This year’s annual meeting theme was selected because animal agriculture is changing.  Public perception of animal agriculture is an important component of the food production system and increasingly featured by the general media.  There is the utmost need to unite and take a proactive approach to foster consumer trust.

In keeping with NIAA's mission to serve as a forum for building consensus and advancing solutions, the 2009 annual meeting will tackle three key aspects:

1. Overview of consumer attitudes and perceptions with respect to food production and animal agriculture,

2. Strategies for development of relevant and accurate messages for diverse audiences and

3. Increase an active industry-consumer communication and collaboration.

NIAA‘s committee sessions are also a big part of NIAA’s annual meeting, and it is in the committee sessions where animal agriculture is shaped.  Committee members are integrally involved in addressing key issues affecting animal agriculture within the species-specific committees and the six issue-based committees: animal care; animal health emergency management; animal health and international trade; animal identification and information systems; animal production food safety and security; and emerging diseases.