AAMP
83rd Annual AAMP Convention & Trade Show
Des Moines to host
The American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) will hold its 83rd Annual Convention and Trade Show, July 14-16, 2022, in Des Moines, IA. The trade show and educational sessions will be held at the Iowa Events Center. Room blocks can be found at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown and Comfort Inn. The AAMP Board of Directors and Convention Planning committee have worked hard to ensure a great event for 2022!
The event will start on July 13 with a Pre-Convention Bus Tour. Three charter buses will make stops at the following members’ meat processing plants: Stanhope Locker & Market (Stanhope), Story City Locker (Story City), Dayton Meat Products (Malcom), Ulrich Meat Market (Pella), and In’t Veld’s Meat Market (Pella). Lunch will be provided; seats are limited, so sign up soon! That evening, AAMP President Dwight Ely and First Lady Susan will greet guests at the Presidents’ Welcome Reception located at the Iowa Hall of Pride from 6-8 PM. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.
Thursday, July 14, will be a jam-packed day with many events. The Welcome Session will feature several announcements and our keynote speaker, Dr. Gordon Davis. Afterward, operators can check in products for the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC). Several breakout sessions will take place including Building the Perfect Processed Meat Flavor; A Better Understanding of Return on Investment; Legal Issues; AAMP/NMPAN Updates; Salmonella & Carcass Intervention. From there the trade show, boasting 262 booths of everything a meat processor would ever need, will take place for several hours in the afternoon. That night, join AAMP as we travel to Ames for the Thursday Night Event at Jack Trice Stadium on the campus of Iowa State University. Dinner will be provided (tickets are required).
Friday, July 15 starts early with a Virtual Plant Tour hosted by AAMP President Dwight Ely (Ely Farm Products, Newtown, PA), Terry Kerns (Edgewood Locker, Edgewood, IA), and Ryan Schmidt (Schmidt’s Meat Market, Nicollet, MN). Afterward, the trade show will be open for several hours, and in the early afternoon there will be a demonstration session titled “What To Do With Your Ham Year-Round.” The rest of Friday is free time to see what Des Moines has to offer!
Saturday, July 16 also starts early with the ACMC Awards, including the Clarence Knebel Best of Show and the Cured Meat Excellence Award. During this time, AAMP will induct our newest member(s) into the Cured Meats Hall of Fame. The business meeting will continue the meeting, and the trade show will conclude mid-afternoon. A Bull Session is scheduled for the afternoon titled “Working Smarter, Not Harder.” That night, join AAMP at the Closing Banquet. The Achievement and Accomplishment Awards will be presented along with the installation of the new board.
The AAMP convention is a great educational and social event for its members. Operators can visit and learn from one another and make excellent business connections with other operators and suppliers. If you would like more information about the event, please call AAMP at 717-367-1168 or e-mail niki@aamp.com; check out our website www.aamp.com or follow us on social media.
