Southwest Meat Association (SMA) is headed to the beautiful Texas Hill Country for the 69th Annual Convention & Suppliers’ Showcase, July 16-19, 2025, at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio.

SMA’s Annual Convention is a unique educational opportunity for meat and poultry industry stakeholders at any level. The combination of excellent speakers and audience interaction will cover many issues affecting the industry each day. The conference also features a Suppliers’ Showcase and many other entertaining networking events throughout the four days.

The Hyatt Hill Country Resort offers many on0site activities for the whole family, including a 5-acre water park, walking and biking trails, pickleball, and much more. The water park features a winding lazy river, which is uniquely designed to replicate an authentic Texas float experience. You can also take a swim in any of the outdoor pools, including an activity pool, adults-only Texas pool, and kiddie pool.

Thursday, July 17

Kicking off the convention on Thursday, July 17, 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. Thereafter on Thursday evening, Cold Storage Construction will be sponsoring a live music networking reception, featuring The Chris Story Band, to mix and mingle with other colleagues in the industry.

Friday, July 18

Friday General Session 

Before you enjoy the amenities of the lazy river, SMA is proud to provide high quality educational content for both packers and processors, as well as industry suppliers and service providers. The Friday General Session will feature insightful conversations including:

1. When ICE Knocks: Immigration Update - David Barron, Cozen O’Connor
2. Navigating Through Regulatory Changes & Updates - Eric Steiner, OFW Law
3. The Talk of the Town: Salmonella - Angie Siemens, OFW Law
4. Hide & Seek: Foreign Material Panel - Sharon Beals, SKKB, LLC, Kendra Waldbusser, Pilgrim’s, Ken Cable, Sysco Specialty Meat Group

Best of the Wurst Family Luncheon

The Best of the Wurst Family Luncheon, sponsored by Handtmann, features unique sausage varieties from 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. The mouth-watering sausage flavors from the past have included smoked chorizo, brisket mac & cheese, green chili and cheddar, chicken bacon ranch, and many more.

Suppliers’ Showcase

Afterwards, 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.

Christmas in July Dinner & Auction

On Friday evening, SMA will host our annual dinner and auction fundraiser, featuring a Christmas in July theme. Dig out your ugly Christmas sweater! Dinner is filled with family-friendly activities, great food, and a live and silent auction. The proceeds from the auctions continue to support the SMA Foundation Scholarship Fund.

Saturday, July 18

Saturday General Session 

Rise and shine on Saturday morning, attendees can expect more presentations from industry experts during the second General Session, including.

1. Addressing the Current State of Activism Against Animal Agriculture - Andy Curliss, National Pork Producers Council
2. Effective Storytelling & Controlling Your Message to the Public - Janet Riley, Janet Riley Strategies
3. Livestock & Marketing Outlook – Dr. David Anderson, Texas A&M University

 University research 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 Awards

The last event of the convention is a special one. SMA and the SMA Foundation will proudly present the 2025 scholarship winners and induct three individuals into the SMA Hall of Honor during the Chairman’s Dinner and Awards, sponsored by Jim Henry Enterprises. This year SMA proudly inducts Terry Thomas (retired) of Heller Seasonings, Glen Kusak of Yoakum Packing, and Jim Ondrusek of Pederson’s Natural Farms into the Hall of Honor.

 In 2024, the SMA Foundation awarded over 50 students, at various levels in their collegiate journeys, with more than $159,000 in scholarships. Since 2000, the SMA Foundation has awarded over $1.4 million in scholarships.

Registration link

SMA welcomes members and non-members to attend the 69th Annual Convention. Registration and more information about the Annual Convention & Suppliers’ Showcase is available here.