July 2, 2024 • 49 mins
Ever wondered how the poultry industry is shaping up globally? Join us as we welcome Ryan Bennett, the Executive Director of the US Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs, and the International Poultry Welfare Alliance. Learn about Ryan's fascinating journey from a Maryland farm boy involved in 4-H to a key player in public policy and government relations, and eventually to his current role where he champions sustainability and animal welfare. He shares his experiences and the missions of his organizations, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and multi-stakeholder approaches in driving meaningful progress in the poultry and egg supply chain.
Gain insights into the ever-evolving global poultry industry, as Ryan breaks down the stark contrasts between regions like the US, Europe, and Asia. Discover how the rising middle class in Asia is changing consumption patterns and animal welfare perceptions and how these trends contrast with Europe's regulatory model and North America's business-to-business strategies. Ryan also highlights the US Roundtable and the International Poultry Welfare Alliance's roles in assisting American producers navigate these shifts. The significance of industry engagement and the collaborative spirit fostered at annual meetings are underscored, revealing how these gatherings help address big-picture issues and set the stage for the future of the industry.
Facing the challenges of the poultry industry requires resilience and a proactive approach, much like a well-coordinated football team. Ryan shares valuable insights into managing financial pressures from external campaigns and the importance of sustainability principles. We also dive into the human side of leadership, discussing the importance of empathy, mental health, and breaking stigmas in professional environments. The episode emphasizes the value of thoughtful, incremental change and the collective effort needed for sustainable progress. Through personal stories and industry examples, Ryan illustrates how passionate producers and volunteers are pivotal in driving positive change, making this episode a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of agriculture.
Poultry Sustainability & Welfare Summit - Sept 3-6th, 2024 Atlanta, Georgia
Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism Controls
The Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism Controls
Find out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brandon Mulnix (00:28):
Welcome to the Poultry Leadership Podcast.
I'm your host, brandon Molnix.
Today's guest is Ryan Bennett.
He is the Executive Director atthe US Roundtable for
Sustainable Poultry and Eggs andthe International Poultry
Welfare Alliance InternationalPoultry Welfare Alliance.
(00:48):
I am so glad to have Ryan withus today, as he shares a lot
about those two differentorganizations, as well as what
he's doing to be a leader inthis industry.
So, ryan, can you introduceyourself?
Yeah?
Ryan Bennet (00:57):
Thanks for having me, Brandon.
So my name is Ryan Bennett.
As Brandon mentioned, I'm theExecutive Director of the US
Roundtable for SustainablePoultry and Eggs and
International Poultry WelfareAlliance.
But in terms of my background,I grew up on a farm in Maryland
cow-calf operation, basicallynorth of DC and west of
Baltimore, in a little cocoon ofrural life that still exists to
(01:22):
this day.
And I only bring that upbecause I think it has a lot to
do with what I'm doing now ishaving a family that's been
around that area for a long timebut really having a lot of
different types of people movinginto the area, asking a lot of
questions about farming and whywe do it, how we do it good, bad
(01:43):
and indifferent.
But was really involved with 4-Hand showing livestock.
Went to junior college on ajunior college livestock judging
scholarship.
Went to Kansas State Universityfrom there where I got my
bachelor's degree in agriculture, and moved back home and well,
(02:04):
close to home, at least in DC Anintern for the senator from
Kansas.
Then worked at the NationalGrain and Feed Association doing
public policy there governmentrelations work Federation, which
NGFA was agribusinesseshandling grain trading, grain
(02:26):
milling, grain mill and feedwhatever you can turn grain into
they were doing it and NationalMilk that was working for dairy
farmers and the co-ops thatthey serve and doing lobbying
and government relations workthere before I got involved with
their Farmers, assuringResponsible Management Program,
(02:46):
which is an animal care andsustainability platform that
represents the vast majority ofthe dairy production in the
United States, before comingover here to the US Roundtable
and the International PoultryWelfare Alliance.
So you might hear me sayroundtable or alliance today, so
that's kind of my shortenedversion to help us all get
(03:07):
through the acronym soup that wehear many times.
Brandon Mulnix (03:13):
That's too true.
I mean, as you introduceyourself, you know starting in
4-H, you know that's how manypeople that I've talked to have
started in 4-H and FFA and thoseorganizations for the youth.
So that's a great place and Ididn't realize your background
in the milk side of it and I'msure there's some conversations
(03:33):
and some connections that youhave with kind of what's going
around the world of HPAI and howit's affecting multiple species
.
But we'll stay back on subject,which is where some of the
organizations that you're partof and for someone who doesn't
know what the US Roundtable forSustainable Poultry and Eggs or
the International Poultry andWelfare Alliance is, can you
(03:56):
share what they do, their rolein the industry?
Ryan Bennet (04:01):
Sure.
So they're bothmulti-stakeholder groups and so
I'm not just an industry groupfocused on production, I'm not
just focused on retail and foodservice, I'm not just focused on
any particular part of thesupply chain for poultry and
eggs supply chain as thatrelates to sustainability, with
(04:27):
the round table, and then thefull life cycle of that animal
as it relates to animal welfare.
For the alliance, so we havemembers that are growers,
integrators and processors,retail and food service members,
allied industry, so anybodysuppliers making anything from
equipment to pharmaceuticals andnutrition products, whatever
that might be for the industry,obviously retail and food
(04:48):
service or grocery stores, quickserve restaurants, major brands
that you would see withingrocery stores.
And then we have a group ofcivil society members which is
kind of a catch-all for industry, associations, ngos,
environmental NGOs, welfare NGOs, academics, professional
(05:09):
societies.
So, like this weekend, I'mgoing to the American Veterinary
Medical Association andspeaking there.
So we really have a fullpicture of what sustainability
means and what welfare meansfrom a lot of different
perspectives and we try and workon that from a pre-competitive
basis to where we're all workingtogether to remove barriers,
(05:34):
see progress and communicatethat progress as it pertains to
sustainability or welfare.
So on the roundtable side.
Obviously it's got US in thename, so it's the United States,
and we've got, you know, threemajor pillars that we're trying
to hit of people, planet andpoultry and I can talk a little
bit about.
(05:54):
You know we're measuring that,we're communicating that, but
we're also figuring out how toimprove those.
You know what we're reportingthrough those measurements.
You know how do you actuallyget better, how do you actually
see progress?
And then the alliance,international Poultry Welfare
Alliance, obviously global innature and just focused on
animal welfare, although we knowthat there are many different
(06:16):
things impacting welfaredecisions and we do keep trying
to take account of all thosethings.
But we're global in nature,just focused on welfare, but
also multi-stakeholder andreally started in a different
but similar way over there wherewe're looking at measuring the
welfare of the animal throughkey welfare and outcomes-based
key welfare indicators and thenlooking at how do we improve
(06:40):
that over time throughmanagement, training, practices,
research, innovation, etpractices, research, innovation,
etc.
Etc.
So it really brings in a lot ofdifferent types of people and
we could build this in a waythat works for one sector of the
supply chain, but obviouslyit's a chain, so unless
everybody's at the table, wefeel like we're not going to
(07:03):
have the outcomes or the successthat we need to be able to see
over the coming decade ordecades in these two really hot
topic hot collar areas for a lotof different people involved
with poultry and egg production.
Brandon Mulnix (07:19):
It is interesting to think that
there's so many issues that theindustry deals with.
Interesting to think thatthere's so many issues that the
industry deals with and if I'mworking in an allied business,
like I am, I had no visibility,I had no clue that any of this
existed until I was introducedto your organization, especially
around the topic of, like,sustainability and you know,
(07:41):
animal welfare.
You know that's our business.
But when it comes to theinternational side of it, you
know what's what, how thataffects the US and export.
There's so many things that gointo it from a from a level that
most, most folks just don'tunderstand, and so I'm glad that
we have your leadership theretrying to coordinate all of it,
trying to be able to communicateback, because I'm sure these
(08:03):
issues change.
They come and go Like right now, what are the top few issues
that you're dealing with?
Ryan Bennet (08:11):
Yeah, I'll get into the top issues that we're
dealing with, but those changeover time and you mentioned kind
of the complexity and feelingoverwhelmed and I just wanted to
hit on that real quick before Ikind of dive in a little deeper
in the issues.
In general, I feel likeeverybody is overwhelmed.
Regardless of whether you'vehad a sustainability program
(08:34):
with a ton of staff for 10, 15years or whether you're just
starting, I feel likeeverybody's overwhelmed and
trying to figure out where to go.
So a lot of what we do is tryand simplify this down to its
basic parts, not water it.
You know, you read a magazine,you go to a trade show, you're
(09:11):
hearing a lot of differentthings in the press.
You can get lost pretty quickly.
We're trying to make this morebite-sized, get people kind of
on a baseline and then slowlybuild up from there.
So I just wanted to hit thatreal quick.
But in terms of the issues thatwe're seeing, you know I would
(09:31):
say on the sustainability side,climate continues to be a big
issue.
So one of the buzzwords thatwill confuse people is
materiality.
And when you look at themateriality of the
sustainability footprint forpoultry and eggs, as we've done
at the US Roundtable, climatemakes the list but isn't
(09:54):
necessarily at the top.
But because we are a producerof meat and a lot of the
pressure that's coming there,we're getting a lot of questions
and, quite frankly, we'regetting a lot of pressure to
improve things when we are avery efficient producer of
animal protein.
So we do have a role to play.
(10:14):
I think we you know you'veheard many different times we've
reduced carbon emissions by Xpercentage since X, y, z date,
right, and that's very true andI think that's going to continue
in the future, or I certainlyhope that it continues in the
future, as long as we're able tokeep getting better with our
genetics, as long as we're ableto get better with the
(10:36):
environment and nutrition thatwe're providing these birds, our
management systems, ouremployees.
