Annual Meat Conference Exhibitors Donate More Than 5,000 Pounds of Meat and Poultry Products to Nashville Food Project

Exhibitors at the Annual Meat Conference (AMC), hosted by the North American Meat Institute Foundation (NAMIF) and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) this week in Nashville, Tennessee, donated 5,100 pounds of meat and poultry products to The Nashville Food Project , a nonprofit that seeks to increase access to healthy foods in homeless and working poor communities across Davidson County, Tennessee.  The packages of beef, pork, chicken and other meat cuts were highlighted during the conference’s Product Tasting Reception, which featured more than 60 exhibiting companies. "Meat Institute member companies have a long history of donating high-quality, nutritious meat and poultry products to help support hunger relief throughout our nation,” says NAMI president and CEO Barry Carpenter.  “We are pleased to continue this tradition with a large donation of healthy, nutrient-dense protein to the Nashville community.” AMC exhibitors have donated thousands of pounds of meat and poultry to host communities over the years, including more than 5,000 pounds in Atlanta in 2014 and more than 6,000 pounds in Nashville in 2013, officials add. FMI president and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin say, “Our coordination with the Nashville Food Project reflects broadly what food retailers and their supplier partners do every day within their own communities by feeding families and ensuring access to safe, nutritious and affordable food.” The 2015 AMC also broke previous attendance records, attracting more than 1,030 members of the retail grocery and meat industries, officials say. This year’s conference featured nine concurrent education sessions that examined marketing developments, merchandising issues and consumer purchasing trends facing the industry.  NAMI and FMI also released the results of the 10th annual Power of Meat study, which explores consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviors regarding fresh and processed meat and poultry.