This week is one of transition for the Animal Agriculture Alliance, and for me personally. As of May 2^nd, I’ve assumed the role of president and CEO of the Alliance, succeeding Kay Johnson Smith, who has provided leadership to the organization for nearly three decades. Kay’s time with the Alliance will come to an end after next week’s Stakeholders Summit in Kansas City as she departs to join the staff of Dairy MAX, a longtime Alliance member and supporter.

It's difficult to put into words how I feel about the transition. While it is cliché, bittersweet seems particularly apt in this instance. After working with Kay so closely, it’s hard to see her leave and living up to her legacy will be a challenge. I’ve learned so much from Kay about developing and maintaining relationships within animal agriculture and the meat community and how to best support our stakeholders as they navigate the challenges of dealing with animal rights extremism. It’s equally exciting to picture what the future might hold for the Alliance and how I can contribute to our mission of safeguarding the future of animal agriculture and its value to society.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that there has never been a dull moment since I joined the Alliance team in 2014 and started writing this blog in early 2015. Just in that timeframe the major issues on the minds of consumers and the tactics employed by extremist organizations have shifted, and it’s been thrilling to stay on the forefront of those changes and provide suggestions for the future to everyone involved in the production of animal protein.

While this is a change for me, it is not a farewell. I’m excited to still be able to regularly write this blog for Meatingplace, and I look forward to continuing to share the Alliance’s insights on the latest consumer perception and farm/plant security challenges from a new perspective.

A time of change

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