Dr. David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London, will keynote the 2016 Global Conference on Sustainable Beef. He will share insights into the global food industry, including retail and consumer trends. The 2016 event is themed “Building on Experience: Regionally and Globally” and is set for October 4-7 in Alberta, Canada.

“Dr. Hughes is the perfect professional to set the tone for the 2016 Global Conference,” said Dennis Laycraft, president the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB), the hosting organization. “He brings a perspective and experience of global food systems and the changing consumer environment that is a rare find. What he shares with us will be immeasurably important to every participant.”

The Global Conference brings together beef value chain stakeholders and others from across the globe who are committed to making beef production more sustainable. In addition to seminars and moderator-led discussion groups, recent industry research will be presented. Participants will also have the opportunity to see sustainability at work through special tours arranged by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.

In 2014, GRSB adopted a set of five core principles to define global sustainable beef including natural resources; people & the community; animal health & welfare; food; and efficiency & innovation. These principles will be at the center of discussions of future efforts to advance sustainable practices globally in the production, processing, and merchandising of beef.