The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) announced details for six free education sessions at the 2018 International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE), scheduled to take place January 30 - February 1, 2018, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Meat Institute will once again sponsor the popular “Beef 101” and “Pork 101” education sessions. “Beef 101,” scheduled to take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, will provide an overview of the beef lifecycle, address common questions regarding beef production, discuss factors affecting beef quality and offer a unique demonstration of innovative beef cuts. The workshop will feature Davey Griffin, Ph.D., professor and extension meat specialist, Texas A&M University.

The “Pork 101” session, which is co-sponsored by the American Meat Science Association (AMSA), will offer attendees a brief look into AMSA’s three-day Pork 101 Conference. The four-hour, hands-on workshop will address quality and consistency issues in the pork industry, providing insight regarding the value differences in swine, pork carcasses, pork primals and processed pork products. The session will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday, January 29. Presenters include Davey Griffin, Ph.D., professor and extension meat scientist at Texas A&M University, and Dean Pringle, Ph.D., associate professor and undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Georgia. 

The “Meat Industry Regulatory Update and Compliance Session,” scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 31, will cover the major regulatory issues that affected meat processors in the past year and the challenges facing the meat and poultry industry in 2018. In addition, the session will provide an overview of common in-plant inspection and enforcement issues and discuss strategies to best respond to these matters. NAMI’s Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs and General Counsel Mark Dopp and Vice President of Regulatory Services Norm Robertson will lead the session.

World renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin, Ph.D., professor of animal science at Colorado State University, will lead the “Livestock Handling and Stunning to Optimize Animal Welfare and Regulatory Compliance” education session, during which she will provide an overview of different effective stunning methods, including strategies to troubleshoot issues when they arise. Chuck Bildstein, product specialist at Bunzl Distribution North America, will also headline the session. The workshop will discuss concerns related to stunner maintenance to better assist plants in preventing failed stuns. This two-hour program will take place Wednesday, January 31, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The “Get the Facts With Meat Mythcrushers” session will introduce attendees to NAMI’s Meat Mythcrushers video series, which uses referenced facts and industry experts in the areas of affordability, animal welfare, antibiotics, environment, food safety, meat processing, nutrition and livestock handling to crush some of the most common myths to help consumers make informed choices. NAMI Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Janet Riley and Vice President of Public Affairs Eric Mittenthal will arm attendees with the facts they need to speak confidently to consumers and customers about food production practices. The two-hour session is scheduled for Thursday, February 1, from 8 to 10 a.m.   

Finally, the “Family Business Focus: Utilizing Outside Advisors and Board Members for Greater Success” workshop will examine how family businesses can best utilize the expertise of outside advisors and board members, and how this process can help those businesses grow and succeed. Panelists include Eric Gustafson, CEO, Coast Packing; Neal Leonard, CEO, Leonard Holding Company; James Griffin, board member, Leonard Holding Company; and Bill Hawfield, board member, Coast Packing Company. The session will be held Tuesday, January 30, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

For more information about any of the above sessions and to register to attend IPPE, visit www.ippexpo.org.  

Source: NAMI