That's all going to continue toget better.
But you know in terms of wherewe sit and you know from a
materiality perspective, whichis our most important issues.
Climate definitely makes thelist, but we've got a lot of
(10:57):
other things that we care about.
I mean welfare is one of is asustainability indicator, a
sustainability measurement thatwe include in our sustainability
reporting framework for theroundtable People.
You know you heard a lot abouthow we treat our workers, right,
wrong, indifferent, true or notin the press during COVID.
(11:18):
That's going to continue to be,you know, a major area for us.
And then you.
And then there's more localizedissues like water, whether it
be water quantity or waterquality, and then, on the
welfare side, I would say, topissues for us continue to be
having people think about how tomeasure welfare differently or
(11:40):
how to think about andcommunicate about welfare
differently, because what we'rereally asking people to do makes
a lot of sense to us, but it'sdifferent than the way it might
have been done in the past.
We're saying, if we're going tomeasure welfare, if we're going
to talk about welfare, let'sactually look at the bird, let's
actually figure out whetherthey are responding well to
(12:02):
their environment or notresponding well to their
environment or not respondingwell to their environment, and
focus on fixing things ifthere's an issue.
But if there's not an issue,then we're not going to waste a
bunch of time on things that arenot a problem.
And so I think we're reallyfocused on actually improving
welfare and not focused as muchon kind of the string of
(12:25):
production practices ordifferent kind of pigeonhole
concepts that we've seen comeacross in the past.
So that is, you know, on thewelfare side there's a lot of
external factors, I would say,focused in on altering how we
raise birds and, regardless ofwhether we view folks intentions
(12:50):
as honorable or not, I wouldsay that we are taking kind of
the general direction that theyare going in, putting it into a
more practical format that makesit actually focused on welfare
and able to, you know, achieveresults.
So a lot of different thingsthere, but you're the podcaster,
(13:14):
so I'll let you kind of unpackfrom there if you have any
questions.
Brandon Mulnix (13:19):
While most of our listeners understand, you
know, what animal welfare is Imean, whether they're allied
members working on nutrition orgenetics, I mean they understand
the welfare side of it and Imean you made some really good
points in there, specificallyabout welfare needs to be about
the bird.
You know, when we look at youknow, measuring that from a
production method and that's oneof the things you know I
(13:42):
learned early on is, well, ahappy bird, a healthy bird,
produces more eggs or bettereggs or all of that.
And I guess that may not betrue.
And I keep hearing of some ofthe science and the different
ways of whether it's using, youknow, video cameras to watch
birds and you know, see theirmovement and and audio to hear,
(14:04):
be able to determine if thebird's happy and healthy, and
those are all really cool usesof technology that you know is
moving forward.
From a US perspective, how muchinfluence do you see, because
you're on the international side?
Is what happens throughout theglobe maybe Europe or China or
(14:26):
somewhere else, I don't knowaffects the US over time?
Ryan Bennet (14:30):
Obviously, we are all very interconnected.
I think Europe is not a majorexport market for us, but they
are an exporter of ideas good,bad and indifferent.
So I think paying attention towhat's going on over there is
always a good idea.
We have a lot of members thatare active in Europe On a panel
last week with a lot ofEuropeans.
(14:52):
It's a different mindset, butit doesn't necessarily mean that
it's all right or all wrong.
And then you're seeing kind ofan environment where you have
kind of export markets from theUS perspective speaking, but
also thinking about how thingsare evolving somewhere else,
like in Asia, where you know,welfare has not traditionally
(15:17):
been on their list of top issues.
Right, I mean, they're going tolook at productivity.
Just being able to get peopleto a point to where they can
afford to consume meat andpoultry and egg, dairy products
is of key concern for them.
So price, but as people enterthe middle class, we're seeing
(15:38):
their own version.
It is not the European journey,it is not the North American
journey, but their own versionof this start to develop.
And it's not my place to tellthem how to write their story.
But at the same time, I dothink that history is bound to
repeat itself, albeitdifferently, right?
(16:00):
So I think there's a lot oflessons to be learned and we're
seeing that start to change aspeople under the middle class
have more disposable income andstart to care and think more
about animals, quite frankly.
So the European kind of commandand control, very regulatory,
government focused model isstill something to pay attention
(16:23):
to, to be aware of, because youknow, there's a lot of
businesses operating in theUnited States and elsewhere that
are going to have to live up tothose regulations and it's
going to affect productionelsewhere, whether you like it
or not.
Their rules if it's amultinational company based in
Europe, their rules are going toperforate other parts of the
(16:45):
world.
But also watching how otherparts of the world and major
poultry customers, major growthregions like Asia, southeast
Asia, are evolving is also verymuch of interest as well.
You know, in North Americawe've definitely seen more of a
B2B model rather than agovernment model, and that
(17:08):
continues to develop and changeover time as well.
So we're monitoring that rightalong with the government model
in Europe and the growth modelseen throughout Asia the growth
model seen throughout Asia.
Brandon Mulnix (17:21):
Well, listeners, as you can see, there's folks
like Ryan and his team that aredoing their best to represent
the US producers.
You asa producer, you as asupplier to the industry.
So my hat's off to you, ryan,and your team, because without
folks like you, that means eachof the farmers, each of the
(17:41):
producers, are having to dealwith this on their own.
And so, thank you, thank youfor what you guys do.
How can suppliers, producersthat may not be members, how can
they get involved with eitherthe US Roundtable or the
International Poultry andWelfare?
Ryan Bennet (17:55):
Alliance.
We are a membership-drivenorganization so you can apply to
join, you can be a part of whatwe're doing.
But we have a lot ofinformation posted publicly that
I think there's an ability tolearn and think about these
things, whether you want to belearning or thinking about them
or not.
I would say that it's probablya good idea that in today's
(18:19):
operating environment,regardless of where you are, it
would behoove you to be aware ofkind of the general trends of
how this is going.
Obviously, we can help folkswith that and we provide a lot
of value to a lot of people.
We continue to grow, butthere's other avenues for you,
through trade associations,through other entities that
(18:40):
you're involved with, to getinvolved and be active in this
as well.
But my biggest advice is alwaysto try and figure out how to
keep it simple.
I think we've developed amethod to try and do that and
help our members do that andreally build out from there and
allow them to track theirprogress and communicate that
more effectively over time.
Brandon Mulnix (19:01):
So, ryan, you know you mentioned that there's
associations or stuff like that.
You have an annual meetingcoming up.
What is?
Why should our listeners attendthat event?
Ryan Bennet (19:13):
Yes.
So that's a really interestingevent and it's one that we
obviously put a lot intothinking about creating the
right environment and experiencefor people to learn from one
another.
So we have themulti-stakeholder concept so we
do not allow everybody from thatsame constituency to sit at a
(19:37):
table with one another.
If you see a friend there,you've got plenty of hallway
time, dinner time, receptiontime to be able to see them.
But we're really focused onmixing different types of people
together so that way they getto know one another.
We build in a lot ofinteractive events.
We build in a lot ofinteractive events, off-site
educational experiences.
(19:59):
One of my favorite things aboutour meeting is I always tell
people the number of people thatare there and they're like, wow
, that's a really small meeting.
And then they get there andthey realize who we put in the
room is pretty impressive.
We are not really focused,quite frankly, on having a bunch
of people at our meeting.
We're focused on having theright people at that meeting and
(20:22):
fostering a really cool culturewhere people feel comfortable
and confident, speaking abouttheir perspectives, learning
from one another, mixing withdifferent types of people and
really looking you know, reallycoming away from this as not
only having every individualperson gain something from this,
(20:43):
but the entire group, almostcreating a product that we can
have, live on and influence howwe are operating as an
organization from there.
So it's a reallythought-provoking space, great
networking opportunity,educational opportunity and, I
think, bang for your buck-wiseit probably doesn't get any
(21:05):
better than that it's.
You want to come talk about notonly sustainability and welfare
, but big picture issuesimpacting the future of the
industry.
Brandon Mulnix (21:14):
Yeah, after attending one of your guys'
events in the past, it wasinteresting to see, you know,
walking in the room with aquality of people.
I mean there were people fromall walks there that really you
could tell were passionate aboutthe topic and wanting to move
forward together as a group.
And those events are great forthat, because you're able to
kind of put aside the day-to-dayproduction stuff, the
(21:35):
day-to-day.
And you're able to kind of putaside the day-to-day production
stuff, the day-to-day and you'reable to focus on one core topic
and that's big picture andyou're able to see the
passionate people that areworking together beside you and
it really does motivate you towant to get more involved.
I know that's.
I was excited to leave that andattend a few other
sustainability events and I goback to you guys did a really
(21:57):
good job there in Washington forthat event.
Ryan Bennet (21:59):
So well, thank you.
Yeah, it is big picture but wealso try and make sure we keep
it practical so you can see thebig picture but understand how
that relates to you and comehome with something that you can
use within your organization,within your farm, within your
sector.
So it is a neat space but Idon't need to promote it too
(22:22):
much because we, like kind ofthe hometown, feel that we get
there.
Brandon Mulnix (22:26):
to be quite honest, Awesome, let's switch a
little bit.
You've been around the industry.
You've met a lot of the greatpeople.
What do you value most aboutpoultry and egg industries?
Ryan Bennet (22:39):
Yeah, so obviously I've worked in agriculture.
There's some common themes there, but I would say specifically
to this industry is the level ofinnovation and efficiency that
we've gained over time, howadaptive we've been to different
marketing and productionenvironments.
