GAPFA sets 2026 technical congress for Ottawa
Bottom line
Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations will bring its 2026 Technical Congress and Annual General Meeting to Ottawa, Canada, on June 21-24, with the Pet Food Association of Canada hosting and an agenda centered on “The Future of Pet Food: Mastering Disruption and Defining Global Success.” The meeting is positioned as a global forum for government, academic, international organization, and industry speakers to address trade, animal health, international standards, nutrition, and innovation. In a related update, GAPFA and Petfood Industry announced a strategic media partnership to expand coverage and engagement around the congress. (gapfa.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially those tracking companion animal nutrition, regulatory change, and supply chain risk, the Ottawa meeting signals where pet food policy conversations are heading next. Topics such as international standards, animal health, and cross-border trade can shape formulation, labeling, ingredient access, and the evidence base behind products that veterinarians discuss with pet parents. Canada’s hosting role also underscores the country’s export focus and its place in broader pet food market access discussions. (petfoodindustry.com)
What to watch: Watch for the final speaker lineup, technical session details, and any policy or standards signals that emerge from the June 21-24, 2026 meeting in Ottawa. (gapfa.org)
The Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations, or GAPFA, has announced its 2026 Technical Congress and Annual General Meeting for June 21-24 in Ottawa, Canada, framing the event around a timely industry theme: “The Future of Pet Food: Mastering Disruption and Defining Global Success.” Hosted by the Pet Food Association of Canada, the congress is expected to convene speakers and delegates from government, academia, international organizations, and industry to discuss global trade, animal health, international standards, nutrition, and innovation. (gapfa.org)
The Ottawa meeting builds on GAPFA’s established annual congress cycle and follows recent gatherings in Bangkok in 2025 and prior meetings in 2024, 2023, and earlier years, according to GAPFA’s events archive. GAPFA first posted Ottawa as the 2026 host city on October 15, 2025, then opened registration on March 24, 2026, suggesting a long-planned effort to position this year’s congress as a major international convening point for the sector. (gapfa.org)
One notable development around the event is GAPFA’s June 1, 2026 announcement of a strategic collaboration with Petfood Industry, which will serve as exclusive media partner for the congress. GAPFA said the partnership is meant to support knowledge exchange and industry engagement on scientific, regulatory, and technical developments affecting pet food. That matters because it signals this is more than a routine annual meeting; organizers appear to be trying to broaden the reach of the policy and science discussions beyond attendees in the room. (petfoodindustry.com)
Public messaging from the host association points to the same priorities. In a recent LinkedIn post, the Pet Food Association of Canada said the congress would bring together global pet food professionals to talk strategy and hear speakers on global trade, international standards, and nutrition. Other recent PFAC posts also emphasize export market access, including support for an upcoming South Korean audit of the Canadian pet food system, which adds useful context for why trade and regulatory alignment are likely to be prominent themes in Ottawa. (ca.linkedin.com)
GAPFA President Loretta Hunter described the congress as an important forum for global dialogue on the scientific, technical, and regulatory topics shaping the future of the sector, while WATT Global Media executive Steve Akins said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to the industry’s growth and integrity. Those comments are promotional, but they also reinforce the congress’s intended role as a venue where industry, regulators, and technical experts can compare notes on standards and emerging pressures. (petfoodindustry.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, pet food meetings like this can be an early indicator of where nutrition and compliance conversations are moving. Discussions about animal health, standards harmonization, and innovation often filter into commercial diets, therapeutic nutrition claims, ingredient sourcing, and the regulatory language veterinarians see attached to products used in practice. Even when the congress is industry-facing, the downstream effects can reach clinicians who counsel pet parents on diet choices and who need to interpret a fast-changing mix of scientific evidence, marketing claims, and regulatory frameworks. (petfoodindustry.com)
The broader market backdrop makes that especially relevant in 2026. Trade promotion remains a live issue for the pet food sector, with the Pet Food Institute recently announcing new U.S. funding aimed at expanding export opportunities and strengthening global trade relationships. Inference: when major associations are simultaneously emphasizing exports, audits, standards, and international dialogue, it suggests the sector sees regulatory coordination and market access as core strategic issues, not side topics. (petfoodinstitute.org)
What to watch: Next signals will likely include the finalized speaker roster, any technical abstracts or session summaries, and whether the Ottawa meeting produces clearer positions on trade, standards, or animal health priorities that could influence product development and veterinary nutrition conversations through the rest of 2026. (gapfa.org)