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Animal Agriculture Leaders Gather for Industry Preservation

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Kansas City, Mo. (April 14, 2025) – Last week, the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) hosted the 2025 Annual Conference – Securing Our Future: Don’t Just Talk…Act! in Kansas City, Missouri. More than 110 attendees focused on the future of animal agriculture and how to maintain trust throughout the value chain. Additionally, industry leaders were honored and new directors were elected to the NIAA board.

Animal agriculture benefits from those who consistently go above and beyond for the industry. NIAA recognizes those outstanding professionals each year at Annual Conference. The Chairman’s and President’s Awards recognize animal agriculture leaders who have been especially supportive, inspiring, and trusted by leaders within NIAA and have contributed significantly to its success. Animal Agriculture Advocates use their voice and platforms to push animal agriculture forward. The Meritorious Service Award is presented to animal agriculture leaders who have invested their career to advancing our sector and is the longest standing award – first presented in 1965. The 2024 honorees were:

  • Chairman’s Award:
    – Dr. Eric Moore, Director of Technical Services – Norbrook, Inc.
  • President’s Award
    – Dr. Kaitlyn Briggs, Dairy Welfare Lead – fairlife, LLC
  • Advocate for Animal Agriculture Award
    – U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund
  • Meritorious Service Award
    – Polly Ruhland, Senior Managing Director – FTI Consulting.

NIAA confirmed the following new board members during the annual membership meeting:

  • Pierce Bennett, Michigan Farm Bureau
  • Dr. Nathan Voris, Zoetis
  • Dr. Mark Roozen, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
  • Dr. Steve Strubberg, Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Jared Wareham – Horizon Venture Management, Kelly Loganbill – Bader Rutter, and Paul Koffman – Merck Animal Health were reconfirmed for their second term to the NIAA board of directors.

NIAA’s Annual Conference program began on Monday, April 7 with capstone presentations from Cohort 3 of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders. The presentation topics included Data Collection for a Healthier World, Responsible Use of Technology, Globalization in Animal Agriculture, and The Future of Animal Agriculture. Following the capstone presentations, NIAA Councils and Working Groups met with members to discuss the coming year and hosted speakers. Council meeting speakers included:

  • Animal Disease Issues & Emergency Management
    − Dr. Kate Dion, Iowa State University
    Identifying biosecurity hazards through disease outbreak investigations
    − Dr. Julia Herman, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
    Enhanced biosecurity planning resources for foot-and-mouth disease preparedness for cattle veterinarians & producers
    − Dr. Megan Niederwerder, Swine Health Information Center
    SHIC Update on Japanese Encephalitis Virus Prevention and Preparedness for the US Swine Industry
    − Dr. Jason Lombard, Colorado State University
    WALK, RUN , CRAWL- H5N1, what we have learned in dairy cattle this past year
    − Dr. Jennifer Siembieda, USDA – APHIS
    Overview of HPAI in Dairy Cattle

  • Animal Identification & Information Systems

− Garrett Girk, Kansas Department of Agriculture
A State’s Perspective on EID
− Callahan Grund, U.S. CattleTrace
The Progression of ID and Technology: How we can accomplish an Animal Disease Traceability System for the US Beef Cattle Industry.

Andy Curliss, National Pork Producers Council opened the agenda on Tuesday, April 8 with a fascinating review of the ballot initiatives across the U.S. and the efforts from activist groups campaigning against animal agriculture.

Danette Amstein from Midan Marketing shared the latest consumer insights from the protein sector, including the different types of consumers and their unique buying habits.

Julie Broadway from the American Horse Council led a License to Operate panel that included experiences and expertise from

  • Rick Stott, Superior Farms
  • Dr. Jim Heird, Texas A&M University
  • Matt Durian, The American Royal
  • J.J. Jones, NIAA

NIAA Board Chair, Chelsea Good moderated the Ag Legislation panel featuring association executives. Topics included upcoming association policy priorities, trade, tariffs, and the farm bill. The speakers featured, were:

  • Michael Schumpp, The Meat Institute
  • Julie Broadway, American Horse Council
  • Andy Curlis, National Pork Producers Council
  • Zach Helder, Kansas City Agricultural Business Council
  • Justina Graff, U.S. House of Agriculture Committee.

Dr. Kaitlyn Briggs, fairlife, moderated a conversation with board members from the U.S. Ag Partnership Fund:

  • Collin Peterson, Former Chairman of the US House Agriculture Committee
  • Randy Russell, President of the Russell Group and former USDA Chief of Staff
  • Lisa Van Doren, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Vice President and Chief of Staff.

Joel Leftwich from Kansas Farm Bureau and the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund closed the day’s program with a closing challenge to the audience on how to move forward and get ahead of activist initiatives.

