Animal Agriculture Alliance Releases 2020 Conference Recordings, Sets 2021 Date

Recordings from the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s first Virtual Stakeholders Summit, held in May 2020, are now available, according to a release from the group. The Summit, which was themed “Primed & Prepared,” focused on arming food and agriculture stakeholders with the tools they need to bridge the gap between farm and fork.

“The Alliance’s annual Stakeholders Summit brings together thought leaders in animal agriculture to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas,” says Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO in the release. “Our 2020 Virtual Summit attracted our largest crowd to date and addressed key topics that impact every link of the food supply chain including sustainability, nutrition, and animal welfare. If you weren’t able to join us live last year, watching the recorded content is a great way to catch up on the valuable conversations and get excited for the 2021 Virtual Summit coming up in May.”

Highlights of the recordings available include:

• Alan Levinovitz, Ph.D., associate professor of religion at James Madison University, who discussed how faith in nature’s goodness may lead to harmful fads, unjust laws, and flawed science.
• Marissa Hake, DVM, Ryan Valk, Tara Vander Dussen, and Michelle Miller, farmers, who talked about being on the frontlines of consumer engagement and how the industry can better help farmers promoting agriculture online.
• Candace Croney, Ph.D., with Purdue University, who discussed how to rethink the way we address animal welfare in consumer conversations.
• Nicole Rodriquez, RDN, Cara Harbstreet, RD, and Allison Webster, Ph.D., RD, registered dietitians, who shared how animal agriculture can stake its claim on the plant-based plate.
• Sara Place, Ph.D., with Elanco Animal Health, who pondered “what’s the beef?” with sustainability and plant-based alternatives.

Session recordings from the 2020 Virtual Summit are available at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTORNoLhAIPY3rC-t8oTPFIe3lfQ-yjF_. To read a condensed overview of insights shared at the event, check out the highlights report at animalagalliance.org/resource/2020-stakeholders-summit-highlights-report.

In addition, the Alliance announced the dates for its 2021 Stakeholders Summit, which will be held virtually May 5-6. The theme for 2021 is “Obstacles to Opportunities.” It will address turning the obstacles of 2020, including the impact of COVID-19, into opportunities for decades to come.

“With the right tools we can ensure the food chain is stronger than ever. We can use this time to hone our messages, fine-tune our strategies and connect, engage and protect like never before,” the release says.

Registration for the 2021 Virtual Summit opens February 1. For more information about the Virtual Summit, visit animalagalliance.org/initiatives/stakeholders-summit/