The American Meat Science Association has made the following announcement:

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the American Meat Science Association is announcing that the 66th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST) and the 73rd Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) that was scheduled to take place August 2-7, 2020 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA, will now be delivered as an exclusively virtual meeting.

This was not an easy decision for the AMSA staff, the ICoMST/RMC planning committee, and the AMSA Board of Directors, but ultimately the health and safety of our members, delegates, speakers, staff, and volunteers were the priority leading to this decision.

First and foremost, we value the global meat science community. We look forward to our annual collaborations at ICoMST and RMC to learn about the newest developments in meat science, and to see our colleagues and friends from all over the world.  There is no question that it is the people that make these events impactful through their participation and engagement. Even though the ICoMST and RMC will be virtual, this principle will not change!

We are working hard to create a virtual venue where each of you can be heard and make an impact. Please plan to join, share your ideas, contribute to lively discussion, and set the stage for the development of new technology, exciting scientific applications, and most importantly our young scientists!  “We think there is potential for great future impact with the virtual elements of the meeting and identification of a premier delivery platform,” said Deidrea Mabry, COO, AMSA.

We are grateful for the many volunteers on our planning committee that have contributed to the technical, student, and social activities to support the motto for this conference, “Where Science and Inspiration Meat.”

• The technical sessions will include world-class scientists and authors in the areas of meat quality, meat technology, meat safety, nutrition, and environmental sustainability.
• Poster sessions will highlight the newest results from our scientific community and demonstrate the talented scientists and students that are making an impact with their work.

Sponsors:
We are also extremely appreciative to those who have dedicated sponsorship to this event. Although the event will not occur in-person, rest assured that your sponsorship is still of extreme value to the conference and AMSA. Your company or organization will have the international acknowledgment it deserves. Now, more than ever, it is important that we share what each supporting company and organization has to offer, especially as we work to engage and recruit students to join the next generation of meat scientists.

Registration and Date Information:
The ICoMST and RMC virtual meeting will take place during the week of August 2 with the same great content, student activities, and opportunities to connect. Virtual registration information, specific dates, student events, and sponsor opportunities for the ICoMST and RMC will be shared the first week of June. If you were already registered to attend the face-to-face meeting, you will be receiving separate communication as more details on the virtual registration are confirmed.

Housing Information:
If you have already made a hotel reservation at the at the Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA, all reservations made through the official housing link with Connections Housing will be cancelled on your behalf for your convenience at no penalty.  All attendees will receive a cancellation acknowledgement directly from Connections Housing within the next 7-10 days. If you booked a hotel reservation on your own outside of the AMSA reservation link, you will need to cancel your reservation yourself.

“We are confident that this meeting is going to set the stage for innovation and inspiration in the global meat science community!  You cannot afford to miss it. Please join us!” said Steven Lonergan and Brandon Fields, Chairmen, 2020 ICoMST and RMC.

Thank you again for supporting AMSA and being part of the global meat science community. We hope you and your loved ones are safe and well during these unprecedented times.

For further questions or concerns, contact the AMSA at 800-517-2672 or information@meatscience.org  or visit www.icomst2020.com.

Source: AMSA