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Allen D. Leman Swine Conference
September 19-22, 2009
RiverCentre Conference Facility
Saint Paul, Minnesota Looking forward in
times of transformation As the post-World War 2 generations confront our first experiences of profound global economic turmoil, the world is no longer the comfortable place to which we had grown accustomed. And the swine industry is dealing with much more than its share of uncertainty and disruption. Prior to the recession, the outlook for all meat industries was already increasing in complexity, with mounting pressures related to feed costs, animal welfare and the environment. On top of the recession we are now suffering substantial and unwarranted market fallout from the ‘swine flu’ misnomer bestowed on the novel H1N1 outbreak emanating from Mexico. Makin’ bacon may never be what it was, but what will it look like? - Will previously bullish estimates of growth in long-term global demand for meat truly come to pass?
- If so, which industries in which locations will be positioned to capture the benefits?
- To what extent will international and domestic pressures on animal welfare influence our future operations?
- Will traditional management procedures such as castration be restricted by legislation or replaced by technology?
- Will technology enable us to meet challenges in other areas, such as euthanasia.
- Will instability in energy prices and the fate of the ethanol industry continue to contribute to volatility in input costs?
- Will concerns about the energy consumption and ‘carbon footprint’ of meat industries really impact consumer preferences or lead to regulatory constraints.
- Will real or perceived zoonotic threats trump all other concerns?
Much of our Leman Conference program for 2009 has an eye to the future on these questions and others. Our keynote speakers, together with presenters in the breakout sessions, will be ‘looking forward’ towards the industry that, through choice or obligation, we may become. Our leadoff speaker, Raoul Baxter, a career meat industry expert, will discuss the current global economic environment and where the industry may be headed. For the Hanson Lecture, Dr. Tom Stein, a pioneer in technological innovation for the swine industry, will address the past, present and future of production analysis, giving his insights into how we can work smarter. In a year of transition of the Allen D. Leman Chair in Swine Health and Production, outgoing Chair Peter Davies will review his work on developing novel tools for swine disease surveillance that could strengthen our ability to address current and emerging health threats. Incoming Chair, Dr. Montse Torremorell will share her perspectives on challenges to the industry and the work that needs to be done. Focus on Influenza: Few events have had more abrupt impact than the recent emergence of influenza A/H1N1 (2009). Early fall may be a pivotal time in the evolution of this epidemic and an important time to analyze events that are still unfolding. Dr. Kristien Van Reeth, from the University of Ghent in Belgium, will present the Pijoan Lecture on the zoonotic implications of animal infections with influenza viruses. Her address will be complemented by two breakouts on influenza: the first focused on new developments in flu management under the ‘old flu’ environment; the second will address the new landscape post April 2009, including the origins, impact and implications of the 2009 epidemic. We again welcome all our participants to St. Paul, and hope that the scientific content that we provide, together with the opportunities to interact with your industry colleagues and partners, will be beneficial as you confront new challenges in your businesses and careers. Peter Davies, Leman Planning Committee Chair Secure on-line registration
September 18-21, 2010
RiverCentre Conference Facility
Saint Paul, Minnesota
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