(23:01):
And then I would say my membersare a very principled group of
people and some might call thatstubborn, and at times it's good
to be stubborn and I wouldn'tchange that for the world
because we are who we are andyou know, I think really trying
to build around that orstrengthen that and play off of
our strengths is where I seethis going, because I'm talking
(23:25):
about two very scary topics forpeople sustainability and
welfare and really all we'retrying to do is use that same
kind of entrepreneurial,innovative spirit and applying
that to these issues.
So I'm always continuallyimpressed with where this
(23:47):
industry has come from, but alsoreally where it's going,
because it's becoming very clearto me that we do have a very
bright future, and not sayingthat we should be reckless by
any means, but we should be moreoptimistic than we are at times
.
So that's maybe my role to playor my piece to throw in there,
(24:11):
but we've got a really neatgroup of people who have figured
a lot of things out and aregoing to continue to figure a
lot of things out in differentenvironments in the future.
Brandon Mulnix (24:21):
So stubbornness is a great trait to have is what
I hear from that and I'll haveto remind you, know, as
listeners, guys, you're stubborn.
That's a great trait to have,especially in an industry like
this.
I don't think that's reallywhat Ryan was saying.
I think he appreciates thatstubbornness, but no, it's all
great stuff, ryan.
(24:41):
I mean it is so true that weneed to be resilient and have
that stubbornness, butunderstand that it all goes back
to those core principles.
One of the things I love aboutthe industry is those values.
I mean I might not agree withthem, but they've built them for
a reason.
It's done over time and thatsteadfastness or stubbornness is
(25:04):
important because it is whathelps everybody through those
really trying times wherethere's so much change being
forced on them and to do itright, to do it efficient, to do
it economical, becausesustainability and welfare are
all costs that don't necessarilyalways add to more profit and
(25:28):
it's hard for farmers andproducers to see that.
But in the end there's othervalues that do help the bottom
line in that and I'm not tryingto simplify it too much, but you
know, I've kind of been witnessto that as more cost and more
cost and more.
It's just it's hard for farmersto see that and being in a
(25:48):
group like that is pretty cool.
Ryan Bennet (25:50):
And we definitely.
I mean, we get asked all thetime what's our definition of
sustainability?
Well, what is it?
Why don't you tell us what itis?
And we have our own definition,and it happens to be in line
with what a lot of otherpeople's definition are, and
it's being economically viableis the number one thing that we
say, because we've got toobviously stay in business to be
(26:11):
sustainable, environmentallysound and socially responsible.
Now, what that means from thereis what we're here to talk
about, right, but we do have adefinition, and economically
viable is the first of thosethree different pillars that we
discuss, and those three pillarsare core to a lot of people's
(26:33):
sustainability definition and isembedded in everything that we
do people's sustainabilitydefinition and is embedded in
everything that we do.
Brandon Mulnix (26:42):
Ryan, as a leader that I look up to in the
industry someone that's, youknow, leading the charge out
there, progressive, doing thegreat things listeners really
want to know what are some ofyour biggest challenges that you
work through.
Ryan Bennet (26:51):
Well, brandon, haven't you ever heard the
phrase?
I could complain, but nobodywould listen anyways.
So no, I'm kidding, butobviously we're one industry of
many facing these challenges.
Obviously, animal welfare iskind of central to animal
agriculture, specifically,specifically.
(27:19):
But sustainability wise, andall the money going into this,
all the different forces goinginto this, can be very
overwhelming for people.
And it is one of those thingsthat you see people spending
billions of dollars, notmillions, billions of dollars
going into campaigns that cansometimes not actually improve
(27:40):
the sustainability or thewelfare of animals, animal
production.
So that's one of those thingsthat a lot of our members get
really bogged down with.
And who are we with our budget,with our number of employees?
How can we ever come up againstthat?
And I have taken the tact andwill continue to take the tact
(28:04):
that I've just put my blinderson.
I can't control what otherpeople do, but we can control
what we are doing and we cancontrol where we go from here to
an extent, especially if we areall working together to get
ahead of things, stay on thefront foot and be proactive.
So, just to come up with afootball analogy, I've always
(28:28):
said we have some of the bestdefensive coordinators in the
game, but we need some betteroffensive coordinators.
We need to be more proactiveand we need to do it together as
a team.
It's nice to have the star widereceiver, but it takes the
offensive line and the rightkind of quarterback, the right
kind of blocking to get there.
(28:49):
And that's really wherepre-competitive concept comes
into play, because this issomething that is facing an
entire category and we like tothink that we're very important
and we are, there is no doubt inmy mind, as a part of feeding
the world, food security,economic development, all the
great things that come fromproducing poultry and eggs, we
(29:13):
are very important, but when youstart to look at this, we're
part of a much larger agenda andwe can't focus on what
everybody else is doing.
We have to really put theirblinders on and chart our own
path and our own story and notjust come to a Y in the road and
stop and worry, because I thinkwe, like I said before, had a
(29:52):
really bright future to lookforward to really bright future
to look forward to and a futurewith the mentality, as you said,
football team mentality.
Brandon Mulnix (30:00):
In business, where you can go and you can
hire that team.
In an organization like yours,you're looking for people to
volunteer and step up to help,and that's a completely
different mindset compared towhere you can go and draft the
next star quarterback for yourteam, to where you can go and
draft the next star quarterbackfor your team.
But in this case you need thatstar quarterback to step up.
You need those producers thathave the passion to change, to
(30:25):
have a positive effect on theindustry, to step up, and that
would be a big challenge.
I've been humbled by.
Ryan Bennet (30:34):
We're a small organization.
Without our members we arebasically nothing.
And obviously dollars currencyis important, financial
resources are important, but ourhuman resources, our human
capacity to do all of thesethings, has been humbling to be
a part of, to see the amount ofenergy from many people within
(30:57):
many different organizations,how much they have cared, how
much they like doing this andthe amount of work that they put
into it, the amount of thoughtthat they put into it.
Just being along for that ride,I'd like to say it's all
because of me.
It is certainly not.
I'm along for the ride with thisgroup of people that are very,
(31:21):
very, very good at what they doand very good at what they do in
different ways, and being ableto put together a team, play
those different roles and seehow that come to fruition roles
and see how that come tofruition, and to really get
mentored by some of these peoplewho have a lot of very elite,
prestigious life experiences hasalso been something that's been
(31:45):
really cool for me as well.
But we are a member-drivenorganization.
I'd love to say we're 50-50with SAP and members in terms of
doing the work, but the membersreally are what our motor is
and what makes us go, andthere's no way that we could
have gotten done what we'vegotten done and, by the way, we
(32:06):
founded right before a pandemic,global pandemic without our
volunteer leaders, withouteverybody playing a role in
pitching in.
So that's been kind of the mostfun and shocking part of this
to me, because I didn't knowthat I would get all of that
when I started in this position.
Brandon Mulnix (32:23):
Over the past few weeks.
You know, just looking at ashorter period of time, what's a
win for you?
Ryan Bennet (32:30):
I would say we're continuing to grow as an
organization and, like I justsaid, the financial aspect of
that, that's great.
But the fact that there arepeople still realizing that they
want to be a part of the team,that they want to contribute,
and not just financially butalso contribute on committees,
(32:52):
getting active, being a part ofwhat we're doing, they like the
direction that we're heading,they like being a part of
something bigger than just theirorganization or themselves or
just their industry or theirsector, that is really neat and
I would say that win, once again, is not because of anything I'm
doing by myself.
We've got a membership committeethat works a lot, but also our
(33:16):
members involved with everyaspect of our group, talk to
other people and even if thereisn't that human touch before
somebody comes to us as a member, there's a lot of people just
seeing what we're doing and, youknow, wanting to learn more and
reaching out to me or somebodythat they know within leadership
and getting active.
(33:37):
And so tomorrow I've got aboard meeting tomorrow where
we've got a whole stack of newmembership approvals to look
through, and that's reallyexciting to me that it's not
just this kind of core grouppeople still plugging along.
We continue to grow and there'speople that are stepping up and
really coming that haven't beenhere already, that within a
(34:01):
year's time, are already keyplayers in different positions.
So that's the thing to me isthat that win is really a win of
the value that we're creatingfor organizations, but also how
the amount of excitement thatour members show and that we
show is really, you know,leading other people to say that
(34:22):
they want to become involvedwith us.
Brandon Mulnix (34:24):
I want to go back and touch on mentorship and
some of the people that haveaffected you.
What has surprised you aboutyour job?
I mean, you started during apandemic, you got two
organizations that's going.
But what has surprised youabout your job?
I mean, you started during apandemic, you got two
organizations, that's going.
But what has surprised youabout your job that you didn't
know before you took it?
Ryan Bennet (34:40):
I knew I would have different people with different
perspectives and I knew thatI'd have to find a way to
facilitate through those things.
I knew that we had plenty ofchallenges and pressure in terms
of how we were producingpoultry and eggs.
I knew that we were a youngorganization and we had to build
(35:01):
our base right to be able togrow and be a healthy non-profit
organization.
I knew I'd have to manageboards and personalities, but I
guess what I didn't realize wasthe personal component to all
this and really how well you getto know many different people
throughout their life right,because life keeps going
(35:24):
regardless of what your job isdoing at the time.
So, whether it be babies beingborn, babies graduating from
college or high school, peoplewho have lost their parents and
I've had different things happento me personally and the amount
(35:44):
of support I got from peoplethroughout.
That kind of health issue thatI had a few years ago was
humbling.
Health issue that I had a fewyears ago was humbling and we
also recently lost former boardmember of IPWA or Secretary,
angela Basinger to cancer.
