Get ready to learn the importance of – and how to – merge technology and values to help feed a growing and hungry world during the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s (NIAA) 2013 Annual Conference in Louisville, KY, April 15-18, at The Galt House.

Five keynote speakers will provide facts and insight to this emotionally charged issue during NIAA’s opening and closing general sessions:

"Keeping in line with the conference theme ‘Animal Agriculture’s Vision to Feed the World: Merging Values and Technology,' these general session speakers will navigate the challenges and debate issues tied to food production and keep us abreast of the role technological advancements are playing today and the promises of tomorrow’s technology,” states Robert Fourdraine, vice president of product services and developmentfor AgSource Cooperative Services, WI, and chair of NIAA’s annual conference. “So many factors are intertwined and must work in harmony, and these presentations should help us have a more complete picture of the situation.”

Randel, Van Eenennaam and Dierlam will speak on  April 16, with Perkins and Ruby wrapping up the annual conference on April 17.

Conference attendees will delve deeper into the challenges of merging values and technology as it pertains to each species during the species committee meetings on Tuesday afternoon. In addition to beef, dairy, equine small ruminant and swine committees, a sixth committee – Aquatic Livestock—has been added this year. A slate of nationally known speakers at each committee meeting will provide information so attendees stay informed on the forefront of issues impacting the direction of meat animal production in North America.

Fourdraine adds that individuals are also encouraged to participate in NIAA’s six council meetings: Animal Health Emergency Management Council, Global Animal Health, Food Security and Trade Council, Antibiotics Council, Animal Care Council, Animal Identification & Information Systems Council and Emerging Diseases Council.

“NIAA’s annual conference is the ideal place where individuals from across all of animal agriculture – from state and national organizations to allied industry leaders to extension specialists, researchers and academia to government officials – can come together to network and influence industry-directed solutions to animal health, animal care and food safety concerns in North America,” he says.

Following NIAA’s annual conference will be a Foot-and- Mouth Disease (FMD) Symposium, which starts April 17 and concludes April 18.

NIAA is offering a two-events-one-registration fee of $375/person for NIAA members and $450/person for non-members. Individuals wanting to attend only the FMD Symposium may do so for $175/person. To register, go online to www.animalagriculture.orgor call NIAA at (719) 538-8843.