KANSAS CITY, MO. – Due to mounting concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) announced it is canceling its 2020 Meat Industry Summit, originally scheduled for March 30-April 2 in San Antonio, Texas.

“While reported risk levels for COVID-19 infection may be low in the conference region, the unique challenges and responsibilities associated with staging large gatherings remain immensely complex,” said Anne Halal, senior vice president, Exposition, Education and Member Services for NAMI. “The Meat Institute will continue to keep you up to date about future meetings and possibly rescheduling the Summit. We did not make this decision lightly, but think it is the right thing to do to protect the health and safety of attendees and staff.”

Messe Düsseldorf also announced it is postponing interpack, a trade show featuring packaging and processing technologies for the food, bakery, confectionery, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, consumer packaged goods and industrial goods industries. Originally set for May 7-13 in Düsseldorf, it will now take place Feb. 25 - March 3, 2021, at the same location.

The show’s organizers chose to postpone the event following a recommendation from the German Federal Government’s crisis management team and the recent increase in COVID-19 infections in Europe.

"The decision was taken in close consultation with our advisory board and sponsoring associations," said Werner Dornscheidt, chairman of the Board of Management of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. "We would like to thank all our partners for their excellent cooperation in making these difficult and time sensitive decisions. We are pleased that together a date was found so quickly in order to allow all those affected to reliably plan."