Meat and food industry executives and managers at all levels will soon gather for one of the first industry meetings of 2025. SMA has hosted its Annual Mid-Year Conference in Arlington, Texas, each February for the past 17 years. However, this year, like the rebranding of the association SMA will now refer to the Mid-Year Conference, as the Meat, Education, Advocacy and Technology Forum or M.E.A.T Forum for short. The new name reflects the intended purpose of the meeting to provide support and educational resources for meat and poultry processors of any size and to their suppliers. 

The M.E.A.T Forum will be Feb. 19-20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. The forum welcomes anyone in the industry to attend, regardless of SMA membership. The gathering will feature two half-day general sessions on Feb. 19 and 20.

Schedule of events:

Feb. 19 

• 1- 5 p.m. — General Session 1
• 5-7 p.m. — Networking Reception

Feb. 20 

• 8 a.m. to noon — General Session

The combination of excellent speakers and audience interaction will cover issues and updates affecting day-to-day production for meat and food industry businesses. Program highlights will feature topics such as:

• Listeria and Lessons Learned – It’s no secret 2024 has been a record-breaking year for Listeria recalls. During this session, prepare to understand corrective actions processors and the industry can take back to their facilities. 
• Food safety: where have we been and where are we going? – Do consumers still have faith in the food industry to produce safe and wholesome products? Travel back in time to learn just how far our industry has come and what we can do moving forward to regain and keep the trust of American consumers.
• Regulatory and Legal Updates – Get the latest updates from industry stakeholders regarding Salmonella Framework for raw poultry products, Labeling Claims, EPA Meat and Poultry Products Effluent Wastewater Guidelines, Beef Modernization, and more. 
• Workplace Issues – SMA’s fan-favorite, David Barron of Cozen O’Connor will give the audience the newest updates in employment law.
• Commodity Outlook – Dr. David Anderson, Ag Economics Professor from Texas A&M University will entertain attendees with his ag commodity forecasting.  
• Supply Chain Sustainability – Learn about the latest supply chain audit used to understand and improve working conditions and environmental performance within your business. 
• Co-packing – Interested in co-packing for another processor or do you have a product co-packed at another facility? Discover the do’s and don’ts of co-packing. 
• FSIS Q&A Session – Closing out the forum, the FSIS Dallas District will be available to answer questions and update processors on the latest regulatory information. 

This year’s M.E.A.T Forum is sponsored by Versacor Managed Pest Solutions, Handtmann, and Amcor. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Reach out to the SMA Office for more information. 

The M.E.A.T Forum is a “must attend” conference for many industry leaders and one you don’t want to miss. More information and registration can be found here.