatchery level. Martin said that breeders should use data loggers to monitor the temperature and humidity of eggs at all of these points.  Terry Bruce of Tip Top Poultry gave a presentation on Breast Vaccination Concerns, saying that the poultry industry could be adversely impacted unless it addresses the issue of granulomas associated with Salmonella breast injections. “Granuloma formation is a natural response to the bacterial vaccine. It’s not something foreign that is being introduced,” Bruce said.  Other topics included a Disease Update for Breeders; New Equipment for Hatcheries and Breeder Farms; Changing Vaccination Programs and the Impact on Disease Trends; and Male Management for Optimum Fertility.

IPE/IFE to remain in Atlanta through 2016

Leaders of the three associations co-locating their shows explained their future plans. From left: Joel Newman of the AFIA; J. Patrick Boyle of the AMI, and John Starkey of USPOULTRY.

The combined International Poultry Expo/International Feed Expo/American Meat Institute show will remain in Atlanta, Ga., through at least 2016, and its location after that will depend entirely on where exhibitors and attendees want to see the show located, according to the heads of the three associations that are co-locating their shows. Rumors that the show will be moving back and forth between Atlanta and Chicago are only show-floor rumors, and any decisions such as that are years in the future, they said at a press conference on January 26.

John Starkey, president of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association; Joel Newman, president of the American Feed Industry Association; and J. Patrick Boyle, president of the American Meat Institute, said that the three associations are co-locating their shows, a logical progression for all three organizations. "We've been in these discussions for several years," said Starkey. "For all three of us the time was right to make this move."

According to Boyle, the American Meat Institute's move to an annual spring show a few years ago made the co-location of the three easier. "When we were a biannual show, it would have been hard to do this," he said. The show organizers predict that the addition of the American Meat Institute show could add 100,000 square feet to the 2013 event, up from approximately 300,000 square feet this year. The show's configuration probably won't change much, with the feed and poultry live production exhibitors in Hall A, with Hall B being filled by the current processing exhibitors from IPE and the additional American Meat Institute exhibitors. "Reaction from exhibitors and attendees to the news has been overwhelmingly positive," said Starkey. The three associations will continue to operate independently, and each will offer targeted education and networking opportunities to meet customer needs and complement the expo. 

American Meat Institute to co-locate with IPE/IFE in 2013

Attendees walk the floor at the 2012 IPE/IFE in Atlanta.

The American Meat Institute has signed an agreement with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and the American Feed Industry Association to co-locate the American Meat Institute tradeshow with the International Poultry Expo/International Feed Expo in Atlanta, held annually in January, starting in 2013.

Watch video:

• American Meat Institute co-locates tradeshow with International Poultry Expo in 2013 

The three shows will operate under one umbrella creating one of the largest 50 shows in the U.S. It is expected that the entire show will include more than 1,000 exhibitors and close to 1 million square feet of exhibit space. The meat and poultry exhibits will be combined on one large show floor, and the IFE will be held in the adjacent hall. One badge will allow all attendees into any exhibit. “We are very excited about this partnership with the [American Meat Institute], and the co-location is something our exhibitors have asked about for a long time," said John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY. "The consolidation of the tradeshows will allow our respective organizations to build on the synergies of the poultry, feed and meat sectors, as well as provide a benefit to our exhibitors and members who produce or exhibit across multiple protein sectors." All three associations will continue to operate independently, serving their respective constituents and will offer targeted education and networking opportunities that meet customer needs and compliment the expo. The operations of the show will be handled out of the USPOULTRY offices, and the American Meat Institute and AFIA will be instrumental in driving attendance promotion and exhibit sales efforts. “This partnership will enhance the value of our tradeshows to exhibitors and attendees alike,” said American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle. “Now we have one show that provides more education, networking and hands-on demonstration of equipment and supplies from farm through distribution. Our entire industry will benefit from the reduction in travel expenses, exhibit costs and see an undeniable increase in value.”

