College Cafeteria Confidential: Alliance Summit Goes Undercover in the Lunch Line
Early Registration Extended for 13th annual Stakeholders Summit
April 8, 2014 – The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced today that early registration has been extended until April 22nd for its 13thannual Stakeholders Summit, themed “Cracking the Millennial Code.” At the Summit, to be held May 8-9th, 2014 in Crystal City, VA, panelists from The George Washington University, located in the heart of Washington, DC, will provide attendees with insight into what they look for at mealtime—both on and off campus. The panel will be moderated by Rob Morasco, Senior Director of Offer Development for Sodexo USA – one of the nation’s top food service companies for universities and corporations worldwide.
Morasco, who works closely with both staff and students at The George Washington University (GW) will ask the student panelists about their consumer preferences as they relate to meat, milk and eggs—but will also help Summit attendees understand where college students today, or millennials, get their information about food.
“It’s no secret that millennials are the most social-media active generation and there’s certainly no shortage of information about agriculture and food production on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms,” said Alliance Communications Director Emily Meredith. “The good news is that the research we’ve seen on millennials says that they want to hear both sides of the story before they make up their minds. Summit attendees will have the opportunity to hear—straight from the source—what college students want to know about food. Then it’s up to us in agriculture to bridge that gap.”
Panelists will include:
• Eric Estroff, a Sophomore from Atlanta, GA majoring in Political Communication and Organizational Science.
• Jesse Schaffer, a Senior from the suburbs of Chicago with a Major in International Affairs with an Environmental Studies Concentration and a Minor in Sustainability.
• Miles Milliken, a Senior originally from Seattle Washington, studying Environmental Studies and Sustainability.
All three students work closely with the Sodexo staff on campus—having a hand in everything from sourcing ingredients to testing menus. Additionally, Estroff is a member of GW’s Student Dining Board, an elected student body group responsible for “improving the dining experience,” and allocating funds for events in and around GW’s cafeteria.
The Stakeholders Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference that is attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislators, universities and government agencies. While the 2013 Summit explored the role transparency and effective communications efforts play in countering misinformation spread by animal rights activists and other detractors, this year’s Summit will focus on the most influential demographic in the U.S.: millennials.
To learn more about these, and other Stakeholders Summit presenters and panelists, be sure to visit the Alliance website. Early registration for the Alliance’s Stakeholders Summit has been extended until April 22nd, 2014—so register today to take advantage of the discounted rates!
Details:
Early registration for the one-and-a-half day event is $375 for Alliance members and $425 for non-members; $325 for those in government or academia. Media and students interested in registering should contact Emily Meredith. Registration materials and a full event schedule (as of March 10, 2014) can be found on the Summit website.
This year, the Summit will be held at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel. Rooms are available at a special group rate of $195.00 per night on the hotel’s website or by calling (703) 413-1300. Conveniently located just one mile from Washington Reagan airport, this luxury hotel is nestled in the heart of Crystal City’s dining and business district. Attendees must book their rooms by April 15, 2014 to take advantage of the Alliance’s room block and rates.
As always, the Alliance’s Stakeholders Summit will be social! Be sure to follow the hashtag #AAA14 for updates about the event. For general questions about the Summit please contact summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-1411.
Get involved:
Show your support for the Alliance’s communications and educational efforts by becoming an official Summit sponsor today! For a complete listing of the 2013 Summit sponsors or to watch video recordings from the 2013 Summit please visit the Alliance website. Current 2014 sponsors include: Conference Direct, Farm Credit, Watt Global Media, United Soybean Board, Cooper Farms, National Pork Board, Alltech, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, Agri-Beef, Kemin Industries, Elanco Animal Health, the National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation, National Milk Producers Federation, North Carolina Farm Bureau and Meatingplace. To see additional Summit partners, please visit our website.
About the Alliance:
The Animal Agriculture Alliance is an industry-united, nonprofit organization that helps bridge the communication gap between farm and fork. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation. Find the Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.
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