The American Association of Meat Processors is returning to Charleston, South Carolina, to gather for its annual convention and trade show. The 84th American Convention of Meat Processors & Suppliers’ Exhibition will take place July 13–15 at the Charleston Area Convention Center.

AAMP’s annual convention is geared toward U.S., Canadian and foreign operators of small and very small firms in the meat, poultry & food business: packers, processors, wholesalers, HRI, retailers, caterers, deli operators, home foodservice dealers, and catalog marketers. AAMP last hosted its annual convention in Charleston in 2013, and the association is excited about returning to the Palmetto State once again.

Convention attendees will find a busy schedule, but one that includes plenty of opportunities for networking, socializing and sightseeing. A day-long pre-convention workshop on July 12 will include a “virtual bus tour” of several member facilities from around the country, as well as a series of presentations from AAMP processor members about profitable and efficient business practices. Additionally, AAMP will host an FSIS roundtable discussion with senior FSIS leaders about industry issues. Other USDA agencies will participate to highlight USDA grant and loan opportunities to expand meat and poultry processing capacity. The pre-convention workshop is free to all convention attendees, and lunch is available for pre-purchase.

The convention begins at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 13. The keynote speaker for the welcoming session will be Oliver Lee Mincey, co-founder of S+O Coaching. Oliver has led several webinars for AAMP on the topics of finding, onboarding and engaging employees. He is an accomplished executive team and business leader with more than 20 years of operations management and human resources experience, primarily in the hospitality, food & beverage and location-based entertainment industries. His webinars helped energize and inspire attendees, and AAMP is thrilled to bring him to its members for a live talk. Mincey will also lead an education session on “HR and Other Wild Topics.”

Throughout the convention, attendees will be able to learn from industry experts, their peers, and AAMP staff in a series of educational sessions. Among the topics to be discussed at these sessions include deer processing, sanitation practices, social media, grants, flavor trends, processing equipment and pet treats. A full schedule of events is available in the Convention Magazine, located on the AAMP Convention page at https://www.aamp.com/aamp-convention. The sold-out trade show floor will feature processing and packaging machinery, spices, casings, software and other valuable equipment, supplies, and services. Processors looking for ways to improve their product quality or production efficiency will find solutions at AAMP's trade show.

In addition to the educational opportunities, AAMP has multiple chances for attendees to relax, have fun and network. AAMP's Thursday Night Event takes place at the Citadel Beach Club, Isle of Palms, South Carolina. This five-acre, beachfront venue will host dinner and drinks inside and outside. This event requires a separate ticket and is $25 per adult, $10 for children ages 5–11 and free for children 4 and under.

One of the highlights of the annual convention is the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC), the largest national cured meats event in the country. Processors bring their best sausages, jerky, hams, turkeys, bacon and other cured meat products to see how they stack up against tough competition. There are a total of 29 classes of products, including this year’s featured class, Specialty Loaf Product. Entrants have the chance to take home a Cured Meat Championships plaque for a Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, Champion or Reserve Champion placing. The product taking top marks in the competition will receive the coveted Clarence Knebel Best of Show Memorial Award. The plant that competes the best overall throughout the entire ACMC will receive the Cured Meats Excellence Award.

For more information about the American Association of Meat Processors and their annual convention, visit www.aamp.com.

Source: American Association of Meat Processors