Registration is now open for the American Feed Industry Association's (AFIA) annual Pet Food Conference, taking place January 27, 2026, in conjunction with the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. The event is expected to bring together 500 pet nutrition industry professionals.
"We are excited to present an engaging program for this year's Pet Food Conference," said Louise Calderwood, AFIA's director of regulatory affairs. "From the latest trends in pet food ingredients to emerging developments in marketing and the role of artificial intelligence in recipe design and production, this year's agenda will give attendees a glimpse into both the challenges and opportunities shaping our industry."
The conference agenda includes presentations on pet food ingredient trends by Ed Loos, account manager at Innova Market Insights, and a discussion on artificial intelligence applications in recipe design and kibble production featuring Hana Bieliauskas, senior vice president and partner at Inspire PR Group; Lynn Verstrepen, director of strategic growth at BESTMIX Software; and Tara Zadayko, chief scientific officer at Ollie.
Jeff Tomberlin, Ph.D., AgriLife research fellow and presidential impact fellow at Texas A&M University, will discuss the role of black soldier fly larvae in pet food. Student researchers will present on emerging issues in the pet industry.
The conference will also feature regulatory updates from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff and the presentation of the 6th annual Friend of Pet Food award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to support the growth of the pet food industry.
AFIA is inviting undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students to showcase their research at the conference. Applications are due November 6, and more information is available at afia.org/events/pfc/students/.
For more information, visit petfoodconference.com. To register for the Pet Food Conference, add the event during IPPE registration.
