Monday, May 23 was the official launch of Alltechs annual symposium in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. This was a record breaking year with 2,130 participants.
During the mornings plenary sessions that launched the event, the theme of the event was discussed in depth: game changers. There was a focus on those innovative ideas that are game changers in the agribusiness sector.
Dr Pearse Lyons, President and founder of Alltech, said that: Today is the day for you to be the game changer. He said that we want to: change the world, change our career, change our products and change our customers. It is on these motivations that the symposium is focusing.
Dr Damien McLoughlin from the National University of Ireland gave five ideas that successful companies have used to change the game.
- No fads, no fashions, just change.
- Dont be first, dont be best, be different.
- Know where your growth comes from, and get to where it is.
- Dont act now!
- Its about you and everything you do.
Some successful companies that have used the above ideas are: Nestl, Zespri from New Zealand, KFC China, JBS from Brazil and the Liume Group from China.
Dr McLoughlin emphasised two points: first, the greatest return on investment is always from management, not technology, and second, that the game changing companies today are found in the developed world, not the US or Europe.
After the plenary sessions, there were breakout sessions for the different animal species: poultry, pigs, beef, dairy, equines, pets and aquaculture.
The Agribusiness Summit, with its focus on business management, also had its start.
Alltechs International Symposium runs through Wednesday, May 25.