Just the human aspect of thisand how that plays a role.
(36:07):
We're still human beings.
We might work for a particularsector.
We might be really, really goodat what we do.
But the personal aspect of thisis not something that I foresaw
having to spend as much timetalking to people, being with
people about, but is somethingthat I'm really humbled and
(36:28):
honored to be a part of.
Angela just speaking about hershe worked, she was animal
welfare lead at Merck.
She was our secretary on theIPWA board.
Anybody knew her that knew herknew she had some of the best
stories.
She lived life, you know, witha sense of excitement and
adventure.
I mean, I can remember a boarddinner one night where she would
(36:52):
tell stories about differentadventures that she had taken
and she was a very larger thanlife person and while that is
very sad, I'm just honored thatI was able to know her and that
she was involved with ourorganization and that I was able
to see all the things that shehad done with her career but
also with her personal life.
That I'm even able to talkabout knowing her today is a
(37:16):
great honor.
But there's many, many storiesout there about people
overcoming life, things thatcome up and that's a big part of
our lives that, you know, I Ihope people don't take for
granted.
With your coworkers and we'reall going through something.
Keep that in mind, becausereally, that's what's core to
(37:42):
what's important in terms of youknow what I believe it's not
necessary, it's not money, it'snot fame, it's not power, it's
it's you know who we are ashuman beings and how we relate
to one another and how we'rethere for one another.
So that's been a big to me.
Uh, something I didn'tunderstand was going to be a big
(38:02):
part of this job, because youreally get to know people and
they really get to know you.
Brandon Mulnix (38:07):
Wow, you really hit it on the fact that you
didn't know just the peopleaspect and that is the empathy
people have and the realizationthat crap happens Crap happens
to leaders, crap happens to bigcompanies, crap happens to
(38:27):
everybody.
And to have that empathy, thatcare, that compassion for others
really makes the human side ofthe industry amazing.
I've got to experience it withsome of our folks across the
industry.
Go to events that are sponsoredor written fundraisers for
(38:51):
people that have been eitherhurt or suicide has been an
issue.
The mental health side of theindustry, especially as we go
through depopulating and HPAI,just the mental side of that.
And there's so many humanaspects that every leader has to
manage through.
(39:11):
And you know, ryan, I knowyou've grown through that.
I'm curious.
I'm sure the listeners are morecurious about your story and if
you want to share that, that'sat your liberty.
If not, I understand as well.
So, ryan, how has this all madeyou a better leader?
Ryan Bennet (39:31):
Well, I think I'm a lot more patient with people
and understanding of people.
I'm not really afraid to diveinto things and you know, like
you said, there's, you knowthere's there's a certain amount
of privacy that some peoplewant and expect, and I'm
obviously very, very aware ofthat and respectful of that.
(39:53):
But at the same time, I thinkthe stigma for some of these
sorts of things that are goingon that, you see, has got to go
away.
This is not to get toomillennial on you, brandon, but
I mean this is the generation orthe X, or it's got to be X,
millennial, don't let it get toC.
But we've got to be the onesthat put an end to that, to some
(40:17):
of these stigmas that are outthere, to being able to talk
about weaknesses, to be able totalk about failures, to be able
to open up and not be ashamed ofhaving problems, because we
know that everybody is havingthose problems.
And so I've certainly youmentioned suicide I've certainly
you mentioned suicide I'vecertainly, you know, had a
(40:38):
cousin, um, and then a mentor ofmine go through that and you
know this, last time it was amentor of mine and it was one of
those things to where you know,in both instances it was both
people that did a, that cared alot about others.
That nest didn't necessarilycare enough about themselves.
(40:59):
So I, I, you know, I'm a strongbeliever in making sure to look
out for for folks, checking inon them, making sure they're
doing well, you know, helpingthem where you can.
But, um, you know, I hope thisis is a generation that will
kind of let some of those kindof stigmas go, because it's not.
(41:19):
I can tell you, when you dealwith something like that, it's
not something you ever want toexperience ever again, and it's
a very, it's a much more complexemotion than when you have
somebody at the ripe old agepassing away.
It's a much more complexemotion than when you have, you
know, somebody at the ripe oldage passing away.
It's very different process.
Brandon Mulnix (41:38):
So Paul Ryan, thank you for sharing that and
sharing what needs to change inbusiness.
You know I grew up in a worldwhere I was in a paramedic
before I transitioned out.
I call myself a recoveringparamedic and just the stigma
around PTSD, around healthcareprofessionals, it's out there.
(42:01):
It's not just healthcareprofessionals, it's not just
cops, it's not just firemen,it's people that are going
through crap.
And just starting a conversationwith somebody, or starting that
, you know being willing to divein with people, to seek to
understand first what they'regoing through before you
(42:23):
necessarily go down the road ofbusiness and I know that doesn't
happen every time but you haveto develop relationships in this
industry where you'recomfortable asking people tough
questions just to say, hey, howare you doing?
And not taking that fine as ananswer, because there are times
where they really want the nextquestion no, how are you really
doing?
(42:44):
With everything going on, andthat's when they realize that it
is important to you as a person.
So thank you for having thatconversation, ryan, and I know
our listeners will be blessed tohave that.
Last but not least, is thereany advice for our listeners
(43:05):
that you want to share that wehaven't really touched on
because it really wasn't aquestion that I was going to ask
touched on because it reallywasn't a question that I was
going to ask.
Ryan Bennet (43:22):
Um, we've kind of touched on it, but in terms of
you know, when you get a new joband I'm just you know, I'm
speaking from my own personalexperience Um, but everybody
wants to be the change agent,everybody wants to be put their
stamp on things and I I Icertainly hope to say that I've
made an impact, that I've beenable to show measurable progress
and what I'm influencing.
But at this point I've been inagriculture my entire career and
(43:47):
there's those common themesthroughout agriculture that we
kind of already discussed.
But each industry is differentand each company is different.
Each you know culture isdifferent and I guess I'm kind
of of the belief now that beingchanged for the sake of change
isn't always good.
(44:08):
And so, putting aside your egoand really figuring out what
you've been dealt, what are ourstrengths, what are our
principles we talked a littlebit about how much I love our
principles, are grown to loveour principles and playing to
those strengths and making surethat we're building things in a
(44:29):
way to where you're not gettingso far over your skis and
looking behind you and you don'thave anybody that has followed
you anywhere.
So everybody wants to be thechange agent, everybody wants to
win the Nobel Peace Prize orwhatever it might be, but I'm a
big fan of looking at what yourstrengths are, looking at what
you've been dealt and navigatingthat in a way that is true to
(44:54):
that industry or true to thatorganization and, yes, maybe
allowing that to be the changeand charting a new course, et
cetera, et cetera, but notnecessarily coming in with
grandiose ideas of revolutionarychange, because we're in an
environment where we all havedifferent types of people.
(45:16):
No job's ever been 100% perfect, no organization is perfect, no
industry is perfect.
Person is perfect.
So I think that looking at whatyour strengths are, what you've
been dealt, and charting yourown course that's true to
yourself and true to your ownprinciples, whether that be
(45:36):
individually or as a group ofpeople or as an organization or
as an industry, is still veryimportant and you can make
change, but doing it within thatvein, I think, is something
that I've picked up on over theyears.
Brandon Mulnix (45:50):
If I have any advice, Ryan, as you said that,
I go back to your word ofstubbornness or steadfast those
terminologies come withconsistency and moving forward.
But just getting through thecrap, getting through all of the
outside influences andevaluating that it comes through
(46:11):
, that that change will happenover time.
It just may be a lot shorterthan the instant gratification
that our world has come to know.
You're not going to get changein this industry overnight.
But what you can do is you canwork towards a common goal,
build partners, build a team, bepart of committees and work
towards that change and thenlook back and say, wow, we did
(46:33):
have a chance to have thatchange and you don't need to.
There are no superstars in thisindustry.
This is an industry with a lotof team players.
There isn't that?
At least, I haven't seen thosepeople that want to be the
LeBron James or that want to bethe outspoken crazy people in
the industry.
Everybody wants to worktogether to have a positive
(46:55):
effect and as leaders, asdeveloping leaders, in this
industry, that's important.
If you want stardom, this isn'tprobably the industry for you,
because the stubbornness of ourindustry is what's going to
frustrate the heck out of you asa leader, that things aren't
going to change.
But you know what, if you canget people on board with the
(47:18):
vision, if you can get themrowing in that direction of
positive change, people will seeyour passion, they'll get on
board, they'll support you.
But if you're changing forchange's sake which it seems
like a lot of the outsideinfluences want us to do it
overnight, whether that's animalactivists or whatever else,
it's not going to happen.
But it doesn't mean changedoesn't happen.
(47:40):
This is an industry that hasadopted to some amazing change.
They've adopted to cage-freeand animal welfare, and they
agree that the environment'simportant, that climate change
is an issue, they agree.
All this stuff is going on andso circling it all back, ryan,
that's where an organizationthat you're part of is so
important, because people can bepart of that change and work
(48:02):
together.
Join the group, not just spendmoney to spend money, but and
get their name hey, we're asupporter of this.
But no, that's an investment.
It's an opportunity to have ahuge influence on the industry
with a like-minded group ofpeople like yourself, as someone
that has to be the coxswain ofthe boat and yell out the
direction of everybody's going.
(48:22):
So thank you, ryan, for whatyou're doing in the industry,
that you're willing to besteadfast, that you're willing
to be willing to lead thatchange but also organize it.
Thank you, thank you for doingthat.
Ryan Bennet (48:38):
Well, thanks so much for having me, Brandon.
