Animal agriculture brings together stakeholders.

More than 125 high-level representatives of American animal agriculture gathered in Arlington, Va., to share ideas at the Third Annual Stakeholders Summit, sponsored by the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The program, themed "Animal Welfare's Importance to the Food Chain--Turning Challenges into Opportunities," included the viewpoints of speakers representing government, universities, companies, retailers and media. The conference keynote speaker was Philip Clemens, chairman and CEO of Hatfield Quality Meats. Clemens emphasized the importance of a coordinated communications message, involving the entire food chain--from farmers to processors to grocers to retailers--because "we have a great story to tell."