Country-of-Origin Labeling Compliance and Nutrition and Wellness Sessions to be Featured at Annual Meat Conference, March 9-11, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.

Meeting the challenge of regulatory compliance with country-of-origin labeling rules, as well as key trends in the health-conscious consumer marketplace, will be topics discussed during education sessions at the 2008 Annual Meat Conference, March 9-11, 2008, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, in Nashville, Tenn.

“Country-of-Origin Labeling Regulatory Compliance Workshop,” featuring Mark Dopp, senior vice president, regulatory affairs, American Meat Institute, and Deborah White, chief legal counsel and senior vice president, Food Marketing Institute, will offer insight to attendees as they prepare for upcoming regulatory compliance challenges, including country-of-origin labeling (COOL) and other key issues.

In “Health, Wellness & the Meat Department: Turning a Negative Rap into a Good Wrap!” speaker Mary K. Young, MS, RD, executive director, nutrition, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, will explore the differences between attitudes and behavior in food shopping. Attendees will learn how to promote their products to the growing market of health-conscious consumers in order to capture new sales.

Co-sponsored by the American Meat Institute (AMI) and FMI, the Annual Meat Conference attracts 700 members of the retail food and meat industries each year. It is considered the leading educational event focusing on meat and poultry marketing developments, merchandising issues and consumer purchasing trends.

Associate sponsors for the conference include the American Lamb Board, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Pork Board and the National Turkey Federation.

Registration is $695 per person or $645 for three or more members registering together or $515 when 10 or more retailers/wholesalers register together. Nonmember registration is $1,290 per person.

For program and registration information, visit http://www.MeatConference.com.
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AMI represents the interests of packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey products and their suppliers throughout North America. Together, AMI's members produce 95 percent of the beef, pork, lamb and veal products and 70 percent of the turkey products in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Institute provides legislative, regulatory, public relations, technical, scientific and educational services to the industry. Its affiliate, the AMI Foundation, is a separate 501(c)3 organization that conducts research, education and information projects for the industry.

Food Marketing Institute (FMI) conducts programs in research, education, industry relations and public affairs on behalf of its 1,500 member companies — food retailers and wholesalers — in the United States and around the world. FMI’s U.S. members operate approximately 26,000 retail food stores with a combined annual sales volume of $680 billion — three-quarters of all retail food store sales in the United States. FMI’s retail membership is composed of large multi-store chains, regional firms and independent supermarkets. Its international membership includes 200 companies from more than 50 countries.