Brandon Mulnix (48:40):
Well audience.
I look forward to getting thisedited.
This has been fun.
You know some disclaimers here.
If our audio is a little off,it may be because I'm sitting in
a camper Stopped my familyvacation so I could get this
podcast recorded.
Just appreciate Ryan his time.
Appreciate you listeners and,of course, I also appreciate
(49:02):
Prism Controls for allowing meto do this.
They are a partner in thistopic of sustainability.
They are a partner with ourindustry of you know, providing
better animal welfare, and so itis important for topics like
this to be on the podcast.
It does support what PrismControls is working on as well.
(49:22):
So please reach out to them,thank them for sponsoring this
show.
They appreciate you aslisteners reaching out to them.
So thank you for that.
And again, listeners like share, get this podcast out to others
.
It's how it continues to grow.
So thank you for that.
And again, listeners like share, get this podcast out to others
.
It's how it continues to grow.
Have a good day.
Welcome to the Poultry Leadership Podcast.
I'm your host, brandon Molnix.
Today's guest is Ryan Bennett.
He is the Executive Director atthe US Roundtable for
Sustainable Poultry and Eggs andthe International Poultry
Welfare Alliance InternationalPoultry Welfare Alliance.
(00:48):
I am so glad to have Ryan withus today, as he shares a lot
about those two differentorganizations, as well as what
he's doing to be a leader inthis industry.
So, ryan, can you introduceyourself?
Yeah?
Ryan Bennet (00:57):
Thanks for having me, Brandon.
So my name is Ryan Bennett.
As Brandon mentioned, I'm theExecutive Director of the US
Roundtable for SustainablePoultry and Eggs and
International Poultry WelfareAlliance.
But in terms of my background,I grew up on a farm in Maryland
cow-calf operation, basicallynorth of DC and west of
Baltimore, in a little cocoon ofrural life that still exists to
(01:22):
this day.
And I only bring that upbecause I think it has a lot to
do with what I'm doing now ishaving a family that's been
around that area for a long timebut really having a lot of
different types of people movinginto the area, asking a lot of
questions about farming and whywe do it, how we do it good, bad
(01:43):
and indifferent.
But was really involved with 4-Hand showing livestock.
Went to junior college on ajunior college livestock judging
scholarship.
Went to Kansas State Universityfrom there where I got my
bachelor's degree in agriculture, and moved back home and well,
(02:04):
close to home, at least in DC Anintern for the senator from
Kansas.
Then worked at the NationalGrain and Feed Association doing
public policy there governmentrelations work Federation, which
NGFA was agribusinesseshandling grain trading, grain
(02:26):
milling, grain mill and feedwhatever you can turn grain into
they were doing it and NationalMilk that was working for dairy
farmers and the co-ops thatthey serve and doing lobbying
and government relations workthere before I got involved with
their Farmers, assuringResponsible Management Program,
(02:46):
which is an animal care andsustainability platform that
represents the vast majority ofthe dairy production in the
United States, before comingover here to the US Roundtable
and the International PoultryWelfare Alliance.
So you might hear me sayroundtable or alliance today, so
that's kind of my shortenedversion to help us all get
(03:07):
through the acronym soup that wehear many times.
Brandon Mulnix (03:13):
That's too true.
I mean, as you introduceyourself, you know starting in
4-H, you know that's how manypeople that I've talked to have
started in 4-H and FFA and thoseorganizations for the youth.
So that's a great place and Ididn't realize your background
in the milk side of it and I'msure there's some conversations
(03:33):
and some connections that youhave with kind of what's going
around the world of HPAI and howit's affecting multiple species
.
But we'll stay back on subject,which is where some of the
organizations that you're partof and for someone who doesn't
know what the US Roundtable forSustainable Poultry and Eggs or
the International Poultry andWelfare Alliance is, can you
(03:56):
share what they do, their rolein the industry?
Ryan Bennet (04:01):
Sure.
So they're bothmulti-stakeholder groups and so
I'm not just an industry groupfocused on production, I'm not
just focused on retail and foodservice, I'm not just focused on
any particular part of thesupply chain for poultry and
eggs supply chain as thatrelates to sustainability, with
(04:27):
the round table, and then thefull life cycle of that animal
as it relates to animal welfare.
For the alliance, so we havemembers that are growers,
integrators and processors,retail and food service members,
allied industry, so anybodysuppliers making anything from
equipment to pharmaceuticals andnutrition products, whatever
that might be for the industry,obviously retail and food
(04:48):
service or grocery stores, quickserve restaurants, major brands
that you would see withingrocery stores.
And then we have a group ofcivil society members which is
kind of a catch-all for industry, associations, ngos,
environmental NGOs, welfare NGOs, academics, professional
(05:09):
societies.
So, like this weekend, I'mgoing to the American Veterinary
Medical Association andspeaking there.
So we really have a fullpicture of what sustainability
means and what welfare meansfrom a lot of different
perspectives and we try and workon that from a pre-competitive
basis to where we're all workingtogether to remove barriers,
(05:34):
see progress and communicatethat progress as it pertains to
sustainability or welfare.
So on the roundtable side.
Obviously it's got US in thename, so it's the United States,
and we've got, you know, threemajor pillars that we're trying
to hit of people, planet andpoultry and I can talk a little
bit about.
(05:54):
You know we're measuring that,we're communicating that, but
we're also figuring out how toimprove those.
You know what we're reportingthrough those measurements.
You know how do you actuallyget better, how do you actually
see progress?
And then the alliance,international Poultry Welfare
Alliance, obviously global innature and just focused on
animal welfare, although we knowthat there are many different
(06:16):
things impacting welfaredecisions and we do keep trying
to take account of all thosethings.
But we're global in nature,just focused on welfare, but
also multi-stakeholder andreally started in a different
but similar way over there wherewe're looking at measuring the
welfare of the animal throughkey welfare and outcomes-based
key welfare indicators and thenlooking at how do we improve
(06:40):
that over time throughmanagement, training, practices,
research, innovation, etpractices, research, innovation,
etc.
Etc.
So it really brings in a lot ofdifferent types of people and
we could build this in a waythat works for one sector of the
supply chain, but obviouslyit's a chain, so unless
everybody's at the table, wefeel like we're not going to
(07:03):
have the outcomes or the successthat we need to be able to see
over the coming decade ordecades in these two really hot
topic hot collar areas for a lotof different people involved
with poultry and egg production.
Brandon Mulnix (07:19):
It is interesting to think that
there's so many issues that theindustry deals with.
Interesting to think thatthere's so many issues that the
industry deals with and if I'mworking in an allied business,
like I am, I had no visibility,I had no clue that any of this
existed until I was introducedto your organization, especially
around the topic of, like,sustainability and you know,
(07:41):
animal welfare.
You know that's our business.
But when it comes to theinternational side of it, you
know what's what, how thataffects the US and export.
There's so many things that gointo it from a from a level that
most, most folks just don'tunderstand, and so I'm glad that
we have your leadership theretrying to coordinate all of it,
trying to be able to communicateback, because I'm sure these
(08:03):
issues change.
They come and go Like right now, what are the top few issues
that you're dealing with?
Ryan Bennet (08:11):
Yeah, I'll get into the top issues that we're
dealing with, but those changeover time and you mentioned kind
of the complexity and feelingoverwhelmed and I just wanted to
hit on that real quick before Ikind of dive in a little deeper
in the issues.
In general, I feel likeeverybody is overwhelmed.
Regardless of whether you'vehad a sustainability program
(08:34):
with a ton of staff for 10, 15years or whether you're just
starting, I feel likeeverybody's overwhelmed and
trying to figure out where to go.
So a lot of what we do is tryand simplify this down to its
basic parts, not water it.
You know, you read a magazine,you go to a trade show, you're
(09:11):
hearing a lot of differentthings in the press.
You can get lost pretty quickly.
We're trying to make this morebite-sized, get people kind of
on a baseline and then slowlybuild up from there.
So I just wanted to hit thatreal quick.
But in terms of the issues thatwe're seeing, you know I would
(09:31):
say on the sustainability side,climate continues to be a big
issue.
So one of the buzzwords thatwill confuse people is
materiality.
And when you look at themateriality of the
sustainability footprint forpoultry and eggs, as we've done
at the US Roundtable, climatemakes the list but isn't
(09:54):
necessarily at the top.
But because we are a producerof meat and a lot of the
pressure that's coming there,we're getting a lot of questions
and, quite frankly, we'regetting a lot of pressure to
improve things when we are avery efficient producer of
animal protein.
So we do have a role to play.
(10:14):
I think we you know you'veheard many different times we've
reduced carbon emissions by Xpercentage since X, y, z date,
right, and that's very true andI think that's going to continue
in the future, or I certainlyhope that it continues in the
future, as long as we're able tokeep getting better with our
genetics, as long as we're ableto get better with the
(10:36):
environment and nutrition thatwe're providing these birds, our
management systems, ouremployees.
That's all going to continue toget better.
But you know in terms of wherewe sit and you know from a
materiality perspective, whichis our most important issues.
Climate definitely makes thelist, but we've got a lot of
(10:57):
other things that we care about.
I mean welfare is one of is asustainability indicator, a
sustainability measurement thatwe include in our sustainability
reporting framework for theroundtable People.
You know you heard a lot abouthow we treat our workers, right,
wrong, indifferent, true or notin the press during COVID.
(11:18):
That's going to continue to be,you know, a major area for us.
And then you.
And then there's more localizedissues like water, whether it
be water quantity or waterquality, and then, on the
welfare side, I would say, topissues for us continue to be
having people think about how tomeasure welfare differently or
(11:40):
how to think about andcommunicate about welfare
differently, because what we'rereally asking people to do makes
a lot of sense to us, but it'sdifferent than the way it might
have been done in the past.
