Economics

What is happening with food consumer demand, beliefs, and reality? Cameron Bruett, Head, Corporate Affairs, JBS USA & Pilgrims and President of the Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, provides a reality check for meat producers and what media concerns are influencing consumers. Mr. Bruett's take away: Keep focused on what you are really trying to accomplish.

Alan Weber, Economist and Founding Partner, MARC-IV, states biodiesel demand for animal fats generates an additional revenue stream for the livestock industry. So the biodiesel and livestock sectors are tied together in the future success. Mr. Weber shares the connection points and the economics for both groups.

Mr. Weber closes with thoughts on the need to maintain the stakeholder connections for their success into the future.

What are the global policies and regulations affecting US meat businesses? Dr. Travis Arp, Manager of Technical Services, U.S. Meat Export Federation, shares a summary for all the major animal agriculture markets. Dr. Arp points out several issues gaining attention and the assessment of how to address them.

Mandy Hagan, Vice President, State Affairs and Grassroots, Grocery Manufacturers Association, asks the core question of "Is there a problem in feeding 9 billion people?" and rhetorically answer it with "Only if you want to eat".

Ms. Hagan shares approaches to utilizing technology, like genetically modified organisms, to meet the needs of those future 9 billion people.

John Graettinger, Director Food Chain Affairs, Merck Animal Health, aims to address the question of "Will consumers accept new agriculture technologies?" Mr. Graettinger states that consumers do not understand what agricultural technologies exist today and how they work.

Mr. Graettinger offers several examples on how the names of many technologies are not well formed and scare consumers. Mr. Graettinger suggests several changes and challenges people to frame the customer's needs into the messages companies share.

Brian Jones, Responsible Sourcing Manager, Nestlé North America Procurement, talks about sustainability and the trends that are driving the conversations within Nestlé.

Mr. Jones closes with several key points: Nestlé has recognized the need to sharpen it’s focus on sustainability and Nestlé is committed to measuring and reporting its progress.

Paul Bredwell, Vice President of Environmental Programs, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, opens with an admission that the poultry business is late to the table with sustainability solutions.

Mr. Bredwell shares what is being done today to develop, launch, and execute sustainability programs. Mr. Bredwell closes with an outline of what will happen next and what key performance indicators will be used.

Roger Cady, Global Sustainability Lead, Elanco, shares an opening view of what sustainability is and is not. He believes the idea of sustainability will not go away and must be meet head on. Mr. Cady provides information on what consumers believe and care about.

The challenges? Sustainable practices must be a continuous process whose management must take in the ideas of tradition and change to be effective. Mr. Cady closes with the idea that raising the standard of living for farmers must be measured, whose data is incorporated into the sustainability continuous process.