20 Reasons to Attend the 2020 Virtual Summit

1. Become Primed And Prepared – This year’s Virtual Stakeholders Summit is themed “Primed and Prepared” because attendees will leave the Summit primed and prepared with the tools they need to take action and be part of any and all conversations that could impact the future of animal agriculture and their business!
2. Attend the best virtual meeting of the year – The Virtual Summit likely won’t be your first virtual meeting given recent events, but it will be the best virtual meeting you attend this year.
3. Experience consumer opinions in a new way – Many times, what consumers say in surveys does not align with what they actually purchase off the grocery store shelf or order off the restaurant menu. Rhonda Miller, PhD, Texas A&M University, Tyler Davis, PhD, Texas Tech University and Jessica Meisinger, PhD, Merck Animal Health will explain how it is possible to impact how consumers feel about controversial topics (including animal welfare, antibiotic use and sustainability) by understanding how their brain processes information.
4. Network (virtually, of course!) with 350+ industry professionals – The annual Stakeholders Summit is known for providing unmatched opportunities to network and connect from farm to fork. Those opportunities are now more valuable than ever, so we are excited to offer a virtual networking opportunity on Friday, May 8 at 2 PM ET to give attendees the opportunity to connect and engage with others.
5. 97% of last year’s attendees rated Summit as good or great – And virtually everyone also said it was worth their time and financial investment.
6. Hear from supply chain gurus on how to enhance sustainability – Sustainability gurus from North American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, Dairy Management Inc., and the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs will share how they are undertaking considerable efforts to be proactive and set sustainability goals that position animal agriculture as a leader in this area.
7. Chat with a former Google executive – Steve Lerch, president of Story Arc Consulting, will offer a keynote address giving attendees insights into innovation and strategy gained from his nine years at Google and experience serving as a digital strategy consultant to dozens of the world’s most well-known brands.
8. Get tools to build a culture of care – It’s important for farms, plants and other businesses to ensure that animal care is a core value and component to their company’s culture. Experts from Elanco Animal Health, New Mexico State University, KCoe Isom and The Maschhoffs will discuss how farms and companies can build a culture of care throughout their business.
9. Hear from farmers on the frontlines – Tara Vander Dussen (aka New Mexico Milkmaid), Michelle Miller (aka The Farm Babe), Ryan Valk (aka California Farmer) and Marissa Hake, DVM (aka Calf Vet) will share their recommendations on how companies and organizations can better support farmers’ efforts when communicating about animal ag.
10. Get the latest update on animal rights activism – Animal rights activists are constantly targeting the animal agriculture and food communities. Kay Johnson Smith, Animal Agriculture Alliance president and CEO, will help attendees understand the latest activist threats.
11. Learn from registered dietitians about staking your claim on the plant-based plate – The now-ubiquitous term “plant-based” seems to exclude meat, poultry, milk and eggs – but that’s not the whole story. Registered dietitians Cara Harbstreet, RD, Nicole Rodriguez, RD and Allison Webster, PhD, RD will highlight best practices from producers in the field and strategies to partner with registered dietitians and other influencers in the food space.
12. Meet the Alliance team – The small, but mighty Alliance team will be “taking the stage” several times throughout the Virtual Summit moderating panels, recognizing sponsors and giving a presentation on farm security!
13. Join the Summit’s BYOB Virtual Happy Hour Twitter Chat – We can’t have our usual awesome reception with drinks and appetizers, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t have fun! Bring your own beverage and apps to our Virtual Happy Hour Twitter Chat on Thursday, May 7 at 5 – 6 PM ET and enjoy the chance to unwind, catch up and share their favorite takeaways from the day’s events.
14. Engage with other attendees about animal welfare, social media, activism and more – While attendees hear from speakers about hot issues, our attendee chat will provide the chance to talk about what you just heard and what your farm, organization or business is doing to engage on hot issues.
15. Add to your farm security toolbox – Three experts from AFIMAC, INA, Inc. and Janzen Agricultural Law will offer farm security advice and tools to add to your toolbox to protect your business and the future of animal ag.
16. Talk with the author of Natural: How Faith in Nature’s Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws and Flawed Science – Alan Levinovitz, PhD, author and associate professor of religion at James Madison University will offer the opening keynote address, giving attendees a glimpse into his book which illuminates the far-reaching harms of believing that natural means “good,” from misinformation about health choices to justifications for sexism, racism, and flawed economic policies.
17. Strategize with other professionals about food chain outreach – Attendees will have the opportunity to join a virtual networking event to discuss strategies and ideas about food chain outreach plans.
18. Take away tips on how to communicate about animal welfare – Those in the agriculture community understand how important animal welfare is at all steps in the supply chain, but what about everyone else? Candace Croney, PhD, director at the Center for Animal Welfare Science at Purdue University, will spell out how to effectively communicate on animal welfare so people hear you.
19. Learn what the Animal Ag Alliance is all about – If this is your first Summit, you’ll get an idea about what issues the Alliance covers and how we engage food chain influencers to protect the future of animal agriculture.
20. Get actionable items to take back to your business – Have you ever attended a conference and left feeling not sure what to do with all the information you attained? Well, not this time. The annual Stakeholders Summit is set up to give attendees clear, actionable items to take back home and immediately implement into their businesses.

Are you convinced yet? View the full agenda and register today at Summit.AnimalAgAlliance.org!

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