We're saying, if we're going tomeasure welfare, if we're going
to talk about welfare, let'sactually look at the bird, let's
actually figure out whetherthey are responding well to
(12:02):
their environment or notresponding well to their
environment or not respondingwell to their environment, and
focus on fixing things ifthere's an issue.
But if there's not an issue,then we're not going to waste a
bunch of time on things that arenot a problem.
And so I think we're reallyfocused on actually improving
welfare and not focused as muchon kind of the string of
(12:25):
production practices ordifferent kind of pigeonhole
concepts that we've seen comeacross in the past.
So that is, you know, on thewelfare side there's a lot of
external factors, I would say,focused in on altering how we
raise birds and, regardless ofwhether we view folks intentions
(12:50):
as honorable or not, I wouldsay that we are taking kind of
the general direction that theyare going in, putting it into a
more practical format that makesit actually focused on welfare
and able to, you know, achieveresults.
So a lot of different thingsthere, but you're the podcaster,
(13:14):
so I'll let you kind of unpackfrom there if you have any
questions.
Brandon Mulnix (13:19):
While most of our listeners understand, you
know, what animal welfare is Imean, whether they're allied
members working on nutrition orgenetics, I mean they understand
the welfare side of it and Imean you made some really good
points in there, specificallyabout welfare needs to be about
the bird.
You know, when we look at youknow, measuring that from a
production method and that's oneof the things you know I
(13:42):
learned early on is, well, ahappy bird, a healthy bird,
produces more eggs or bettereggs or all of that.
And I guess that may not betrue.
And I keep hearing of some ofthe science and the different
ways of whether it's using, youknow, video cameras to watch
birds and you know, see theirmovement and and audio to hear,
(14:04):
be able to determine if thebird's happy and healthy, and
those are all really cool usesof technology that you know is
moving forward.
From a US perspective, how muchinfluence do you see, because
you're on the international side?
Is what happens throughout theglobe maybe Europe or China or
(14:26):
somewhere else, I don't knowaffects the US over time?
Ryan Bennet (14:30):
Obviously, we are all very interconnected.
I think Europe is not a majorexport market for us, but they
are an exporter of ideas good,bad and indifferent.
So I think paying attention towhat's going on over there is
always a good idea.
We have a lot of members thatare active in Europe On a panel
last week with a lot ofEuropeans.
(14:52):
It's a different mindset, butit doesn't necessarily mean that
it's all right or all wrong.
And then you're seeing kind ofan environment where you have
kind of export markets from theUS perspective speaking, but
also thinking about how thingsare evolving somewhere else,
like in Asia, where you know,welfare has not traditionally
(15:17):
been on their list of top issues.
Right, I mean, they're going tolook at productivity.
Just being able to get peopleto a point to where they can
afford to consume meat andpoultry and egg, dairy products
is of key concern for them.
So price, but as people enterthe middle class, we're seeing
(15:38):
their own version.
It is not the European journey,it is not the North American
journey, but their own versionof this start to develop.
And it's not my place to tellthem how to write their story.
But at the same time, I dothink that history is bound to
repeat itself, albeitdifferently, right?
(16:00):
So I think there's a lot oflessons to be learned and we're
seeing that start to change aspeople under the middle class
have more disposable income andstart to care and think more
about animals, quite frankly.
So the European kind of commandand control, very regulatory,
government focused model isstill something to pay attention
(16:23):
to, to be aware of, because youknow, there's a lot of
businesses operating in theUnited States and elsewhere that
are going to have to live up tothose regulations and it's
going to affect productionelsewhere, whether you like it
or not.
Their rules if it's amultinational company based in
Europe, their rules are going toperforate other parts of the
(16:45):
world.
But also watching how otherparts of the world and major
poultry customers, major growthregions like Asia, southeast
Asia, are evolving is also verymuch of interest as well.
You know, in North Americawe've definitely seen more of a
B2B model rather than agovernment model, and that
(17:08):
continues to develop and changeover time as well.
So we're monitoring that rightalong with the government model
in Europe and the growth modelseen throughout Asia the growth
model seen throughout Asia.
Brandon Mulnix (17:21):
Well, listeners, as you can see, there's folks
like Ryan and his team that aredoing their best to represent
the US producers.
You asa producer, you as asupplier to the industry.
So my hat's off to you, ryan,and your team, because without
folks like you, that means eachof the farmers, each of the
(17:41):
producers, are having to dealwith this on their own.
And so, thank you, thank youfor what you guys do.
How can suppliers, producersthat may not be members, how can
they get involved with eitherthe US Roundtable or the
International Poultry andWelfare?
Ryan Bennet (17:55):
Alliance.
We are a membership-drivenorganization so you can apply to
join, you can be a part of whatwe're doing.
But we have a lot ofinformation posted publicly that
I think there's an ability tolearn and think about these
things, whether you want to belearning or thinking about them
or not.
I would say that it's probablya good idea that in today's
(18:19):
operating environment,regardless of where you are, it
would behoove you to be aware ofkind of the general trends of
how this is going.
Obviously, we can help folkswith that and we provide a lot
of value to a lot of people.
We continue to grow, butthere's other avenues for you,
through trade associations,through other entities that
(18:40):
you're involved with, to getinvolved and be active in this
as well.
But my biggest advice is alwaysto try and figure out how to
keep it simple.
I think we've developed amethod to try and do that and
help our members do that andreally build out from there and
allow them to track theirprogress and communicate that
more effectively over time.
Brandon Mulnix (19:01):
So, ryan, you know you mentioned that there's
associations or stuff like that.
You have an annual meetingcoming up.
What is?
Why should our listeners attendthat event?
Ryan Bennet (19:13):
Yes.
So that's a really interestingevent and it's one that we
obviously put a lot intothinking about creating the
right environment and experiencefor people to learn from one
another.
So we have themulti-stakeholder concept so we
do not allow everybody from thatsame constituency to sit at a
(19:37):
table with one another.
If you see a friend there,you've got plenty of hallway
time, dinner time, receptiontime to be able to see them.
But we're really focused onmixing different types of people
together so that way they getto know one another.
We build in a lot ofinteractive events.
We build in a lot ofinteractive events, off-site
educational experiences.
(19:59):
One of my favorite things aboutour meeting is I always tell
people the number of people thatare there and they're like, wow
, that's a really small meeting.
And then they get there andthey realize who we put in the
room is pretty impressive.
We are not really focused,quite frankly, on having a bunch
of people at our meeting.
We're focused on having theright people at that meeting and
(20:22):
fostering a really cool culturewhere people feel comfortable
and confident, speaking abouttheir perspectives, learning
from one another, mixing withdifferent types of people and
really looking you know, reallycoming away from this as not
only having every individualperson gain something from this,
(20:43):
but the entire group, almostcreating a product that we can
have, live on and influence howwe are operating as an
organization from there.
So it's a reallythought-provoking space, great
networking opportunity,educational opportunity and, I
think, bang for your buck-wiseit probably doesn't get any
(21:05):
better than that it's.
You want to come talk about notonly sustainability and welfare
, but big picture issuesimpacting the future of the
industry.
Brandon Mulnix (21:14):
Yeah, after attending one of your guys'
events in the past, it wasinteresting to see, you know,
walking in the room with aquality of people.
I mean there were people fromall walks there that really you
could tell were passionate aboutthe topic and wanting to move
forward together as a group.
And those events are great forthat, because you're able to
kind of put aside the day-to-dayproduction stuff, the
(21:35):
day-to-day.
And you're able to kind of putaside the day-to-day production
stuff, the day-to-day and you'reable to focus on one core topic
and that's big picture andyou're able to see the
passionate people that areworking together beside you and
it really does motivate you towant to get more involved.
I know that's.
I was excited to leave that andattend a few other
sustainability events and I goback to you guys did a really
(21:57):
good job there in Washington forthat event.
Ryan Bennet (21:59):
So well, thank you.
Yeah, it is big picture but wealso try and make sure we keep
it practical so you can see thebig picture but understand how
that relates to you and comehome with something that you can
use within your organization,within your farm, within your
sector.
So it is a neat space but Idon't need to promote it too
(22:22):
much because we, like kind ofthe hometown, feel that we get
there.
Brandon Mulnix (22:26):
to be quite honest, Awesome, let's switch a
little bit.
You've been around the industry.
You've met a lot of the greatpeople.
What do you value most aboutpoultry and egg industries?
Ryan Bennet (22:39):
Yeah, so obviously I've worked in agriculture.
There's some common themes there, but I would say specifically
to this industry is the level ofinnovation and efficiency that
we've gained over time, howadaptive we've been to different
marketing and productionenvironments.
(23:01):
And then I would say my membersare a very principled group of
people and some might call thatstubborn, and at times it's good
to be stubborn and I wouldn'tchange that for the world
because we are who we are andyou know, I think really trying
to build around that orstrengthen that and play off of
our strengths is where I seethis going, because I'm talking
(23:25):
about two very scary topics forpeople sustainability and
welfare and really all we'retrying to do is use that same
kind of entrepreneurial,innovative spirit and applying
that to these issues.
So I'm always continuallyimpressed with where this
(23:47):
industry has come from, but alsoreally where it's going,
because it's becoming very clearto me that we do have a very
bright future, and not sayingthat we should be reckless by
any means, but we should be moreoptimistic than we are at times
.
So that's maybe my role to playor my piece to throw in there,
(24:11):
but we've got a really neatgroup of people who have figured
a lot of things out and aregoing to continue to figure a
lot of things out in differentenvironments in the future.
