Meat Institute Expands Legislative Affairs and Marketing Teams with New Hires

The Meat Institute today announced the expansion of its legislative affairs and marketing teams with the addition of two new employees. (photos available by email request to slittle@meatinstitute.org.)

Chris Chaffee joins the Meat Institute as Director of Legislative Affairs working with Vice President of Legislative Affairs Nathan Fretz advocating for the meat and poultry industry with members of congress and federal officials. Chaffee will also help manage the Meat Institute’s Political Action Committee, MeatPAC.

“Chris Chaffee has extensive experience in advocacy, as well as serving in various...

Meat Institute Provides President Trump with Strategies to Reduce Costly Regs. & Address Meat Prices

The Meat Institute today sent the following letter to President Donald Trump to provide strategies to reduce burdensome regulations and address meat prices for consumers.

The following is the text of the letter, dated January 27, 2025, and signed by Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts.

Dear Mr. President:

Congratulations on your victory and inauguration! The Meat Institute and its members look forward to working with you and your administration to reduce regulatory burdens and unleash economic prosperity...

Meat Institute Promotes Bryan Burns to General Counsel and Welcomes Nicole Johnson-Hoffman as COO

The Meat Institute Announce new General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer

First, Bryan Burns has been promoted to General Counsel. He has been with the company for two years and has occupied the role of Vice President and Associate General Counsel prior to his promotion.

He serves as the liaison for several committees, including Worker Safety, Environmental, and Labor & Employment, and has managed key regulatory issues, including EPA guidelines and OSHA regulations. Burns has also focused on educating members about child trafficking... 

Meat Institute Promotes Key Staff With a Collective 55 Years of Industry Experience

The Meat Institute today announced the promotions of dedicated staff due to their significant expertise, advocacy on behalf of, and experience in the meat and poultry industry. Roya Galindo, Casey Lynn Gallimore, KatieRose McCullough, PhD, MPH and Michael Schumpp have worked for the Meat Institute or in the industry for a collective 55 years.

“Meat Institute members benefit from the experience and knowledge of our staff who have chosen to make their careers in service to the meat and poultry industry,” said Meat Institute President...

Statement on the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee- Meat Institute

The Meat Institute today released the following statement regarding the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (Report):

“The Meat Institute remains strongly opposed to the Report’s recommendation to reduce meat consumption and will urge the agencies to reject it,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts.

“Meat products provide high quality protein that is critical for developing, maintaining, and repairiing strong muscles; vital for growth and brain development in children; beneficial for providing satiety and maintaining... 

Meat Institute Appoints Nicole Johnson-Hoffman as COO, Bryan Burns Promoted to General Counsel

The Meat Institute has appointed Nicole Johnson-Hoffman as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), starting in January 2025. She will transition into the role as the current COO, Mark Dopp, prepares to retire in March 2025. Johnson-Hoffman brings extensive experience in the regulatory, legal, and sustainability aspects of the animal protein industry, with previous roles at Cargill, OSI Group, and as CEO of the cultivated meat startup Future Meat Technologies.

In addition, Bryan Burns, Vice President and...

The Meat Institute and the American Meat Science Association Announce

The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) and the Meat Institute today announced a partnership to manage the popular Meat Buyer’s Guide (MBG) with editions to publish in 2024 and 2025.

This agreement will ensure the continuity and future development of an essential industry resource. The phased upgrade of the Meat Buyer’s Guide is set to begin with an initial print run in December 2024, followed by a comprehensive update and re-release scheduled for 2025.

The MBG, first published in 1961, summarizes the USDA’s Institutional Meat Purchase...

Meat Institute Approves New Officers and Board Members

Following a successful Protein PACT Summit focused on turning sustainability goals into action, the Meat Institute elected key new officers, Executive Board members and full Board of Directors members for 2025.

“The members elected a slate of leaders who will continue to serve the industry and guide Meat Institute resources to addressing important challenges in workforce safety, sustainability, animal welfare, food security and food safety,” said Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the Meat Institute.

Officers

James Snee, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive...

Meat Institute: USDA Continues to Over-Regulate Beef and Cattle Market

Following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) requests for more information on possible new rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act on price discovery in cattle markets, Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts today made the following statement:

“Biden’s USDA is once again attempting to assert government control over the free market to the detriment of cattle producers, packers and consumers,” said Potts. “This is not about transparency. This is about the government dictating how cattle may be bought and sold...

Meat Institute Opposes Section 301 Tariffs; Calls for Comprehensive Trade Agreements

In comments submitted to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) opposing the proposed modifications to the Section 301 actions, the Meat Institute called for comprehensive trade agreements as a long-term strategy to level the playing field for meat and poultry companies and to hold China accountable for its actions.

“The Section 301 tariffs and resulting retaliatory measures imposed by China have caused undue harm to U.S. agricultural exports, including meat exports. U.S. trade policy, such as the one proposed in this Section 301 action, should not inflict pain...

Proposed Changes to Packers & Stockyards Act Rules Will Hurt Meat and Poultry Producers, Consumers

Will Set Meat Quality & Consumer Demand Back Decades

The latest proposed rule change to the Packers and Stockyards Act by the Biden Administration is attempting to set meat production back decades by encouraging litigation and limiting how livestock producers can market their animals to packers.

In the proposed rule, USDA attempts to circumvent Congress and the courts to reverse the longstanding legal standard that parties must demonstrate harm to competition to sue and win under the Packers and Stockyards Act Section 202(a) or (b)...

Properly Prepared Beef Remains Safe; Meat Institute Calls For Guidance to Protect Workers 

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a nationwide order including requiring lactating dairy cows to test negative for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) before interstate transport, the Meat Institute today said that properly prepared beef remains safe to eat and called for USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide worker safety guidance specific to beef processors to ensure workers are protected from infection.

“USDA and CDC are working overtime to understand the spread of the virus...