Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The RMC is the annual meeting of the AMSA. It is the largest and most comprehensive scientific meeting in the world that is focused on issues related to the science of meat and meat production. As such, the RMC has a significant influence on the global meat science community, government institutions, and the food industry, attracting a diverse, international audience. This meeting has the unique history of fostering focused discussions with world leaders in muscle/meat biochemistry, muscle growth, pre- and post-harvest food safety, and further processing. The attendees are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds including university, government, industry, students, and trainees. In addition, there are also many allied experts from a wide variety of backgrounds in the food animal and meat production. Indeed, the comprehensive nature of the audience of scientific experts gathered annually at this meeting provides a rich environment for sparking novel ideas around how live animal biology impacts meat production and will spark ideas around new innovations to enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. livestock system.A unique feature of the RMC is the dedicated time for reciprocal discussion engaging colleagues and students. This dedication to dialogue facilitates the exchange of scientific thoughts, comments, and experiences related to the topics. A critical topic that is addressed at the RMC is the role of livestock growth, muscle development, and muscle biology on the efficient and sustainable production of meat. The RMC seeks to ensure the continued development of high-quality symposium around the issues related to animal biology and its impact on meat production. These proposed symposia will include presentations on new concepts in muscle biology, muscle/meat biochemistry and muscle growth and development.The deep diversity of attendees makes this meeting the ideal venue to obtain input on the role of muscle growth and muscle biology/biochemistry on meat production from the broad spectrum of the industry. Attendees benefit from the fact that this is overall an extended meeting, with many sessions and opportunities for both formal and informal discussions that spill over from the sessions. The unique blend of science, industry and governmental perspectives provides a richness to the discussions that is rarely found at other meetings.Each year RMC topic areas are selected through an inclusive feedback and selection process. Surveys are sent to the AMSA membership to collect suggestions of desired topic areas to ensure diversity across industry subject matter as well as timeliness of topics. Suggestions are narrowed down and ranked by the RMC planning committee. Once eight to nine sessions are selected by the committee, three to four session leaders are assigned to recruit speakers and manage the logistics of each session. At least two sessions at each of the future RMC's will be dedicated to the meat and muscle biology symposia. The preliminary 2024 and 2025 RMC symposia topics are outlined below. RMC 2024 - Application of growth promotion/management technologies and their impact on meat qualityGrowth promoting technologies/management practices are useful tools to increase efficiency of meat production. In this session, the application of growth promotion/management technologies, their impact on animal performance, and carcass quality will be discussed. Additionally, the session will focus on the implications that using growth promotants has for access to markets. All species are impacted (beef, pork, and poultry) however, beef is most often used as an example. If specific to beef, the speakers can concentrate on (1) animal performance, (2) meat quality, and (3) export requirements.RMC 2025 - Heat stress, climate change, and management strategies to optimize animal production Climate change and heat stress are critical issues that impact the sustainable production of livestock for meat production. The issues related to heat stress and its management are increasingly impacting producer livelihoods and the availability of high-quality protein for the world population. In the past years, there have been deaths associated with heat stress, especially in cattle. Therefore, the development of management strategies to manage heat stress and understanding its impact on animal performance is critical. It is also equally important to understand and maximize heat resilience. The speakers can focus on both applied (e.g., shades, sprinklers, supplements, drought management) and molecular approaches (e.g., markers for heat stress).AMSA is committed to diversity and inclusion in our programs. Utilizing our organizational partnerships with the MANRRS, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and the Flower Hill Institute to help identify 1994 Land Grant Institutions that have active or aspirational meat science programs, we will offer travel stipends directly to professionals and students that will allow a greater number of individuals to attend our symposia. Through this grant AMSA will provide new attendee registration and travel stipends for up to five professionals and six students each year. Individuals will be selected through an application process hosted by AMSA to identify interest in the meat science area, need for new opportunity to exposure to the industry, and financial support. Applications will be released in February prior to RMC. Upon application closure the applications will be reviewed by a committee of AMSA representatives from the RMC planning committee, Board of Directors, Student Board of Directors, and staff. Recipients will be provided with notice of stipend award no later than the last day of March prior to the 2024 and 2025 RMC's.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The short-term goal of this project is to ensure access to essential meat and muscle biology research, education, and discussion over the next two years, while increasing the accessibility of the symposium for all interested parties, many of whom are from institutions and locations lacking adequate institutional support, by obtaining financial support from various sources to reduce registration costs to a level that allows interested people to attend. This conference grant will aid in ensuring that fundamental topics related to the impact of live animal nutrition and management on muscle growth and meat quality are presented. These topics are critical to the efficient and sustainable production of meat products. New and critical research will be disseminated and discussed in this symposium, and a comprehensive meeting proceeding will be published and available as open access via various refereed journals. Due to the nature of this invaluable meeting, the RMC Meat and Muscle Biology Symposium has an impact on the meats industry across the globe which cannot be measured. AMSA strives to increase diversity and inclusion in our programs. We will offer travel scholarships directly to professionals and students that will allow a greater number of individuals to attend our symposium. AMSA will provide complementary membership to anyone new to AMSA receiving a stipend. RMC serves as one of the only conferences consistent offering discussion and sessions related to meat and muscle biology.
Project Methods
Each year RMC topic areas are selected through an inclusive feedback and selection process. Surveys are sent to the AMSA membership to collect suggestions of desired topic areas to ensure diversity across industry subject matter as well as timeliness of topics. Suggestions are narrowed down and ranked by the RMC planning committee. Once eight to nine sessions are selected by the committee, three to four session leaders are assigned to recruit speakers and manage the logistics of each session.AMSA is committed to diversity and inclusion in our programs. Utilizing our organizational partnerships with the MANRRS, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and the Flower Hill Institute to help identify 1994 Land Grant Institutions that have active or aspirational meat science programs, we will offer travel stipends directly to professionals and students that will allow a greater number of individuals to attend our symposia. Through this grant AMSA will provide new attendee registration and travel stipends for up to five professionals and six students each year. Individuals will be selected through an application process hosted by AMSA to identify interest in the meat science area, need for new opportunity to exposure to the industry, and financial support. Applications will be released in February prior to RMC. Upon application closure the applications will be reviewed by a committee of AMSA representatives from the RMC planning committee, Board of Directors, Student Board of Directors, and staff. Recipients will be provided with notice of stipend award no later than the last day of March prior to the 2024 and 2025 RMC's.