The programmes will cover a wide array of education sessions on pressing meat and poultry issues, including food safety, worker safety, dietary guidelines, new products and export and international issues.

The Pork 101 Workshop will cover quality and consistency issues in the pork industry, providing insight on value differences in swine, pork carcasses, pork primals and processed pork products due to quality variation, while the Biosecurity: PEDv and Foot & Mouth Disease programme (Spanish translated) will discuss the biosecurity challenges posed by the porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDv) and Foot & Mouth disease and provide practical take-a-ways for maintaining a healthy herd. The Pork Tech Theater programme will discuss the latest developments in the international pig industry, addressing topics such as group housing of pregnant sows, a PEDv research update and a future without antibiotics.

The Market Intelligence Forum will identify key issues facing the poultry industry and provide understanding into how domestic and international poultry industries are positioned to move forward in 2015, while the US–EU Free Trade Negotiations programme will examine the current state of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the United States and the European Union and the potential impact of a successful or unsuccessful outcome on both European and American farmers and producers. The Export & International Issues in the Meat and Poultry Industries sessions will also cover key topics to help businesses succeed in the international market.

The Antibiotic Use in the Meat and Poultry Industry sessions will give attendees a scientific look at the complexities of antibiotic use in the meat and poultry industry, while the Sanitary Design program will take some of the key lessons from ready-to-eat (RTE) sanitation best practices and teach attendees how to apply them in a raw/fresh setting.

The Worker Safety Considerations: Equipment Design, Installation & Operation sessions will review manufacturer design considerations, new equipment installation and pre-startup safety procedures, machine guarding, lock out and other important safety issues, while the Worker Safety & HR Issues for the Meat and Poultry Industry programme will address key issues facing the industry, including employee retention and rising health care and insurance costs, as well as topics related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the regulatory environment.

The Validation Workshop programme will feature a practical discussion of validation best practices, including discussions related to implementation and application, while the Best New Products sessions will highlight product development and new products of 2015.

The Dietary Guidelines Update and FDA Labeling Update forum will review how potential government proposals may impact the health profile and marketing of meat and poultry products.

To register for the IPPE, visit www.ippexpo.org. For a complete list of programmes available for all attendees, click here.