There are almost 1,700 participants here at the Alltech Symposium and they all gather outside the doors before the opening general session kicks off. Then it’s a sort of rush to get to choice seats although I don’t think there’s a bad one in the facility.
I was fortunate to get inside early and took a short video clip so you can see what it’s like, especially if you’re planning on attending next year.
It’s called “Kentucky Silk” and it’s another innovation from Alltech. This stuff will get you going in the morning, or evening, or whenever.
This morning as we arrived at the Convention Center for the Alltech Symposium we had sample. It’s a bottled product and contains bourbon and coffee. Basically you pour some in a cup, add hot water and top it off with some cream on top. It is good. The photo is contributed by Alltech photographer, Tim Webb.
At the opening general session of the Alltech Symposium a big award is given. This year it was presented to one of Alltech’s own. It’s the Alltech BioScience Medal of Excellence.
Dr. Ronan Power, Phd, Director of Research, Alltech, is the Director of their new Nutrigenomics Center. He’s seen here receiving his award (center) with Alltech President, Dr. Pearse Lyons to the left and Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech Director of Worldwide Research to the right.
The opening general session is taking place here at the Alltech Symposium. Attendees were greeted by Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear.
I think we’ve got about 1,700 people from all over the world participating in “The Greenest Generation.” I conducted some interviews with several of them from different countries which I’m in the process of editing and uploading and will have those later on.
To set the tone for the theme of this year’s Symposium we watched the following opening video:
The few, the proud, the brave, were out before daylight this morning to participate in the annual Alltech Fun Run.
We had a big crowd of international runners doing laps around Transylvania University. I’m just now getting ready for the opening session so this is just a quick post to shame all you who slept in this morning instead of getting out and working off some of that good Kentucky Ale.
At this evening’s Alltech Symposium International Dinner we heard some awesome voices. For example, this young man from Atlanta was just plain unbelievable. He’s just 19 years old. He’s an example of the talent that’s being fostered by Dr. Everett McCorvey, Professor of Voice at the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre with the assistance of Alltech.
He sang one song for us and helped lead us in a few songs where the audience participated.
You can listen to his presentation here: alltech-symposium-08-freshman.mp3
Of course the online photo album has been updated too, so please feel free to check it out.
The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists has a contingent here at the Alltech Symposium in Lexington, KY.
This evening we had a short reception before heading over to the Alltech Symposium International Dinner. With agriculture becoming such a global business it’s good to see “old friends” who are journalists from countries all over the world.
I only wish I was multi-lingual. Unfortunately, I speak my native language and that’s all she wrote. Fortunately, most of these IFAJ members speak at least some English.
Alltech does so many things it takes a while just to list them and understand them. A new venture is the production of “Lyons Reserve,” the first ever Kentucky Malt Whiskey.
Here’s Alltech President, Dr. Pearse Lyons, presenting the first bottle to Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear. I’d say the Governor did well at today’s Nutrigenomics Center ribbon cutting!
Dr. Lyons also told me something about a new Alltech coffee which I’ll be sampling over the next several days. I’m looking forward to that.
Alltech’s founder and President, Dr. Pearse Lyons, is holding up a gene chip. It’s what the company’s new, first-of-it’s-kind Nutrigenomics Center is all about.
Dr. Lyons says that when he started his career he could only dream about the type of laboratory that the researchers here will be working in.
I, along with everyone at Alltech, am very excited about the potential of this incredible facility, the first of its kind anywhere in the world, said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. The ability to comprehend nutrition at the most basic level gene expression really makes us stand apart and will give us a much greater understanding of the nutritional needs of our animals,
In addition to Nutrigenomics, the facility will house the companys research initiatives at its global headquarters, including the study of Functional Glycomics, Solid State Fermentation, Rumen Function and Ecology, Aquaculture, Organic Trace Minerals and Biorefining.
You can listen to Dr. Lyon’s remarks here and watch them on video: alltech-symposium-08-nutrigenomics-lyons.mp3
