The Annual Meat Conference (AMC) returns to Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tenn., March 18-20 as the platform for learning, networking and exploring new trends and opportunities in meat retail. Sponsored by the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and FMI – the Food Industry Association, meat and poultry processors, foodservice operators, retailers and other stakeholders are invited to explore new trends and opportunities, take advantage of comprehensive education sessions that address important topics facing the community and see state-of-the-art technology firsthand in meat retail and a globally diverse assortment of food products.

The 2023 iteration of the program saw 1,983 total attendees, 25,000 square feet of exhibit space and 115 exhibitors. For 2024, show organizers again expect more than 1,900 attendees and 125 exhibiting companies.

Full schedule

The program for 2024 is packed with general sessions and workshops. On the first day of the AMC on March 18, a general session welcoming attendees and opening remarks will be followed by an opening keynote session. The Power of Meat 2024 will hold a prominent spot for the day with Anne-Marie Roerink, principal, 210 Analytics, presenting the 19th edition of this in-depth look at meat perceptions and realities.

Show organizers said the 2024 study “focuses on the big themes dominating the meat and poultry landscape, including affordability, permissibility and favorability.”

The Power of Meat 2024 After Party is an opportunity for attendees who want a deeper dive into the findings and to submit questions to Roerink, author and presenter of the Power of Meat, along with economist and meat expert Glynn Tonsor, a professor at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., who oversees the monthly Meat Demand Monitor, a project funded in-part by checkoff programs.

Concurrent workshops on offer include Regulatory and Policy Update where attendees will hear from Casey Gallimore, director of Regulatory Policy, NAMI, and Andrew Harig, vice president of Tax, Trade, Sustainability & Policy Development, FMI. Gallimore and Haig will lead a high-level discussion about critical groundbreaking issues in meat and poultry including the Farm Bill, state animal welfare laws, greenhouse gas emissions, antibiotic residue testing, packing regulations and various petitions submitted to the US Department of Agriculture.

Understanding Labor: Where We Are and Where We’re Going is another workshop that will focus on how retailers can retain their labor force after the initial 90 days at the store level, food service and retail representatives.

“In addition, a role-playing exercise in communication across the Boomer and Gen Z generational leaders and employees will show the contrast of opinions about the industry, work roles and the future of labor to exhibit open and honest communication,” according to show organizers.

Two general sessions on March 19 highlight topics that will continue to evolve. Sustainability in the Meat Industry, hosted by Eric Mittenthal, chief strategy officer, Meat Institute, will speak on the Protein PACT which is a framework of issue focus areas deemed important to consumers, how the industry is addressing these issues and ways the industry can address the issues in the future and how the industry can measure the steps it’s taking to show continuous improvement.

ChatGPT has captured the imagination of just about everyone, but how does industry go about taking advantage of this customizable technology? A general session titled The Use and Application of Artificial Intelligence - How to Make this Advanced Technology Work for Your Business could be a good place to start. The meat industry is adapting AI without understanding its full potential. In this general session, anonymous case studies will help explain “… how data use and application can predict shopper habits, increase efficiency, and maximize supply chain, and reduce costs” in business.

Added benefits

The final day of the AMC will feature presentations on sustainable packaging and consumer trends. The Sustainable Packaging and Policy Landscape general session is a deep dive into the current state of packaging in the meat industry and the impacts of food waste and public policy on the space for retailers. Experts will give their insights into the future of sustainable packaging and public policy related to innovation, cost, and how to move the meat industry forward.

While education opportunities abound at the AMC, attendees will have plenty of chances to network with peers, trading partners and industry experts.

On March 18, the Women in Meat Industry Network (WMIN) is sponsoring a lunch that is open to all attendees interested in hearing from a panel of female leaders in the meat and poultry industry.

The exhibit hall will open on March 19. Exhibitors not only receive a copy of The Power of Meat study, but they will also have access to a retail buyer audience. AMC said 87% of attendees are retailers/wholesalers seeking the latest meat and poultry innovations, and 99% of attendees visit the exhibit hall.

Market access, thought leadership and purchasing analysis make the AMC a can’t-miss event for stakeholders in the retail segment.