The second session arranged by HCC for the Meat Minds group was recently held in Aberystwyth, with a morning spent meeting industry leaders and an afternoon focusing on sheep genetics.
Providing the members with a chance to cultivate connections and develop an understanding of different elements of the supply chain are two of the programme’s priorities, and this session was intended to do both.
To start the day, the group met at the HCC office for three inspiring talks. The first was by HCC CEO, José Peralta who talked about his background and varied career in the UK meat industry. He also outlined his role at HCC and his hopes for the future of the organisation and the sector. He was followed by HCC Chair, Catherine Smith who covered her responsibilities as HCC Chair, explained the role of the HCC Board and provided an insight into how it operates.
Hazel Wright, Wales Veterinary Science Centre (WVSC) manager was the third leader to address the group. She spoke about her background in policy and her current role in animal science at the WVSC. She stressed the importance of a work-life balance and of being passionate about your work.
In the afternoon, the group enjoyed a guided tour of Innovis, the leading supplier of sheep breeding technologies to the UK livestock industry. This session was led by Dewi Jones – another industry leader and Innovis CEO who spoke about his background and all the work that goes on at Innovis. Geneticist Janet Roden spoke about her career and more broadly about sheep genetics and the role it plays in the industry.
Meat Minds member Erin McNaught said:
“Our second session offered insight into career paths in the agriculture industry, followed by an afternoon at the Innovis breeding facilities, where we learned about their work and how it supports the sheep sector. I enjoyed my time at Innovis, and this helped me decide on my Meat Minds Mentor, leading me to request a geneticist from the company. I look forward to spending my day in industry with Janet Roden to learn more about genetics and how I can apply that knowledge to my own flock.”
