The full schedule for the virtual Annual Conference of Wales’s red meat body Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), to be held on 10-12 November, has been announced.
Registration is free, via the HCC website at https://meatpromotion.wales/en/events/hcc-annual-conference .
The conference will hear the perspectives of farmers, butchers and retailers as well as internationally-renowned experts on the turbulent COVID-influenced year of 2020, and look ahead to the major challenges that will face the industry in 2021 such as sustainability and international trade.
On Tuesday evening, the conference begins with discussions of how processors, retailers, foodservice operators have responded to the challenges of 2020 and what opportunities lie ahead. In similar discussion sessions on Wednesday evening, farmers and vets will be joined by experts in veterinary science and nutrition to discuss exciting results from HCC’s Red Meat Development Programme.
Welsh Government Minister Lesley Griffiths and HCC Chairman Kevin Roberts will kick off proceedings on Thursday 12 November. This will be followed by sessions led by top international trade expert Richard Brown, food security professor Chris Elliott OBE and California climate scientist Dr. Frank Mitloehner.
The full schedule is as follows:
| Tuesday 10 November | |
| 6pm | Highs and Lows: What happened in red meat in this turbulent year?
What has driven consumer demand and market prices in 2020? Specialists in retail and foodservice join HCC’s marketing and industry insight team to study how adaption has been the key and look forward to 2021.
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| 7pm | High Street Heroes: The resurgence of our independent butchers
Changing buying patterns have meant massive challenges for the independent sector. Does the experience of 2020 point to new opportunities? Butchers, Dafydd Davies and Clive Swan share their experiences and HCC presents ideas for new strategies to support the sector.
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| Wednesday 11 November | |
| 6pm | You are What Meat You Eat: What new research can tell us on the nutritional benefits of Welsh Lamb
HCC’s Welsh Lamb Meat Quality Project is a major new programme to ensure that product quality is second to none. Its first year results threw up fascinating findings on the benefits of lamb; Specialist Dietician Sioned Quirke joins the panel to discuss what this means. |
| 7pm | A Healthy Sustainable Future: Flock & herd health as a cornerstone of the industry
Consumers are demanding that their meat is reared to the highest standards of welfare and sustainability. Stoc+ farmer, Gwyn Johnson and Stoc+ Vet Ambassador, Thomas Searle join Wales CVO Christianne Glossop to discuss how HCC’s Stoc+ project is driving this agenda while also cutting on-farm costs. |
| Thursday 12 November | |
| 3pm | A new world? Red Meat in 2021 and beyond
Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths and HCC Chair Kevin Roberts kick off the final day of the conference. The challenges of Brexit, sustainability and COVID will be addressed, as well as the opportunities for Wales in 2021. |
| 3:30pm | Board Q&A
Your chance to present your questions directly to the HCC Board and discuss the outlook for the industry over the next year. |
| 4pm | 2020 vision for global meat clouded by extraordinary storms
How much is the Welsh red meat sector influenced by international trends? International meat trade expert Richard Brown of GIRA addresses the challenges of instability in 2020, but sees long-term opportunities. |
| 4:30pm | Export strategies in a post-Brexit world
As over 35% of Welsh Lamb is exported, what impact will a potential Brexit settlement have on Wales? Richard Brown joins HCC’s export team for a discussion of strategies for 2021 and beyond. |
| 6pm | Building a food supply system based on integrity: lessons learned from COVID
HCC is proud to welcome a world-leading expert on meat supply chains, sustainability and food security – Professor Chris Elliott OBE – to give his perspective on how the world has changed in 2020 and the implications for the future. |
| 6:30pm | The Path to Climate Neutrality
Frank Mitloehner, of the CLEAR Center at University of California, Davis, is one of the world’s most in-demand experts on environmental policy and sustainability. He shares his thoughts on the often misunderstood role of red meat production as we aim towards net-zero. |
