By Kim Crawford & Lance Walker

The meat and protein industry faces a unique set of challenges in 2026. From navigating a tightening labor market to managing complex multi-agency inspections, the pressure to maintain a safe, compliant, and efficient workforce has never been higher. 

To address these shifts, the Meat Institute is hosting the Environment, Labor and Safety+ Conference this April 20–22 in Houston, Texas. As Co-Chairs of the Workforce Experience committee, we are seeing firsthand how critical the link between policy and practice has become. In fact, the Workforce Experience committees will be convening on-site to ensure these discussions lead to real-world solutions.

Keynote: Safety From the Silent Depths

We are thrilled to announce Marc Koehler as our keynote speaker. Marc spent 300 days a year below the ocean’s surface as a SUBSAFE Quality Assurance and Safety Officer.

In his session, Safety From the Silent Depths, Marc will translate the disciplined systems of a nuclear submarine into practical leadership insights for our industry. He will challenge us to rethink how trust and disciplined execution intersect to create a culture where safety is a way of life, even under extreme pressure.

High-Impact Sessions 

Beyond the keynote, we have curated a program focused on actionable insights designed to strengthen your organization including:

• Coordinated Compliance Under Pressure: Witness a mock multi-agency inspection scenario involving a simulated ammonia release. Watch how OSHA and EPA officials interact and learn how to coordinate your facility's response when jurisdictions overlap.
• Winning the Workforce of Tomorrow: Join an interactive discussion on responsible recruiting and talent pipelines. We’ll move past traditional lectures to focus on engaging Gen Z and building "supervisor-in-training" programs.
• Legal and Regulatory Updates: Get a comprehensive breakdown of the 2026 OSHA enforcement priorities and evolving policies specifically affecting meat and poultry operations.

Join Us in Houston

This conference is designed to translate peer insights into practical takeaways and regulatory clarity. We encourage you to register here before the March 31st early bird deadline next week.

We look forward to seeing you there.

About the Authors

Kim Crawford is the Vice President of Human Resources, EHS & L&D at Birchwood Foods and Co-Chair of the Workforce Committee. Lance Walker is the Corporate Safety Manager at FPL Food and Co-Chair of the Workforce Committee.