The 2012 IPE/IFE is being held through January 26 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The next show will be held January 28–31, 2013.

Watch a video of Starkey discussing USPOULTRY's new partnership with the American Meat Institute.

See videos from the 2012 IPE, IFE show

See the latest videos from the 2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo, the world's premier show for the poultry and feed industries. This year's show is in Atlanta, January 24-26, with educational programs running the entire week of January 23. Check back often as this page will be updated throughout the show.

International Poultry Expo 2012 starts today in Atlanta

Companies begin setup on the show floor of the 2012 International Poultry and International Feed Expo.

The 2012 International Poultry Expo and the International Feed Expo will be held January 24–26 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, with educational programs addressing current industry issues running the entire week.

For the latest news and videos from the event, check back with www.wattagnet.com throughout the week.

The 2012 program schedule includes the International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Animal Agricultural Sustainability Summit, Hatchery-Breeder Clinic and the American Feed Industry Association International Feed Education Program. The event will also highlight the latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing of poultry and feed products.

IPE Week set for January 23-27, 2012

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association designated the week of the 2012 International Poultry and International Feed Expos, January 23-27, 2012, as "IPE Week."
IPE Week will feature education programs addressing current industry issues, including the International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Animal Agricultural Sustainability Summit, Hatchery-Breeder Clinic and AFIA International Feed Education Program.
New for 2012 are the following educational programs: IPE Pre-Harvest Food Safety Conference; U.S. Poultry/UEP Symposium on the Future of American Egg Production; Chartering the Course: An Executive Conference on the Future of the American Poultry Industry, which also incorporates the Market Intelligence Forum; and the National Renderer’s Association Quality Feed Ingredients Conference.

2012 International Poultry Expo dates changing

IPE 2011, courtesy U.S. Poultry & Egg Association

The 2012 International Poultry Expo, co-located with the International Feed Expo, is moving to a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday format with the following show hours:

• Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012: 12 – 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.The entire week in which the International Poultry Expo will be held, Jan. 23 through 27, has been officially designated as "IPE Week," with an emphasis on educational programs rounding out the event. With the Expo starting at noon on Tuesday, the shift will help allow an increase in the amount of education programs available at the front and back end of the Expo. “Our long-standing International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit and [U.S. Poultry & Egg Association] Education Programs are an important part of IPE and provide people with an additional purpose for attending the Expo,” said John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY. “We are working on a tentative schedule of conferences for 2012 to include several new programs designed to provide our attendees and exhibitors with the most up-to-date, relevant information concerning the poultry and feed industry. IPE Week gives us an opportunity to provide additional education programs, something we have not been able to do in the past.”

For more information, visit the IPE website at http://www.ipeweek12.org/.

Poultry industry leaders discuss food safety

Industry leaders discuss food safety at the Poultry Leadership Roundtable in Atlanta Jan. 25.

The poultry industry's role in ensuring food safety was discussed by a panel of industry leaders at the Poultry Leadership Roundtable in Atlanta Jan. 25. The group represented a wide range of executives from across the poultry industry. Participants included: Carl Blackham, Harris Bank; Mike Blair, Pilgrim's; Brian Coan, Chick-fil-A; Bill Lovette, Pilgrim's; Todd McAloon, Cargill; Scott Russell, University of Georgia; Jon Schaeffer, Pfizer; Bruce Stewart-Brown, Perdue Farms; and Chris Williams, Pfizer. Full biographies of roundtable participants can be seen here.
Gary Thornton, WATT's Content Director -- Agribusiness, moderated the discussion. Topics covered in the wide-ranging, two-hour discussion included: consumer confidence and how it impacts food safety, how food safety has impacted live production, where the industry stands in ensuring the safety of poultry products, how producers can improve consumer information, the role of government in aiding or holding back progress in food safety and more.
The entire roundtable discussion, sponsored by Pfizer Poultry Health and WATT, is available as a series of podcasts. Registration on WATTAgNet is required to download the presentation.