Brandon Mulnix (24:21):
So stubbornness is a great trait to have is what
I hear from that and I'll haveto remind you, know, as
listeners, guys, you're stubborn.
That's a great trait to have,especially in an industry like
this.
I don't think that's reallywhat Ryan was saying.
I think he appreciates thatstubbornness, but no, it's all
great stuff, ryan.
(24:41):
I mean it is so true that weneed to be resilient and have
that stubbornness, butunderstand that it all goes back
to those core principles.
One of the things I love aboutthe industry is those values.
I mean I might not agree withthem, but they've built them for
a reason.
It's done over time and thatsteadfastness or stubbornness is
(25:04):
important because it is whathelps everybody through those
really trying times wherethere's so much change being
forced on them and to do itright, to do it efficient, to do
it economical, becausesustainability and welfare are
all costs that don't necessarilyalways add to more profit and
(25:28):
it's hard for farmers andproducers to see that.
But in the end there's othervalues that do help the bottom
line in that and I'm not tryingto simplify it too much, but you
know, I've kind of been witnessto that as more cost and more
cost and more.
It's just it's hard for farmersto see that and being in a
(25:48):
group like that is pretty cool.
Ryan Bennet (25:50):
And we definitely.
I mean, we get asked all thetime what's our definition of
sustainability?
Well, what is it?
Why don't you tell us what itis?
And we have our own definition,and it happens to be in line
with what a lot of otherpeople's definition are, and
it's being economically viableis the number one thing that we
say, because we've got toobviously stay in business to be
(26:11):
sustainable, environmentallysound and socially responsible.
Now, what that means from thereis what we're here to talk
about, right, but we do have adefinition, and economically
viable is the first of thosethree different pillars that we
discuss, and those three pillarsare core to a lot of people's
(26:33):
sustainability definition and isembedded in everything that we
do people's sustainabilitydefinition and is embedded in
everything that we do.
Brandon Mulnix (26:42):
Ryan, as a leader that I look up to in the
industry someone that's, youknow, leading the charge out
there, progressive, doing thegreat things listeners really
want to know what are some ofyour biggest challenges that you
work through.
Ryan Bennet (26:51):
Well, brandon, haven't you ever heard the
phrase?
I could complain, but nobodywould listen anyways.
So no, I'm kidding, butobviously we're one industry of
many facing these challenges.
Obviously, animal welfare iskind of central to animal
agriculture, specifically,specifically.
(27:19):
But sustainability wise, andall the money going into this,
all the different forces goinginto this, can be very
overwhelming for people.
And it is one of those thingsthat you see people spending
billions of dollars, notmillions, billions of dollars
going into campaigns that cansometimes not actually improve
(27:40):
the sustainability or thewelfare of animals, animal
production.
So that's one of those thingsthat a lot of our members get
really bogged down with.
And who are we with our budget,with our number of employees?
How can we ever come up againstthat?
And I have taken the tact andwill continue to take the tact
(28:04):
that I've just put my blinderson.
I can't control what otherpeople do, but we can control
what we are doing and we cancontrol where we go from here to
an extent, especially if we areall working together to get
ahead of things, stay on thefront foot and be proactive.
So, just to come up with afootball analogy, I've always
(28:28):
said we have some of the bestdefensive coordinators in the
game, but we need some betteroffensive coordinators.
We need to be more proactiveand we need to do it together as
a team.
It's nice to have the star widereceiver, but it takes the
offensive line and the rightkind of quarterback, the right
kind of blocking to get there.
(28:49):
And that's really wherepre-competitive concept comes
into play, because this issomething that is facing an
entire category and we like tothink that we're very important
and we are, there is no doubt inmy mind, as a part of feeding
the world, food security,economic development, all the
great things that come fromproducing poultry and eggs, we
(29:13):
are very important, but when youstart to look at this, we're
part of a much larger agenda andwe can't focus on what
everybody else is doing.
We have to really put theirblinders on and chart our own
path and our own story and notjust come to a Y in the road and
stop and worry, because I thinkwe, like I said before, had a
(29:52):
really bright future to lookforward to really bright future
to look forward to and a futurewith the mentality, as you said,
football team mentality.
Brandon Mulnix (30:00):
In business, where you can go and you can
hire that team.
In an organization like yours,you're looking for people to
volunteer and step up to help,and that's a completely
different mindset compared towhere you can go and draft the
next star quarterback for yourteam, to where you can go and
draft the next star quarterbackfor your team.
But in this case you need thatstar quarterback to step up.
You need those producers thathave the passion to change, to
(30:25):
have a positive effect on theindustry, to step up, and that
would be a big challenge.
I've been humbled by.
Ryan Bennet (30:34):
We're a small organization.
Without our members we arebasically nothing.
And obviously dollars currencyis important, financial
resources are important, but ourhuman resources, our human
capacity to do all of thesethings, has been humbling to be
a part of, to see the amount ofenergy from many people within
(30:57):
many different organizations,how much they have cared, how
much they like doing this andthe amount of work that they put
into it, the amount of thoughtthat they put into it.
Just being along for that ride,I'd like to say it's all
because of me.
It is certainly not.
I'm along for the ride with thisgroup of people that are very,
(31:21):
very, very good at what they doand very good at what they do in
different ways, and being ableto put together a team, play
those different roles and seehow that come to fruition roles
and see how that come tofruition, and to really get
mentored by some of these peoplewho have a lot of very elite,
prestigious life experiences hasalso been something that's been
(31:45):
really cool for me as well.
But we are a member-drivenorganization.
I'd love to say we're 50-50with SAP and members in terms of
doing the work, but the membersreally are what our motor is
and what makes us go, andthere's no way that we could
have gotten done what we'vegotten done and, by the way, we
(32:06):
founded right before a pandemic,global pandemic without our
volunteer leaders, withouteverybody playing a role in
pitching in.
So that's been kind of the mostfun and shocking part of this
to me, because I didn't knowthat I would get all of that
when I started in this position.
Brandon Mulnix (32:23):
Over the past few weeks.
You know, just looking at ashorter period of time, what's a
win for you?
Ryan Bennet (32:30):
I would say we're continuing to grow as an
organization and, like I justsaid, the financial aspect of
that, that's great.
But the fact that there arepeople still realizing that they
want to be a part of the team,that they want to contribute,
and not just financially butalso contribute on committees,
(32:52):
getting active, being a part ofwhat we're doing, they like the
direction that we're heading,they like being a part of
something bigger than just theirorganization or themselves or
just their industry or theirsector, that is really neat and
I would say that win, once again, is not because of anything I'm
doing by myself.
We've got a membership committeethat works a lot, but also our
(33:16):
members involved with everyaspect of our group, talk to
other people and even if thereisn't that human touch before
somebody comes to us as a member, there's a lot of people just
seeing what we're doing and, youknow, wanting to learn more and
reaching out to me or somebodythat they know within leadership
and getting active.
(33:37):
And so tomorrow I've got aboard meeting tomorrow where
we've got a whole stack of newmembership approvals to look
through, and that's reallyexciting to me that it's not
just this kind of core grouppeople still plugging along.
We continue to grow and there'speople that are stepping up and
really coming that haven't beenhere already, that within a
(34:01):
year's time, are already keyplayers in different positions.
So that's the thing to me isthat that win is really a win of
the value that we're creatingfor organizations, but also how
the amount of excitement thatour members show and that we
show is really, you know,leading other people to say that
(34:22):
they want to become involvedwith us.
Brandon Mulnix (34:24):
I want to go back and touch on mentorship and
some of the people that haveaffected you.
What has surprised you aboutyour job?
I mean, you started during apandemic, you got two
organizations that's going.
But what has surprised youabout your job?
I mean, you started during apandemic, you got two
organizations, that's going.
But what has surprised youabout your job that you didn't
know before you took it?
Ryan Bennet (34:40):
I knew I would have different people with different
perspectives and I knew thatI'd have to find a way to
facilitate through those things.
I knew that we had plenty ofchallenges and pressure in terms
of how we were producingpoultry and eggs.
I knew that we were a youngorganization and we had to build
(35:01):
our base right to be able togrow and be a healthy non-profit
organization.
I knew I'd have to manageboards and personalities, but I
guess what I didn't realize wasthe personal component to all
this and really how well you getto know many different people
throughout their life right,because life keeps going
(35:24):
regardless of what your job isdoing at the time.
So, whether it be babies beingborn, babies graduating from
college or high school, peoplewho have lost their parents and
I've had different things happento me personally and the amount
(35:44):
of support I got from peoplethroughout.
That kind of health issue thatI had a few years ago was
humbling.
Health issue that I had a fewyears ago was humbling and we
also recently lost former boardmember of IPWA or Secretary,
angela Basinger to cancer.
Just the human aspect of thisand how that plays a role.
(36:07):
We're still human beings.
We might work for a particularsector.
We might be really, really goodat what we do.
But the personal aspect of thisis not something that I foresaw
having to spend as much timetalking to people, being with
people about, but is somethingthat I'm really humbled and
(36:28):
honored to be a part of.
Angela just speaking about hershe worked, she was animal
welfare lead at Merck.
She was our secretary on theIPWA board.
Anybody knew her that knew herknew she had some of the best
stories.
She lived life, you know, witha sense of excitement and
adventure.
I mean, I can remember a boarddinner one night where she would
(36:52):
tell stories about differentadventures that she had taken
and she was a very larger thanlife person and while that is
very sad, I'm just honored thatI was able to know her and that
she was involved with ourorganization and that I was able
to see all the things that shehad done with her career but
also with her personal life.
