WMC 2023

Maastricht, The Netherlands

11-13 October 2023

Meeting Society & Consumer

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Presentations

The presentations of WMC2023 can now be downloaded.

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Programme

Programme at a glance is now available. More details can be found here.

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Sponsor opportunities

Sponsorship opportunities are an excellent way to keep your company’s name out front. We offer Co-Host, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Exhibitor levels.

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Invited speakers

A couple of invited speakers are now confirmed!
More details can be found here.

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Announcement video German subtitles

Announcement video French subtitles

Announcement video Spanish subtitles

Announcement video Chinese subtitles

About the congress

After 5 years of absence, the international meat society can finally meet again at the World Meat Congress 2023.

COV, the Dutch Meat Producers Association, and the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) are proud to host the WMC2023 in the city of Maastricht, the Netherlands.

For many decades, the WMC is a major global event for all stakeholders within the meat value chain all over the world where relevant challenges and opportunities related to meat production are discussed.

The theme of this year’s Congress is Meeting Society and Consumer. The diverse parts of the Congress will focus on the various challenges that the meat sector is facing in all parts of the world as well as on the opportunities that can be seized when understanding what society and consumers expect of their high quality and nutritious food.

We have invited excellent and appealing speakers from industry, national and supranational government, NGOs and the academic realm who will address highly topical issues related to meat production and meat trade.

Meat is an important part of citizens’ diet, but is also in the center of many societal concerns. The WMC2023 congress will provide all participants a unique opportunity for contributing to bridging different viewpoints and witnessing actual solutions for these interesting social and economic challenges.

This edition will strongly focus on the sustainable production of meat since this is at the heart of societal and consumers concerns. This will ensure that the WMC2023 will provide excellent opportunities for stakeholders within the meat value chain to witness the latest developments and experience the networking with the many hundreds other leaders, experts and specialists from outside and inside the meat industry.

Programme Highlights

MEAT TRADE IN A GEOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
Recent times have been quite distressing for economies and citizens all over the world. A global pandemic with an enormous impact on economies, markets and supply chains. Regional wars impacting large parts of the world with extreme production costs and inflation. An viral disease hitting pork production and pork trade in major regions. How is all this impacting food production in general and meat production in particular? And what is the consequence of the various appeals for food security and food autonomy? Experts from various parts of the world are asked to present their view on these geopolitical developments.
THE CHALLENGE OF VALORISING HIGH ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS
Animal welfare has become an uncompromised factor within the meat value chain. Respectful treatment of animals is a prerequisite for a meat production that is acceptable for societies and consumers all over the world. The challenge for the meat value chain is to address this appeal from society and make this an asset vis-à-vis the consumer. NGO’s and industry will share examples of constructive cooperation in the market.
THE POSITION OF MEAT AND ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT IN THE CLIMATE DEBATE
The climate debate is the driver for many policies and consumption incentives. The meat sector has to play its own role in this process. But what role? What action is required, which reaction is possible? How to use the carbon footprint as a driver for mitigating the climate impact and for providing the consumer the right choice? At the WMC2023 Congress positions of NGO’s and initiatives of industry will be shared.
BIG DATA AND ANIMAL STEWARDSHIP
Big data and data collection has become in many industries an essential tool to improve operations within the supply chain, gain efficiency, mitigate risks and optimize costs and increase profits. This becomes also essential for the meat supply chain. At the WMC2023 the relationship between data collection and animal stewardship will be discussed from a scientific and operational point of view.
THE CHANGING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE FOR MEAT PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
In a changing world, the future of the meat industry globally is largely depending on the policies developed in reaction to these changes. This Congress, organized at the heart of Europe’s meat production, will bring together leading European policy makers that are defining the political landscape for the production and consumption of meat. What does this landscape look like? And what impact could this have on the rest of the world?
OTHERS
Other themes that will be presented at the WMC2023 in Maastricht will be the global animal health situation, labor shortage and process automation, food consumer trends and the diversification of the meat market as well as the development of lab grown meat.

A big thank you to our Diamond Sponsor:

Maastricht, The Netherlands

Maastricht is the ideal congress city in the heart of Europe. Quoting from Wikipedia: “The first permanent settlement was founded by the Celts about 500 BC. A Roman city was built around 0 AD, making Maastricht one of the oldest cities of the Netherlands”. The name Maastricht goes back to the Roman Empire name of the city “Mosa Trajectum”, meaning crossing of the Maas (Meuse) River.

With Belgium and Germany as its direct neighbours Maastricht is only a short trip away no matter which way to travel you use. With eight airports nearby, good international train connections and excellent highway system, the city is easily accessible. Maastricht has a state of the art congress and exhibition centre MECC, 5600 hotel rooms and, most important, the right community and experience to facilitate international congresses with outstanding personal service.

Accommodation

In close consultation with the organisation, MECC Hotel Services has taken options in different hotels in Maastricht and surroundings at very competitive rates: there are no extra costs!

The best way to book your room in Maastricht is by using the online reservation system. A map shows you the location of the hotel in comparison to MECC Maastricht. In the reservation system you can also find additional information of each hotel, such as facilities and pictures.

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Congress venue

WMC2023 will take place at the Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC).

The MECC congress center is situated physically on the grounds of the Maastricht Health Campus. As a multifunctional and compact venue, MECC Maastricht has 30 years of experience in hosting corporate meetings, extraordinary events, large congresses and exhibitions in a climate where service and quality are the keywords. From start to finish, MECC Maastricht is determined to make each event a great success. From the culinary team to the technicians, everyone has high quality service as a standard.

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