Preparation and collaboration are key for navigating issues, according to 2026 Stakeholders Summit speakers

May 11, 2026 – Speakers at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2026 Stakeholders Summit addressed pressures impacting animal protein, including animal rights extremism, legislative agendas, animal health and welfare, and supply chain coordination. The 2026 Summit was held May 5-7 in Kansas City, Mo. and included more than 205 registered in-person attendees. A recording pass is available for purchase through May 21 to access session recordings.

“The 2026 Stakeholders Summit highlighted the importance of the farm and food communities working together to navigate pressures impacting animal protein,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance president and CEO. “Speakers emphasized the need for continued collaboration across sectors, the strength that comes with preparation, and the role telling our personal stories can play in reaching consumers. The networking opportunities across attendees was also a particular highlight for this year’s event, with several new events added to the agenda.”

Preparation is key

A key theme from Summit speakers was that preparation is key to safeguard against agricultural threats. During the session “High Steaks, Real Threats,” panelists Andrew Rose, BIO-ISAC, Kristin King, AnzenSage, and Jonathan Lawler, Rural Strategies Group, offered several pieces of advice to attendees, including documenting practices and policies as verification if crisis hits the farm. They also recommended surveying the farm layout and looking at it as honestly as possible for potential weak points. The growth of technology in recent years also highlighted the need for increased cybersecurity measures to ensure data privacy and confidentiality.

A separate session, “What’s Heating Up,” addressed trends in activism and how farms, processing facilities, and zoos are being targeted. Speakers, including Challis Hobbs, Fur Commission USA, Joe Regenstein, PhD, Cornell and Kansas State University, and Tom Albert, Zoological Association of America, noted that vandalism, trespassing, animal release, and arson are some of the top tactics used to target animal facilities. In some cases, it’s been identified that extremists are being hired and paid to attack farms. There’s also a growing trend of smaller, family-owned farms being increasingly targeted. “Confidence comes from being prepared,” Hobbs stated, quoting legendary basketball coach John Wooden.

Supply chain collaboration

Collaboration – from the farm level to consumer-facing restaurants and retailers – was also a key theme of the event. In the session “Tools of the Trade,” speakers Stephanie Wetter, National Pork Board, and Callahan Grund, U.S. CattleTrace, discussed the importance of record keeping and data to support research and innovation. On the farm, it was stressed that employees should be trained, outcomes measured, and data verified to continuously improve protocols. Similarly in the animal health space, tracking disease spread between animals can be communicated with animal health officials to further collaboration and improve response. Supply chain members – wherever they sit – were encouraged to ask for data, engage with current data collection programs, and lean into traceability and transparency as assets rather than risks.

The opening keynote, “Leading Under Pressure” with Sarah Bohnenkamp, touched on supply chain collaboration as well, encouraging attendees to share more data across the supply chain and to walk a mile in each other’s shoes to consider perspectives. Stakeholders need to trust one another to do their part and be intentionally curious to foster engagement and understanding. In the closing keynote, Crystal Mackay, LOFT32, stated, “For our industry to show up and grow and meet demand, we need to show up and collaborate.”

Tell your story or others will tell it for you

Sessions also recognized the need to continue telling personal stories, noting if the farm and food communities don’t tell their own stories, someone else will tell it for them and it may not be accurate. During the session “Leveraging Sustainability to Build Trust,” panelists including Nancy Himmelfarb, Himmelfarb Sustainability Consulting, Francois Leger, FPL Food, LLC, and Rachael Wagner, Eocene Environmental Group, recommended sharing values, practices, and policies confidently with the public. A strong stance is more authentic and clearer and will resonate more with the audience. Companies were also encouraged to ensure they are engaging with employees who can be their strongest assets in sharing personal stories and building brand trust.

A recording pass has been made available to purchase for those who were not able to attend the 2026 Summit in person. Session recordings will be posted within two weeks after the event and will only be available to registered attendees and recording pass holders.

Save the date for the 2027 Stakeholders Summit, scheduled for May 5-7 in Arlington, Va. Follow the hashtag #AAA27 for periodic updates about the event.

The 2026 Summit would not be possible without the support of sponsors, including U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Farm Journal, Meatingplace, Watt, Cargill, Perdue Farms, Zoetis, American Feed Industry Association, Dairy Farmers of America, U.S. Soy, Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc., Amick Farms, Aviagen, CoBank, Dairy MAX, Farm Credit Council, Mountaire Farms, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Lamb Board, Cal-Maine Foods, Cobb-Vantress, LLC, Empirical, Hendrix Genetics, National Chicken Council, North Carolina Farm Bureau, Progressive Dairy, Trans Ova Genetics, Tyson Foods, United Egg Producers, Vivayic, Eggland’s Best, and Eocene Environmental Group.