Contact:
Peggy Armstrong
parmstrong@idfa.org
(202) 220-3508
(Washington, D.C. – October 23, 2013) The International Dairy Foods Association has released its schedule of events, conferences and webinars for the balance of 2013 and the spring of 2014. IDFA also issued a call for topics for two spring conferences and announced sponsorship opportunities for several events.
International Dairy Show
November 3-6, 2013
McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill.
The International Dairy Show, now co-located with the Food Processing Suppliers Association's PROCESS EXPO, will bring together more than 800 exhibitors and 15,000 industry professionals in the North and South Halls of McCormick Place. Dairy food and beverage processors will see technology and innovations in formulation, processing, packaging, distribution, food safety and more. Operations, research, and sales and marketing teams will attend to learn trends, cost-cutting innovations and ways to deliver more value to customers.
IDFA Webinar Series: Good Recordkeeping Practices
November 19, 2013
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will dramatically increase the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) access to a dairy foods company’s records during onsite inspections. That means company records need to be clear, complete and readily accessible to FDA inspectors. Good records can mean the difference between having a successful FDA inspection and having a poor one. IDFA will host this event as part of its webinar series on FSMA implementation.
Dairy Industry Orientation Webinar Series
December 3 and 5, 2013
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
The United States has a complex $125-billion-a-year dairy industry with dynamic trends in consumer preferences, farm production, product manufacturing and government regulations. Dairy professionals looking for a better handle on what makes dairy tick will want to attend this three-part Dairy Industry Orientation webinar with seasoned instructor Bob Yonkers, Ph.D., IDFA vice president and chief economist.
IDFA Webinar Series on Dairy Product Labeling
December 10 – 12, 2013
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Dairy company employees must know the specific requirements of labeling dairy foods to avoid the waste and possible regulatory enforcement actions that result from mislabeling. In response to member demand, IDFA will present again the Dairy Product Labeling Webinar Series. This series will provide dairy company staff with the information they need to produce compliant and effective labels for products. The three sessions – “Introduction to Labeling,” “Nutrition Labeling and Claims” and “Labeling Hot Topics” – will be interactive, allowing time for questions from participants.
Dairy Forum 2014
January 26 – 29, 2014
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Palm Desert, Calif.
IDFA's annual Dairy Forum has become the “must attend” meeting for U.S. dairy leaders to discuss the top issues of the coming year. From the educational sessions to the golf and tennis tournaments, Dairy Forum is the best networking event for dairy industry leaders. In Palm Desert, Calif., this January, Forum attendees will reflect on dairy’s impressive legacy and come together to help forge the industry’s future growth.
International Sweetener Colloquium
February 23-26, 2014
The St. Regis Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Calif.
The use of sweeteners in many dairy products requires that dairy food companies and manufacturers stay on top of new developments and trends in the sugar and sweetener industries. The International Sweetener Colloquium delves into the most current issues coming out of the global sweetener industry and explores their potential effects on dairy businesses. The International Sweetener Colloquium is co-hosted by the Sweetener Users Association and IDFA, and has long been considered the sweetener industry's premier meeting.
Milk Procurement Workshop
March 19 – 20, 2014
Embassy Suites, Rosemont, Ill.
Developed specifically for dairy industry professionals who need to know how dairy’s complicated regulations affect their business, this workshop will provide an overview of dairy industry trends, policy and pricing basics. It focuses on helping attendees to better understand milk price regulation, including how farm milk is priced both inside and outside the Federal Milk Marketing Order system.
Hands-on Microbiological Testing and Laboratory Practices Course
Spring 2014
This practical, hands-on course is offered exclusively for dairy industry professionals with food safety responsibilities, including those working in quality assurance and control, sanitation, maintenance, operations and more. Developed by IDFA and Chestnut Labs to teach laboratory testing skills in a professional lab environment, it is an excellent opportunity for experienced lab technicians to review their skills and learn new techniques.
Ice Cream Technology Conference
April 8 – 9, 2014
The Renaissance Vinoy, St. Petersburg, Fla.
This popular conference for ice cream and frozen dessert professionals is the only meeting that focuses specifically on frozen dessert research, technology, new market trends, food safety, labeling and opportunities. Ice Cream Tech encourages an open exchange among participants and experts on the technical and practical processing issues in the ice cream and frozen dessert industry. The conference features networking opportunities and product tasting, including the annual Innovative Ice Cream Flavor Competition.
Milk & Cultured Dairy Conference
May 20 – 21, 2014
Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis, Ind.
Focusing entirely on milk and cultured dairy products, this dynamic and information-rich symposium will review recent developments in ingredients, processing technology and packaging and look at a wide variety of new products in the development pipeline. Industry peers and respected experts will inspire attendees with fresh new ideas to help their companies grow and prosper.
Dairy Accounting and Finance Workshop
May 20 – 21, 2014
DoubleTree Hotel, Rosemont, Ill.
Learn the ins and outs of milk pricing, tax credits, cost segregation, federal and state milk reports, cost centers and how to measure plant efficiency. Get the scoop on the latest software, best practices, industry news, latest opportunities and industry benchmarks. The workshop includes everything dairy professionals need to know to add value to their companies. Sixteen hours of Accounting and Auditing Continuing Professional Education Credits (CPE) will be awarded with the completion of this workshop.
Washington Conference
June 25 – 26, 2014
The Hyatt Regency, Washington, D.C.
IDFA’s annual legislative fly-in, Washington Conference provides attendees with valuable dairy policy briefings and the opportunity to meet and discuss industry priorities with policymakers in Washington. The agenda each year includes a review of pending legislation, grassroots techniques and invaluable networking opportunities with key members of Congress. The program also includes IDFA's Annual Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party, now in its 32nd year.
Call for Topics
IDFA has issued a call for topics to gather ideas and identify speakers for the Ice Cream Technology Conference in April and the Milk and Cultured Dairy Conference in May. The call for Ice Cream Tech topics will end December 6, and the call for topics for the Milk and Cultured Conference will end January 13. Contact Paxton Styles, IDFA meetings coordinator, at pstyles@idfa.org or visit Call for Topics for more details.
Sponsorships Available
"IDFA continues to expand member opportunities for sponsorships, which offer companies a great way to promote their products and services to dairy industry professionals during our premier events and meetings," said Elizabeth Cookson, IDFA senior director of meetings and educational services. "Sponsoring companies can reach a wide range of audiences that include executives, operations managers and other decision-makers in the dairy industry."
For information on sponsorships, visit the Sponsorship Opportunities section of www.idfa.org.
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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, DC, represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of nearly 550 companies within a $125-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 180 dairy processing members run nearly 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States.