Two additional sessions were held on April 9. The American Sheep Industry Association hosted What’s Next After Scrapie Eradication? to discuss the next steps once Scrapie is declared eradicated in the U.S. NIAA hosted a meeting for awardees and stakeholders of the USDA National Animal Disease Preparedness & Response Program (NADPRP). After discussing the survey results from their project, NIAA hosted a panel featuring Dr. Tiffany Lee, Clemens Food Group, Dr. Julia Herman, NCBA, and Dr. Cheryl Eia, Iowa State University reviewing their experiences with program successes and opportunities.

Learn more about the award honorees, board members, the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders, and upcoming NIAA events at  www.animalagriculture.org/.

National Institute for Animal Agriculture Launches Policy Review Panels

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NIAA will offer unbiased, third-party reviews to organizational policies related to animal agriculture.

 

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) has launched a new program to review organizational policies and positions specific to animal agriculture as a third-party reviewer.

As the protein value chain works to continuously improve, new animal agriculture policies and positions are often adopted by organizations. Access to third-party subject matter experts through NIAA ensures the latest science and information for practical animal handling and husbandry practices are applied. Review panels span all species and sectors of the animal agriculture value chain.

As a convener of interdisciplinary leaders to explore, discuss, and learn about specific topics and issues, NIAA’s mission is put into action through this program. NIAA Animal Agriculture Policy Review Panels are assembled upon request by animal agriculture stakeholders to review a specific organizational policy or position statement. The Policy Review Panels are comprised of subject matter experts (SMEs) and serve to:

  • Determine if the policy follows the latest scientific research;
  • Assess if the policy encourages continuous improvement;
  • Review the policy for practical application;
  • Evaluate if the policy is balanced to allow for species, regional, cultural, and other differences in production practices and models; and,
  • Offer feedback and counsel that the requesting organization can implement into the policy.

NIAA provides the panel of SMEs with the proposed policy text with no distinguishing language or branding to prevent bias. Feedback from the panel is aggregated into a final report by NIAA staff and includes the credentials of the SMEs. NIAA does not share confidential review panel reports. However, reports may be shared by the requesting organization if they choose.

“We look forward to continuing to serve the animal agriculture community as policies and positions on a variety of animal agriculture topics are developed or revised,” said Eric Moore, NIAA board chairman and director of technical services – North America of Norbrook, Inc. “A NIAA Policy Review Panel just completed its first report, and the requesting organization shares the practical feedback was ‘well received’ and will be applied to their final position statement.”

To learn more about NIAA’s Animal Agriculture Policy Review Panels, contact NIAA’s executive director J.J. Jones JJ.Jones@AnimalAgriculture.org or visit www.AnimalAgriculture.org.

NIAA Provides mRNA Resources to the Animal Agriculture Industry

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The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) hosted a webinar on July 21 with industry professionals and stakeholders to provide resources communicating about the use of mRNA technology in animal agriculture.

Misinformation has been shared on social media claiming humans can become vaccinated against COVID-19 by consuming animal protein from livestock treated with mRNA vaccines. The emerging issue was presented at NIAA’s Annual Conference in April 2023 during the Animal Health Emergency Management Council meeting. To compound the misinformation, mRNA vaccines have recently been the target of some state legislative bills.

NIAA quickly assembled a working group of experts from across animal agriculture to develop communication support materials regarding the use of mRNA technology in animal agriculture. Working group leaders include:

  • American Association of Swine Veterinarians
  • American Farm Bureau Federation
  • American Veterinary Medical Association
  • Animal Agriculture Alliance
  • Livestock Marketing Association
  • Merck Animal Health
  • Missouri Farm Bureau
  • National Institute for Animal Agriculture
  • National Pork Board
  • National Pork Producers Council
  • North American Meat Institute
  • Zoetis

The webinar hosted nearly 100 interested stakeholders and presented an information brief and infographic that is now available for animal agriculture stakeholders to use.

“NIAA works to serve animal agriculture stakeholders by convening leaders across the supply chain and connecting them with resources,” said J.J. Jones, NIAA executive director. “With this latest emerging issue, it’s important to know the facts about a complex topic and then communicate it simply and clearly. Our leaders are hopeful our animal agriculture stakeholders find this resource valuable.”

To access the mRNA information brief and infographic, please visit the resources page at the NIAA website. To learn more about becoming more involved in NIAA through membership or partnership, contact NIAA’s executive director J.J. Jones.

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NIAA is the leading resource for the animal agriculture industry and provides value to all stakeholders involved in providing safe and healthy food for the world. NIAA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing programs to work towards providing solutions for disease, while promoting a safe and wholesome food supply and the best practices of environmental stewardship, animal health and well-being.

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