Representatives from Panera Bread Company, Perdue Farms and Certified Angus Beef will participate on the panel and discuss their companies’ philosophies on antibiotics use.

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 US: millennials.

Alliance President and CEO, Kay Johnson Smith, said: “We’re excited to have such a distinguished panel of food industry leaders discuss this crucial topic - antibiotics use on farms. Our panellists, representing growth-oriented, brand-name companies will share their philosophies about the use of antibiotics, future trends and, most importantly, the millennial interest in knowing more about how their food is produced.”

Panelists will include:

• John F. Stika, PhD, Certified Angus Beef: John Stika, who holds a doctorate in meat science from the University of Kentucky, has extensive knowledge of the beef industry and the Certified Angus Beef® brand. Now in his seventh year as the brand’s president, and with seven years of record sales, his leadership has reinforced grassroots programmes for producers and licensed businesses to supply consumers worldwide with high-quality beef. In 2013, the brand’s partners delivered 865 million pounds of premium beef to more than 14,000 restaurants and grocery stores.
• Dan Kish, Panera Bread Company: Dan Kish brings 25 years of culinary experience to his position as Vice President of Food for Panera Bread. Kish came to Panera Bread from the Culinary Institute of America where he served as Associate Dean for Culinary Fundamentals and an associate professor. Prior to that, Kish served as a professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, Kish learned traditional cooking techniques from his grandmothers while spending summers working the family farm. Kish has edited more than 1,000 recipes and has appeared on Good Morning America and Food Network and well as in publications, including The New York Times, Cooking Light and Martha Stewart Living.
• Joe Forsthoffer, Perdue Farms: Joe Forsthoffer is the Director of Corporate Communications for Perdue, spent his formative years in rural Northeast Ohio. He received an undergraduate degree in Journalism and English at Ohio University before attending the University of Alabama Master of Fine Arts creative writing program. He worked in newspaper and magazine journalism with a stint in public relations for a museum and non-profit foundation before joining Perdue 15 years ago.

To learn more about these, and other panelists be sure to visit the Alliance web site, www.animalagalliance.org/summit/. Early registration for the Alliance’s Stakeholders Summit ends on 8 April 2014.