BUFFALO, Minn. — In a weird way (because hasn’t COVID-19 time always been weird?), it’s hard to believe the Midwest Poultry Federation (MPF) hasn’t held an in-person convention and trade show since March 2019. By the time we get together next month, we will be seeing many of our industry colleagues and friends for the first time in three years.
Three years! And let me tell you, we are all looking forward to that.
Exhibitors tell us every day they are excited for MPF to bring the business of its trade show back in-person. Attendees are checking out the education offerings and making travel plans. Students are registering for the MPF careers program and looking forward to talking with companies about job and internship opportunities.
The anticipation is real and palpable and MPF is ready for it!
Looking ahead to the show in March, we thought it might be fun to go back to the very beginning of the MPF organization — founded 51 years ago — and remind you of who MPF is and why the MPF Convention is so important.
The Midwest Poultry Federation was founded as a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization in 1971 by various state poultry nonprofit organizations in these states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Most recently, we have added Indiana as a member state as well.
MPF’s primary goal has remained steady since its inception: to host an annual convention emphasizing on-farm poultry production and to offer a balance of exhibits, education and networking opportunities for attendees and exhibitors.
Hosting this annual convention and trade show is the sole mission of the MPF organization. MPF is here to provide a direct connection between exhibitors and the farmers and poultry companies who are their customers. And MPF is committed to providing the very best in education programming for the turkey, egg layer, and broiler industries.
MPF is proud to donate its net revenue (after all expenses are paid) back to its state poultry organization members (list follows) as well as to various poultry-related organizations like the Midwest Poultry Consortium (with a focus on student careers in poultry), Poultry Science Association, and others. In fact, a number of students completing the Midwest Poultry Consortium program are now employed by companies who exhibit at both MPF and IPPE exhibitors, while others work for their poultry-producer customers.
These donations are a critical part of the MPF’s mission for the convention. As a nonprofit, the Board of Directors lead the organization in a fiscally responsible manner, ensuring the viability and manageable growth of the show, while giving back to the poultry community. This has been especially challenging during the pandemic but the Board has done its due diligence to make sure MPF comes out intact and able to continue its mission for the poultry community and its state poultry organization members.
Who Are MPF’s state poultry organization members?
- Chicken & Egg Association of Minnesota
- Iowa Poultry Association
- Iowa Turkey Federation
- Illinois Poultry Industries Council
- Indiana State Poultry Association
- Kansas Poultry Association
- Michigan Allied Poultry Industries
- Minnesota Turkey Research & Promotion Council
- Nebraska Poultry Industries
- South Dakota Poultry Industries
- Wisconsin Poultry & Egg Industries Association
We know first-hand that attendees and vendors are itching to come back in-person to the MPF Convention. Let’s all come together in March and make this the start of better things to come for all of us in the poultry industry. We look forward to welcoming you back in-person to Minneapolis, March 22-24!
For more information about MPF, please visit midwestpoultry.com.
Lara Durben is half of Empowered Events LLC, the company that manages the Midwest Poultry Federation. She and her business partner, Teresa Sorenson, handle all the logistics, planning, sales, and marketing for the MPF Convention.
