Article Provided by Animal Ag Alliance
Challenging times. Unprecedented times. Uncertain times. We’re all over the clichés. But we’re far from over the impact COVID-19 and 2020 in general have had on agriculture and the food industry. However, there is hope. 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. Now is the time to turn the obstacles of 2020 into opportunities for the decades to come, and 2021 Virtual Stakeholders Summit attendees will leave with the right tools and ideas to do just that.
The 2021 event is set primarily for May 5-6, with preconference webinars scheduled for the five business days leading up to the Virtual Summit. To open the event, Timothy Caulfield, author and professor of health law and science policy at the University of Alberta, will deliver a keynote presentation on addressing misinformation in the time of COVID-19. Caulfield is an unrivaled communicator who debunks myths and assumptions about innovation in the health sector — from research on stem cells to diets to alternative medicine — for the benefit of the public and decision-makers.
Speaking of misinformation, we know facts alone aren’t always enough to alter false narratives about animal agriculture. We also know that starting with shared values is the best way to start a conversation, so how can we apply this to conversations around hot topics like cell-based meat? To kick off the preconference webinar series, Alison Van Eenennaam, PhD, cooperative extension specialist, animal genomics and biotechnology at University of California-Davis, will take the virtual stage to address the role of animal scientists and others in animal agriculture in these conversations and how can we learn from past communication mistakes.
To continue the conversation about why shared values and relationships matter, Michelle “The Farm Babe” Miller will join Fernando Machado, chief marketing officer at Burger King, to tell the story of how she turned an obstacle into an opportunity when the burger chain debuted a commercial that upset many in the farm community. Michelle is a testament that farmers are our best allies, and that is why we must continue to elevate their voices in dialogues surrounding food and agriculture. Four voices, from a beginning beef rancher to a poultry veterinarian, will share their passions in advocating online and in their communities, obstacles they face as they reach outside the choir and opportunities for the animal agriculture community to better support their efforts.
Other sessions will highlight ways to position animal agriculture as a path forward to climate neutrality, how to reposition animal protein on the plate and strategies for virtual stakeholder and influencer engagement. A preliminary agenda featuring many of the exciting and high-caliber speakers you can expect to see at the 2021 event has been posted on the Summit website. Also, if you refer a friend to attend the Virtual Summit who has never attended a previous Stakeholders Summit and they list your name as the person who recommended them when they register for the event, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card! Each referral will count as one entry and there is no limit on the number of entries for referrers. The Alliance will give away two $100 gift cards during the Virtual Summit - one drawing for referrers and one drawing for those who were referred. All
registrations with a referral listed made until online registration closes on April 30 will be entered. Both the referrer and the person referred must be registered to claim the gift card.
To register, go to http://bit.ly/AnimalAgSummit.