The eyes of the veterinary world will be on Kansas City, Missouri, in the days ahead as the region celebrates Global Animal Health Week.
A series of related events includes the Fetch (formerly CVC Central) veterinary conference, the Market Insight Seminar, the KC Animal Health Corridor Homecoming Dinner and the Investment Forum.
Kansas City sits at the heart of the KC Animal Health Corridor, a 250-mile-wide region stretching from Columbia and St. Joseph, Missouri, to Manhattan, Kansas. The area is home to more than 300 animal health firms, or what boosters call “the largest concentration of animal health companies and service providers in the world.”
“The corridor fosters an ecosystem to ensure success of animal health companies by supporting entrepreneurs who are pushing forward new technologies and solutions to solve global issues, growing the qualified pipeline of talent, and advocating for public policy,” said corridor chairman Scott Bormann, vice president of North America operations for Merck Animal Health. “Global Animal Health Week provides global leaders with an opportunity to work together collaboratively to move the industry forward.”
Companies with a strategic location in the corridor represent 56 percent of total worldwide animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales, officials reported.
Among the events scheduled at the Kansas City Convention Center are:
- Fetch (Aug. 17 to 20): Veterinary conference, continuing education and exhibit hall.
- Market Insight Seminar (Aug. 20): Presentations addressing major market trends shaping the animal health industry.
- Homecoming Dinner (Aug. 20): A celebration of the industry’s successes and growth. Kim Allen, former president of Henry Schein Animal Health’s Commercial Division, will receive the 2018 Iron Paw award.
- Investment Forum (Aug. 21): A “Shark Tank”-like competition. A dozen young companies will pitch product ideas or services to a panel of judges as potential investors look on.