ATLANTA, Ga. – The final numbers have yet to be tallied, but initial signs show the 2013 International Production and Processing Expo exceeded expectations.

More than 25,000 attendees representing the poultry, meat and feed industries turned out for the show, which featured 1,189 exhibitors covering more than 430,000 square feet of exhibit space. The US Poultry & Egg Association, American Feed Industry Association and the American Meat Institute sponsored IPPE, which organizers said is the world's largest annual poultry, meat and feed industry event of its kind.

“We are extremely pleased with the number of exhibitors and attendees on the exhibit floor for IPPE,” the three trade associations said in a joint statement. “We have had a great turn-out this year, and the energy and excitement on the floor has been apparent all week.”

IPPE was a showcase for all phases of the poultry, feed and meat industry, from live production and processing to further processing and packaging. The large exhibit floor was the main attraction, organizers said, where exhibitors presented the latest innovations in equipment, supplies and services.

The 2013 program also featured an additional 15 educational program that complemented the exhibits by keeping industry management informed on the latest issues such as antibiotics in agriculture, an international feed education program and international regulatory topics for meat.

More than 400 students from 26 universities participated in the College Student Career Program, while the new International Student Career Program brought in 13 students from four countries. The programs offered students the opportunity to interview for jobs and internships with 93 human resource representatives from 28 industry and allied firms.

Additional highlights of the show included:

• a Tech XChange program
• the International Poultry Scientific Forum
• Meat Me in @LANTA activities
• publisher-sponsored programs; and
• the Pet Food Conference.