Dr Phil Hadley, Secretary General of the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) and former International Trade Director for the UK’s AHDB, recently addressed the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Convention during their 2025 CattleCon event in Texas. Kent Bacus, NCBA, Executive Director of Government Affairs, chairs the IMS beef committee.
We are grateful to US Trade/Agriculture Consultant John Wilkes for the following report.
The International Meat Secretariat (IMS) was founded in 1974. Dr Hadley called fifty years “a milestone for an international organization.” The organization has its headquarters in Paris. Dr Hadley described it as the “United Nations of Meat,” stating, “We’ve got 100 members across the world. This includes levy boards, check-off programs, government, and commercial organizations.”
A key role of IMS is its special and contributory status with several international policy-setting organisations, including:
• FAO – Food and Agriculture Organisation
• WOAH – World Organisation for Animal Health
• Codex Alimentarius – Standard-setting for safety, livestock, and environmental assessment
• Global Alliance for Sustainable Livestock – The organisation that sets policy decisions for the industry
IMS champions meat and livestock production through science-based arguments, emphasising scientific research to facilitate international exchange. It provides industry data and information to support and/or defend the industry. It also hosts the World Meat Congress. IMS receives strong support and representation from the US beef and pork sectors on key trade issues, sustainability, and nutrition.
IMS has eight committees: three for beef, lamb, and pork (excluding poultry), and five subject-specific committees. The Human Nutrition and Health Committee is particularly active at the moment, defending the industry against various nutritional challenges.
EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR)
IMS is heavily engaged with the EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), which will require any imported products to have full traceability and prove that their production has not caused deforestation. Dr Hadley explained: “It’s a huge issue coming down the line for anybody exporting products to the EU. Even if you’re not exporting high volumes into the EU, this might displace products and deter some people or countries from focusing on the EU, pushing products into other markets and creating competition or imbalance elsewhere. It was supposed to be implemented at the end of last year but was delayed 12 months because achieving full traceability across a range of products—not just beef—presents a massive challenge for global industries.”
Representation & Lobbying by IMS
Dr Hadley highlighted the representation and lobbying role of IMS with a few key examples from the past 12 months. Dr Hadley said: “The organising committee of the Paris Olympics restricted meat and dairy availability to athletes and spectators as part of a naïve approach to reducing the carbon footprint of the Games. Imagine you’re a French beef producer—these French folks are pretty proud of what they do; it’s an agricultural country, and the committee missed the opportunity to showcase the great products they produce in France, favouring vegan and vegetarian options.
IMS & WOAH Collaboration
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the global monitor of animal health, continues to work closely with IMS. WOAH Director General Emmanuelle Soubeyran attended a meeting for IMS members, where Kent Bacus and other US livestock industry representatives discussed the challenges of animal disease and disease reporting. The Memorandum of Understanding between IMS and WOAH is also being updated to ensure it reflects current animal health challenges.
Sustainable Development & Livestock’s Role
At the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN meeting, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were discussed, with agriculture playing a positive role in all of them. Dr Hadley emphasized: “On one hand, we have a loud and vociferous group of people claiming that agriculture is responsible for all the world’s problems, yet we can actively demonstrate that livestock production and animal agriculture contribute positively to poverty reduction, food security, rural development, and more. It’s essential that we continue pushing the message that agriculture is part of the solution—not the problem.”
COP29 & COP30 Challenges
COP29 in Azerbaijan was billed as a finance-focused conference, while COP30 in Brazil will have an agriculture focus. Dr Hadley highlighted the stark disparity in representation: “At COP29, there were about 50 meat and livestock industry representatives—compared to over 400 anti-meat and livestock organizations and individuals. Those numbers should really resonate in terms of the challenge ahead of us. I challenge everyone in the room and associated organisations to think about what we do for COP30. We have to be present. If we’re not, we’ll lose the argument.”
Meat Tax Paper
A paper proposing a European meat tax published in Nature Food suggested increased taxation on meat and dairy while reducing taxes on fruits and vegetables to drive dietary change. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-024-01097-5 Dr Hadley commented: “This demonstrates that if you cannot persuade people to go vegan and vegetarian voluntarily, you tax them into compliance. IMS rejects the argument. The author of this study spoke at a conference titled ‘The Defund Meat Conference’—they’re challenging the industry, taxing the consumer, and even targeting the financing behind meat production businesses. These groups, like most anti-animal agriculture movements, are well-financed and well-structured.”
Dr Hadley also questioned the positioning of alternative proteins: “What will this protein offer look like? What are the challenges and opportunities? How will it be sold? The use of meat-related terminology for some of these products is a real concern and something we need to focus on.”
Looking Ahead
Dr Hadley mentioned that a new Lancet report (Lancet 2.0)—expected in autumn 2025—could pose further challenges for the meat industry by advocating protein shifts away from meat. An International Conference on Nutrition is to be held in Paris in summer 2025, where 5,000 nutritionists from around the world will discuss the importance of meat, dairy, and balanced diets. The IMS plans to hold a side event highlighting the role of meat and dairy in a balanced diet. This workshop will be attended by the Human Nutrition and Health Committee after the ICB event closes.
World Meat Congress
IMS organises the World Meat Congress every two years. The next event will take place in October 2025 in Brazil, bringing together industry professionals to address key challenges. Dr Hadley concluded: “I'd encourage you all to think seriously about attending.”