2006 AMIF Animal Care and Handling Conference Slated for Feb. 23-24, 2006 In Kansas City

Representatives of Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Counterterrorism Division will headline the AMI Foundation Animal Care and Handling Conference for the Food Industry, February 23-24, 2006, at the Sheraton Overland Park in Overland Park, KS, just outside Kansas City.

The conference will again offer an opening general session followed by three tracks: Management and Policy, Applied Pig Handling and Applied Cattle Handling.

This year’s conference boasts 11 cosponsoring organizations: The American Association of Bovine Practitioners; American Association of Swine Veterinarians; Animal Agriculture Alliance; Food Marketing Institute; National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; National Grocers Association; National Milk Producers Federation; National Pork Board; National Pork Producers Council; National Council of Chain Restaurants; and the National Restaurant Association.

Joan Menke-Schaenzer, vice president of food safety and security at Wal-Mart, and Bob Langert, director of social responsibility at McDonald’s, will deliver a “keynote panel discussion” of consumer expectations for animal welfare. The discussion will be moderated by Charlie Arnot, president of CMA Consulting.

Also during the conference’s opening general session, John Lewis, director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, will deliver a provocative talk on animal extremism and the challenges faced in the United States.

Many of the conference’s highly rated faculty will return again to instruct in the various tracks. They include Temple Grandin, Ph.D. of Colorado State University; Joe Regenstein, Ph.D., of Cornell University; Gerald Kinard of LEARN, Inc.; John McGlone, Ph.D., of Texas Tech University (invited); Robert “Bo” Manly, president and COO, Premium Standard Farms, Inc.; and Mike Siemens, Ph.D. of Smithfield Foods.

Attendees in the Management and Policy Track will benefit from sessions on auditing, leading culture change, security, managing controversy and USDA humane slaughter initiatives.

Attendees in the Applied Pig Handling Track will enjoy a special, in-depth session on C02 stunning, a look at practical ways to improve handling, a discussion of pig transport issues and a look at AMIF’s Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide.

The Applied Cattle Handling Track features a look at religious slaughter and how to troubleshoot problems in Kosher and Halal operations; cattle transport, handling and stunning and the relationship between cattle handling and beef quality.

New this year are special “Welfare Tech” sessions, where equipment suppliers can present data and information about their products and how they have been documented to enhance animal handling stunning. To request a Welfare Tech application, contact AMIF’s Ginger Bray at gbray@meatinstitute.org or 202/587-4200.

In addition, exhibitors may showcase their products and services during a special Welcome Reception on February 23. To reserve an exhibit space, contact Katie Brannan at kbrannan@meatinstitute.org or 202/587-4200.

The conference will be immediately preceded by the International Meat Animal Welfare Research Conference (IMAWRC), a research-focused conference that looks at emerging research and issues in the field of animal welfare.

Registration fees for those registering before December 31, 2005, are $325 for AMI members, $450 for non-members and $295 when three or more members register together. After December 31, registrations rates increase to $425 for members and $395 for when three or more members register together.

For a complete agenda or to register, go to www.animalhandling.org.