THE 2017 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) has surpassed 510,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, setting a new record.

Comprised of three integrated trade shows — the International Poultry Expo, International Feed Expo and International Meat Expo — IPPE has secured more than 1,100 exhibitors.

"We are very pleased with the level of exhibitor participation and the expanded square footage of the trade show floor. We anticipate more than 30,000 attendees at the 2017 IPPE, with the expo providing an excellent location to learn about new products and services for the protein and feed industries," IPPE show organizers said.

The world's largest annual feed, meat and poultry industry trade show will be held Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, 2017, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. The expo will highlight the latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing of feed, meat and poultry products.

IPPE will also feature dynamic educational programs that address current industry issues, combining expertise from the American Feed Industry Assn. (AFIA), the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Assn. (USPOULTRY), the organizers said.

The 2017 IPPE show hours are:

* 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Jan. 31.

* 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 1.

* 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Feb. 2.

Attendee and exhibitor registration and housing for the 2017 IPPE opened Aug. 1. Register online at www.ippexpo.org to receive a discounted price of $50 through Dec. 31. Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, the registration fee will increase to $100.

The IPPE website offers easy navigation and provides access to important information, including attendee and exhibitor registration, hotel availability and reservations and a schedule of 2017 educational seminars and activities offered during IPPE.

An IPPE Welcome Reception will be held at the Georgia Aquarium on Jan. 31 to which all IPPE attendees are invited.

The International Poultry Scientific Forum, the Spanish Technical Seminar for Maximizing the Efficiency of the Poultry Industry, the Pet Food Conference and the Environmental Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry will kick off the week's educational programs. Several Tech Talks programs will also be offered on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

In addition, the Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit, the Worker Safety Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry, the Poultry Market Intelligence Forum and the International Rendering Symposium educational programs will return for 2017.

The 2017 IPPE will also feature several new educational programs, including important sessions on food safety, consumer trends and international trade.

The following programs are new for 2017: Worker Safety Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry; Listeria Monocytogenes Prevention & Control Workshop; Meat Quality Workshop: Know Your Muscle, Know Your Meat; FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) Hazard Analysis Training; Pork 101; Family Businesses Strategies for Success; Beef 101; Feed Production Education Program; U.S. Employment Law Regulatory Update; Meat Industry Regulatory Update & Compliance Session; Setting Up for Success: Processed Meat Product Introductions; Get the Facts with Meat Mythcrushers; Whole Genome Sequencing 101; Understanding & Achieving Operational Excellence, and Toxic Release Inventory Reporting Guidance Workshop.

International reach

In addition to encouraging domestic attendance, IPPE is actively seeking to bring in a diverse international audience from around the world. The event organizers said this was never more apparent than at the 2016 IPPE, where a new record for international attendees was set, with 7,280 visitors from 141 countries. Latin America and the Caribbean were the largest regions represented at the 2016 expo.

IPPE continues to focus on bringing in international attendees, with a special emphasis on the Latin American and Caribbean markets. In addition to having more than 48 exhibitors from Latin American countries, IPPE is providing educational programs and networking activities for these attendees at the 2017 trade show.

Along with offering several free educational programs, IPPE is featuring a Seminario Tecnico para Maximizar la Eficiencia de la Industria Avicola program, presented entirely in Spanish, which will discuss improvements in the areas of breeding, incubation, grow-out, egg production, processing and health.

While at IPPE, Latin American and Caribbean attendees can observe several cooking demonstrations for chicken, turkey, beef and pork on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

AFIA is the world's largest organization devoted exclusively to representing the business, legislative and regulatory interests of the U.S. animal feed industry and its suppliers. Member companies are livestock feed and pet food manufacturers, integrators, pharmaceutical companies, ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers and companies that provide other products, services and supplies to feed manufacturers.

NAMI is the leading voice for the meat and poultry industry. Formed from the 2015 merger of the American Meat Institute and North American Meat Assn., the institute has a century-long history and provides essential member services, including legislative, regulatory, scientific, international and public affairs representation. Altogether, the institute's members produce the vast majority of U.S. beef, pork, lamb and poultry and the equipment, ingredients and services needed to make the highest-quality products.

USPOULTRY represents the complete spectrum of today's poultry industry. Founded in 1947 and based in Tucker, Ga., the organization's mission is to progressively serve member companies through research, education, communication and technical assistance.

Educational program schedule

IPPE helps ensure that the industry receives the most up-to-date information about important industry topics. IPPE offers a wide variety of educational programs on topics ranging from sustainability to worker safety. The educational schedule is as follows (programs that require an added fee are marked with an asterisk):

Jan. 30

* Environmental Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry*

* International Poultry Scientific Forum*

* Worker Safety Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry*

* Seminario Tecnico para Maximizar la Eficiencia de la Industria Avicola (Technical Seminar for Maximizing the Efficiency of the Poultry Industry) — Spanish language only*

* Meat & Poultry Labeling: Issues & Approvals*

* Pork 101

Jan. 31

* Export 101 — Global Sales for Enhancing Competitiveness & Innovation (for exhibiting companies)

* Listeria Monocytogenes Prevention & Control Workshop*

* Beef 101

* Family Businesses Strategies for Success

* Environmental Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry*

* Worker Safety Conference for the Meat & Poultry Industry*

* International Poultry Scientific Forum*

* Pet Food Conference*

* U.S. Employment Law Regulatory Update

* Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit

Feb. 1

* Meat Quality Workshop: Know Your Muscle, Know Your Meat*

* Meat Industry Regulatory Update & Compliance Session

* Setting Up for Success: Processed Meat Product Introductions

* AFIA Feed Production Education Program

* Poultry Market Intelligence Forum

* Get the Facts with Meat Mythcrushers

Feb. 2

* FSMA Hazard Analysis Training*

* Understanding & Achieving Operational Excellence

* Toxic Release Inventory Reporting Guidance Workshop

* Whole Genome Sequencing — Food Safety Implications

* International Rendering Symposium: The Rendering Industry: Challenges & Opportunity (Sponsored by National Renderers Assn.)*

Feb. 3

* FSMA Hazard Analysis Training*

* International Rendering Symposium: The Rendering Industry: Challenges & Opportunity*

Additional details, including a list of speakers, are available at www.ippexpo.org.

Volume:88 Issue:12