Southwest Meat Association is hosting its 68th Annual Convention & Suppliers’ Showcase July 24-27, 2024, at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, Texas. SMA’s Annual Convention is a unique educational opportunity for meat and poultry industry stakeholders at any level. Speakers and audience interaction will cover many issues affecting the industry each day. The conference also features a Suppliers’ Showcase and many other networking events throughout the four days.

There is also fun for the whole family. Kalahari Resort is unlike any other resort in central Texas, featuring America’s largest indoor waterpark, exceeding over 223,000 square feet. Other amenities include Tom Foolery’s arcade, escape rooms, bowling, an outdoor waterpark and lazy river.

July 25

Kicking off the convention on July 25, the SMA Foundation will host the Annual Bob Ondrusek Memorial Golf Tournament sponsored by ABF Packing. The golf tournament is one of the many scholarship fundraisers hosted by the SMA Foundation. That evening, Cold Storage Construction is sponsoring a live music networking reception to mix and mingle with other colleagues in the industry.

July 26

• FSIS Small Plant Roundtable -- SMA is hosting the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service for a very small and small establishment roundtable. Various FSIS administrators and managers will be leading this General Session sponsored by StartKleen Legacy. SMA encourages all packers and processors within SMA membership and nonmembers to join a face-to-face session with FSIS. The association encourages attendees to bring their questions and hear directly from the industry’s rulemakers.

• “Best of the Wurst” Family Luncheon -- The “Best of the Wurst" Family Luncheon, sponsored by Handtmann, features unique sausage varieties from ten SMA member companies. Each luncheon attendee will be able to cast their ballot to determine which company will walk away as the “Best of the Wurst” Champion. Sausage flavors from the past have included smoked chorizo, poblano with pepper jack, green chili and cheddar, smoked garlic and many more.

• Suppliers’ Showcase -- SMA hosts a three-hour tabletop exhibition for attendees to browse innovative suppliers and service providers in the meat industry. Goods and services from the 75 presenting companies will feature equipment, seasonings and spices, sanitation and chemicals, labeling services, ingredients, packaging suppliers, laboratory services, casings, financial services and much more.

• “Kentucky Derby” Dinner & Auction -- During the evening, SMA will host its annual dinner and auction, featuring a Kentucky Derby theme. Dinner will be filled with family-friendly activities, high-quality food and a live and silent auction. The proceeds from the auctions continue to support the SMA Foundation Scholarship Fund.

July 27

• General Session -- Attendees can expect more presentations from industry experts during the second General Session, sponsored by Reiser. Emily Ellis, manager of communications and content for the Animal Agriculture Alliance, will be discussing the current state of anti-animal agriculture activism and how to minimize their effects on the industry. Other speakers will discuss concerns surrounding labor and workplace issues, industry commodity outlook and university updates. University updates will be given from Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tarleton State, Sam Houston State, Prairie View A&M, West Texas A&M and Angelo State Universities.

• Chairman’s Dinner and Dance -- SMA and the SMA Foundation will present the 2024 scholarships winners and induct three individuals into the SMA Hall of Honor during the Chairman’s Dinner and Dance, sponsored by Jim Henry Enterprises. In 2023, the SMA Foundation awarded over 50 students at various levels in their collegiate journeys with over $140,000 in scholarships. Since 2000, the SMA Foundation has awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships.

Registration

SMA welcomes members and nonmembers to attend the 68th Annual Convention. Registration and more information about the 68th Annual Convention & Suppliers’ Showcase is available here.