Every spring, I look forward to the Annual Meat Conference hosted by the Meat Institute and FMI, The Food Industry Organization. This year’s event was held in Nashville just a few weeks ago, and a record-setting crowd gathered to consider the state of meat retail and sample innovative meat products from more than 140 supplier booths. While the food and networking are top-notch, my favorite part of the event every year is the unveiling of the Power of Meat research, which looks at how consumers are shopping for meat and poultry and what is driving their decisions. The headlines of this year’s report focused on the impacts of inflation and rising food costs and how meat and poultry can remain at the center of the plate.
The biggest a-ha moment for me was that perceptions of animal welfare are improving, with a higher number of shoppers agreeing that animal welfare is good for livestock in the U.S. and that grocery stores are committed to responsible and ethical sourcing than in previous years. This is exciting news and shows that the work of the animal agriculture and food communities to do the right thing and be transparent about our efforts is paying off! I’m looking forward to building on this positive momentum at the Stakeholders Summit next month, where conversations about animal welfare, transparency, and securing the future of animal agriculture will be top of mind. I hope to see you there!
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