Registration for the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 4-5 in Arlington, Va., is open through May 1. The theme of this year’s event is “Partners in Progress: Building a Sustainable Future for Animal Ag.” Event sessions will feature an update on legal and legislative issues affecting animal agriculture, including lessons learned from false advertising lawsuits and how to organize a tactical plan targeting a government relations goal. By popular demand, a recording-only pass is now available for those who cannot attend in person but would like access to the session recordings after the event. Register here!
A hybrid silent auction is now live through May 5 and open to registered attendees and non-registered supporters. All proceeds from the silent auction will support the Alliance’s 2023 College Aggies Online scholarship program. Sign up to bid and browse available items here.
Decisions about modern agriculture aren’t just happening on the farm anymore. They’re sometimes happening in the statehouse and the courthouse. In recent years, animal rights extremists and other groups opposed to modern agriculture are taking their ideas to legislators to attempt to enact “big change.” To share more about safeguarding the future of animal agriculture, Emily Lyons, Husch Blackwell, and Mike Bober, Pet Advocacy Network, will share hot legal and legislative issues and practical recommendations to combat these issues with Summit attendees.
“Animal rights extremists have identified legal and legislative routes as a way to gain easy wins to further their agenda,” said Abby Kornegay, manager, issues and engagement, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Hosted just outside of our nation’s capital, this discussion will be timely as discussions on legislation impacting animal agriculture, including the Farm Bill, continue on.”
Lyons grew up on a northern Illinois dairy farm and is now an attorney at Husch Blackwell LLP. In her role, she guides clients on complex regulatory issues as they bring dairy products, beverages, fruits and vegetables, processed foods, alcoholic beverages, and other agricultural goods to market. At the intersection of agriculture, food and environment, Emily handles compliance matters such as labeling, marketing, permitting, and agency inquiries. Before private practice, Lyons served as counsel and director of regulatory affairs at the International Dairy Foods Association.
Bober is president and CEO of the Pet Advocacy Network, the legislative and regulatory voice of the responsible pet professional community. He took the leadership role in 2016, after directing the organization’s advocacy efforts as the vice president of government affairs since 2013. Bober’s honors include being named a “Top Lobbyist of 2021” by the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics and a “2022 Leading Association Lobbyist” by Association Trends. Previously, he served as coalitions director for a national political committee, where he presented on key congressional races and grassroots engagement to groups nationwide.
The 2023 Summit will be held at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel. Travel information and other updates are available on the Summit website. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA23 for news about the event. For general questions about Summit, please contact summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-5160.
Thank you to our 2023 Summit sponsors: Farm Journal, MEAT + POULTRY, Meatingplace, National Pork Producers Council, Watt Global Media, American Feed Industry Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, Smithfield, United Soybean Board, Dairy MAX, Elanco, Farm Credit, Mountaire Farms, United Egg Producers, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Veal Association, Bayer Crop Science, Cal-Maine Foods, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., Filament Marketing, Kemin, Aviagen Group, National Chicken Council, Progressive Dairy, Protect the Harvest, Trans Ova Genetics, Tyson Foods Inc., Vivayic, Agricultural Modeling and Training Systems, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Eggland’s Best, Live Oak Bank, North Carolina Farm Bureau, and Sustainable Environmental Consultants.
The Alliance also thanks the following members for their continued support of Summit and other Alliance programs: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Zoetis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, C.O.nxt, Dairy Farmers of America, Diamond V, Genus PLC – PIC/ABS, Hendrix Genetics, Hy-Line North America, LLC, Iowa Soybean Association, JBS, Kanas Soybean Commission, Merck Animal Health, Midwest Dairy, National Turkey Federation, Nutrien, Provimi North America, Inc., and Seaboard Foods.
About the Alliance:
The Animal Agriculture Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation.