That I'm even able to talkabout knowing her today is a
(37:16):
great honor.
But there's many, many storiesout there about people
overcoming life, things thatcome up and that's a big part of
our lives that, you know, I Ihope people don't take for
granted.
With your coworkers and we'reall going through something.
Keep that in mind, becausereally, that's what's core to
(37:42):
what's important in terms of youknow what I believe it's not
necessary, it's not money, it'snot fame, it's not power, it's
it's you know who we are ashuman beings and how we relate
to one another and how we'rethere for one another.
So that's been a big to me.
Uh, something I didn'tunderstand was going to be a big
(38:02):
part of this job, because youreally get to know people and
they really get to know you.
Brandon Mulnix (38:07):
Wow, you really hit it on the fact that you
didn't know just the peopleaspect and that is the empathy
people have and the realizationthat crap happens Crap happens
to leaders, crap happens to bigcompanies, crap happens to
(38:27):
everybody.
And to have that empathy, thatcare, that compassion for others
really makes the human side ofthe industry amazing.
I've got to experience it withsome of our folks across the
industry.
Go to events that are sponsoredor written fundraisers for
(38:51):
people that have been eitherhurt or suicide has been an
issue.
The mental health side of theindustry, especially as we go
through depopulating and HPAI,just the mental side of that.
And there's so many humanaspects that every leader has to
manage through.
(39:11):
And you know, ryan, I knowyou've grown through that.
I'm curious.
I'm sure the listeners are morecurious about your story and if
you want to share that, that'sat your liberty.
If not, I understand as well.
So, ryan, how has this all madeyou a better leader?
Ryan Bennet (39:31):
Well, I think I'm a lot more patient with people
and understanding of people.
I'm not really afraid to diveinto things and you know, like
you said, there's, you knowthere's there's a certain amount
of privacy that some peoplewant and expect, and I'm
obviously very, very aware ofthat and respectful of that.
(39:53):
But at the same time, I thinkthe stigma for some of these
sorts of things that are goingon that, you see, has got to go
away.
This is not to get toomillennial on you, brandon, but
I mean this is the generation orthe X, or it's got to be X,
millennial, don't let it get toC.
But we've got to be the onesthat put an end to that, to some
(40:17):
of these stigmas that are outthere, to being able to talk
about weaknesses, to be able totalk about failures, to be able
to open up and not be ashamed ofhaving problems, because we
know that everybody is havingthose problems.
And so I've certainly youmentioned suicide I've certainly
you mentioned suicide I'vecertainly, you know, had a
(40:38):
cousin, um, and then a mentor ofmine go through that and you
know this, last time it was amentor of mine and it was one of
those things to where you know,in both instances it was both
people that did a, that cared alot about others.
That nest didn't necessarilycare enough about themselves.
(40:59):
So I, I, you know, I'm a strongbeliever in making sure to look
out for for folks, checking inon them, making sure they're
doing well, you know, helpingthem where you can.
But, um, you know, I hope thisis is a generation that will
kind of let some of those kindof stigmas go, because it's not.
(41:19):
I can tell you, when you dealwith something like that, it's
not something you ever want toexperience ever again, and it's
a very, it's a much more complexemotion than when you have
somebody at the ripe old agepassing away.
It's a much more complexemotion than when you have, you
know, somebody at the ripe oldage passing away.
It's very different process.
Brandon Mulnix (41:38):
So Paul Ryan, thank you for sharing that and
sharing what needs to change inbusiness.
You know I grew up in a worldwhere I was in a paramedic
before I transitioned out.
I call myself a recoveringparamedic and just the stigma
around PTSD, around healthcareprofessionals, it's out there.
(42:01):
It's not just healthcareprofessionals, it's not just
cops, it's not just firemen,it's people that are going
through crap.
And just starting a conversationwith somebody, or starting that
, you know being willing to divein with people, to seek to
understand first what they'regoing through before you
(42:23):
necessarily go down the road ofbusiness and I know that doesn't
happen every time but you haveto develop relationships in this
industry where you'recomfortable asking people tough
questions just to say, hey, howare you doing?
And not taking that fine as ananswer, because there are times
where they really want the nextquestion no, how are you really
doing?
(42:44):
With everything going on, andthat's when they realize that it
is important to you as a person.
So thank you for having thatconversation, ryan, and I know
our listeners will be blessed tohave that.
Last but not least, is thereany advice for our listeners
(43:05):
that you want to share that wehaven't really touched on
because it really wasn't aquestion that I was going to ask
touched on because it reallywasn't a question that I was
going to ask.
Ryan Bennet (43:22):
Um, we've kind of touched on it, but in terms of
you know, when you get a new joband I'm just you know, I'm
speaking from my own personalexperience Um, but everybody
wants to be the change agent,everybody wants to be put their
stamp on things and I I Icertainly hope to say that I've
made an impact, that I've beenable to show measurable progress
and what I'm influencing.
But at this point I've been inagriculture my entire career and
(43:47):
there's those common themesthroughout agriculture that we
kind of already discussed.
But each industry is differentand each company is different.
Each you know culture isdifferent and I guess I'm kind
of of the belief now that beingchanged for the sake of change
isn't always good.
(44:08):
And so, putting aside your egoand really figuring out what
you've been dealt, what are ourstrengths, what are our
principles we talked a littlebit about how much I love our
principles, are grown to loveour principles and playing to
those strengths and making surethat we're building things in a
(44:29):
way to where you're not gettingso far over your skis and
looking behind you and you don'thave anybody that has followed
you anywhere.
So everybody wants to be thechange agent, everybody wants to
win the Nobel Peace Prize orwhatever it might be, but I'm a
big fan of looking at what yourstrengths are, looking at what
you've been dealt and navigatingthat in a way that is true to
(44:54):
that industry or true to thatorganization and, yes, maybe
allowing that to be the changeand charting a new course, et
cetera, et cetera, but notnecessarily coming in with
grandiose ideas of revolutionarychange, because we're in an
environment where we all havedifferent types of people.
(45:16):
No job's ever been 100% perfect, no organization is perfect, no
industry is perfect.
Person is perfect.
So I think that looking at whatyour strengths are, what you've
been dealt, and charting yourown course that's true to
yourself and true to your ownprinciples, whether that be
(45:36):
individually or as a group ofpeople or as an organization or
as an industry, is still veryimportant and you can make
change, but doing it within thatvein, I think, is something
that I've picked up on over theyears.
Brandon Mulnix (45:50):
If I have any advice, Ryan, as you said that,
I go back to your word ofstubbornness or steadfast those
terminologies come withconsistency and moving forward.
But just getting through thecrap, getting through all of the
outside influences andevaluating that it comes through
(46:11):
, that that change will happenover time.
It just may be a lot shorterthan the instant gratification
that our world has come to know.
You're not going to get changein this industry overnight.
But what you can do is you canwork towards a common goal,
build partners, build a team, bepart of committees and work
towards that change and thenlook back and say, wow, we did
(46:33):
have a chance to have thatchange and you don't need to.
There are no superstars in thisindustry.
This is an industry with a lotof team players.
There isn't that?
At least, I haven't seen thosepeople that want to be the
LeBron James or that want to bethe outspoken crazy people in
the industry.
Everybody wants to worktogether to have a positive
(46:55):
effect and as leaders, asdeveloping leaders, in this
industry, that's important.
If you want stardom, this isn'tprobably the industry for you,
because the stubbornness of ourindustry is what's going to
frustrate the heck out of you asa leader, that things aren't
going to change.
But you know what, if you canget people on board with the
(47:18):
vision, if you can get themrowing in that direction of
positive change, people will seeyour passion, they'll get on
board, they'll support you.
But if you're changing forchange's sake which it seems
like a lot of the outsideinfluences want us to do it
overnight, whether that's animalactivists or whatever else,
it's not going to happen.
But it doesn't mean changedoesn't happen.
(47:40):
This is an industry that hasadopted to some amazing change.
They've adopted to cage-freeand animal welfare, and they
agree that the environment'simportant, that climate change
is an issue, they agree.
All this stuff is going on andso circling it all back, ryan,
that's where an organizationthat you're part of is so
important, because people can bepart of that change and work
(48:02):
together.
Join the group, not just spendmoney to spend money, but and
get their name hey, we're asupporter of this.
But no, that's an investment.
It's an opportunity to have ahuge influence on the industry
with a like-minded group ofpeople like yourself, as someone
that has to be the coxswain ofthe boat and yell out the
direction of everybody's going.
(48:22):
So thank you, ryan, for whatyou're doing in the industry,
that you're willing to besteadfast, that you're willing
to be willing to lead thatchange but also organize it.
Thank you, thank you for doingthat.
Ryan Bennet (48:38):
Well, thanks so much for having me, Brandon.
Brandon Mulnix (48:40):
Well audience.
I look forward to getting thisedited.
This has been fun.
You know some disclaimers here.
If our audio is a little off,it may be because I'm sitting in
a camper Stopped my familyvacation so I could get this
podcast recorded.
Just appreciate Ryan his time.
Appreciate you listeners and,of course, I also appreciate
(49:02):
Prism Controls for allowing meto do this.
They are a partner in thistopic of sustainability.
They are a partner with ourindustry of you know, providing
better animal welfare, and so itis important for topics like
this to be on the podcast.
It does support what PrismControls is working on as well.
(49:22):
So please reach out to them,thank them for sponsoring this
show.
They appreciate you aslisteners reaching out to them.
So thank you for that.
And again, listeners like share, get this podcast out to others
.
It's how it continues to grow.
So thank you for that.
And again, listeners like share, get this podcast out to others
.
It's how it continues to grow.
Have a good day.
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