2005 Annual Meat Conference to Feature Choice of Tours — Retail Stores, Irradiation Facility and Disney Foodservice Will Be Showcased

Washington, DC — December 1, 2004 — The 2005 Annual Meat Conference attendees will have a choice of retail store tours, a trip to an irradiation facility or a behind-the-scenes look at Disney's foodservice operation. The conference will be held March 6-8, 2005 at the Caribe Royale All Suites Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The Retail Store Tours provide an outstanding opportunity to visit some of the leading operators in Orlando — a city known for a variety of store types and a mix of regional chains and independents. The ethnicity of the host city is reflected in the supermarket merchandising and product selection of several unique operators. Featured are some of the unique markets in the Orlando area: The Fresh Market, Bravo Supermarkets, and Publix Super Markets.

Participants in the irradiation tour will visit Food Technology Services, Inc. in Mulberry, FL. The company offers food manufacturers gamma irradiation produced by Cobalt 60 to treat or process various foods.

The Walt Disney World® Food Service Operations tour offers a behind-the-scenes tour of the Epcot® food service operation at Walt Disney World® where they can see their progressive food safety program in action.

The three tours will be offered Monday, March 7 from 7:30 - 11:30 am. Tours are included in registration costs but must be booked at the time of registration to guarantee space availability.

The Annual Meat Conference is co-sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute and American Meat Institute. Associate sponsors include the American Lamb Board, America's Beef Producers, the National Chicken Council, National Pork Board and National Turkey Federation.

The conference is the premier educational opportunity for retailers and meat and poultry companies seeking the latest information about trends and issues affecting meat and poultry sales, marketing, and profitability.

This year's conference highlights include:

• Three general sessions, including keynote speaker Larry Winget.
  
• Culinary session featuring leading food and wine gurus.
  
• Product Tasting Reception.
  
• Tech Fair Luncheon.
  
• Twelve educational seminars in three; concurrent sessions.

For conference information and registration information, visit www.meatconference.com