The Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) has announced a full speaker and delegate roster for its Technical Congress and Annual General Meeting 2026, set for June 21–24 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The event reached capacity several weeks before opening.
Hosted by the Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC), the congress will convene representatives from government, academia, international organizations and industry under the theme "The Future of Pet Food: Mastering Disruption and Defining Global Success."
The Technical Congress takes place June 23 at the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel and will feature presentations, panel discussions and networking sessions covering geopolitical change, global trade, emerging animal health threats, supply chain resilience, international standards, nutrition and innovation.
Featured speakers include Dr. Meredith Lilly of Carleton University, Canada's Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Mary Jane Ireland, Dr. Faiza Aklil of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Carel du Marchie Sarvaas of Health for Animals, and trade policy expert Dan Ciuriak.
A high-level international panel will examine import controls, international standards and opportunities for greater collaboration in global trade. Panelists include Camille Flechet of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Francisco D'Alessio of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and Chinedu Ogbonna, director of global regulatory affairs at Champion Petfoods.
The program will also address advances in global pet food nutrition, with contributions from GAPFA nutrition experts, Prof. Dr. Jia Xu of the China Feed Industry Association, and Dominique Kuhlmann of PFI South Africa.
"The program brings together an exceptional group of international experts to address many of the critical issues facing our industry today — from global trade and animal health to international standards, nutrition and innovation," said Loretta Hunter, president of GAPFA. "Ottawa will provide an outstanding forum for collaboration and forward-looking discussion as we work together to shape the future of pet food."
"The exceptional caliber of speakers and participants reflects the importance of international collaboration in addressing the opportunities and challenges facing our sector," said Chris Nash, executive director of PFAC. "We look forward to welcoming delegates to Canada's capital for an engaging week of discussions that will help shape the future of pet food globally."
The full week's schedule is as follows:
- Sunday, June 21 — GAPFA Board Meeting and Welcome Reception
- Monday, June 22 — Workstream Meetings
- Tuesday, June 23 — GAPFA Technical Congress
- Wednesday, June 24 — GAPFA Annual General Meeting
In previous news, the GAPFA and Petfood Industry announced a strategic collaboration supporting the GAPFA Technical Congress 2026. As exclusive media partner for the congress, Petfood Industry will work with GAPFA to promote knowledge exchange and industry engagement around scientific, regulatory and technical developments affecting the pet food sector. The partnership combines GAPFA's global reach with Petfood Industry's coverage across the pet food, animal feed and agrifood industries.
