USDA Food Safety Officials to Present Regulatory and Research Updates

AMSA is pleased to announce a featured USDA/FSIS Update during the 79th Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) in Amarillo/Canyon, Texas on Wednesday, June 24. This session is sponsored by the AMSA Development Council. The session will bring together food safety leaders to discuss emerging research, modernization strategies, and the future direction of science-based food safety systems within the meat and poultry industries.

Building the Next Generation of Food Safety Systems - Mindy Brashears, Ph.D., Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Implementing Our Strategy for Food Safety - Justin Ransom, Ph.D., Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

Featured Panel: Water & Resilience at RMC 2026

Water resource management and long-term resilience in food production will be a key focus on Wednesday, June 24 during the featured keynote panel, “Water and Resilience: What the Panhandle Teaches Us All,” at the AMSA 79th Reciprocal Meat Conference in Amarillo, Texas. Funded by the Beef Checkoff, this timely discussion brings together leading voices from across the beef supply chain to address one of agriculture’s most pressing challenges.

Featured speakers include Scott Pohlman, Director of Beef Supply Chain Sustainability at Cargill; Ben Weinheimer, President and CEO of Texas Cattle Feeders Association; John Van de Pol, CEO and Owner of Red Rock Dairy; and Molly McAdams, Executive Vice President of Texas Beef Council. Together, they represent diverse perspectives across the protein value chain and will share practical insights, challenges, and solutions.

AMSA 2026 RMC Speakers

Jesse Fulton, M.S.

Director of Animal Health and Welfare

Meat Institute

Originally from Kentucky, Jesse Fulton earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Morehead State University and a master’s degree in animal science with an emphasis in meat science from South Dakota State University. From 2015 to 2020, Jesse served as Director of Producer Education with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in Denver, Colorado, where he managed the National Cattlemen’s College program, led the 2016 National Beef Quality Audit, and supported the National Beef Quality Assurance and National Stockmanship & Stewardship programs. From 2020 to 2025, Jesse served as a Nebraska Livestock Systems Extension Educator and as Director of Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In 2025, Jesse joined the Meat Institute as Director of Animal Health & Welfare. In this role, he serves as staff lead for the Animal Welfare Committee; oversees the Animal Welfare Guidelines and Audit; represents the Meat Institute at external meetings and before government agencies; and provides timely analysis, guidance, and technical support to the meat and poultry processing industry on topics including animal production, health, handling, welfare, foreign animal disease, veterinary drugs, and pathology.

79th RMC Invitation from West Texas A&M University

Upcoming RMC Dates and Locations

· June 21-24, 2026 | Amarillo/Canyon, TX

· June 13-16, 2027 | Madison, WI

· June 18-22, 2028 | Rogers, AR

· June 24-28, 2029 | Boise, ID

· June 23-27, 2030 | St. Louis, MO