News Release

Contact: Gale Johnson
 540-635-4564
gjohnson@animalagriculture.org

Committee Work Drives NIAA

BOWLING GREEN, KY,—As a committee-based and driven organization, the Annual Meeting of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) becomes the key event of the year “because that’s where all our committees convene where animal agriculture comes together. Industry professionals are able to focus on the important and emerging issues/diseases, and what our course of action will be,” says NIAA’s Vice Chairman Jon Caspers.  

“Each of the 12 committees will hold its own session with informative speakers, and then hold a business session where position statements and resolutions are discussed and voted on.  While the Board of Directors reviews and approves these resolutions and positions, it is really the work of our committee system that sets NIAA policies and activities,” he explains. 

The 2007 Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 2-5 at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento.  NIAA’s committees will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3-4.

The NIAA Cattle Health Committee will feature hot topics such as Johne’s disease, brucellosis and tuberculosis.  Dr. Soren Rodnig, Auburn University, will present the Alabama perspective on Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) Control Program.  Meanwhile, the Equine Health Committee will dedicate their session on such equine diseases as Equine Herpes Virus (EHV), Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM), and Leptospirosis.  The Poultry Health Committee will devote much of its session to the H5N1 Avian Influenza (AI) from an international perspective.  The Sheep & Goat Health Committee will inform participants on the National Scrapie Eradication Program, Agricultural Research Services, along with other scrapie and ovine/caprine disease issues.  Finally, the Swine Health Committee will discuss the State Swine Network, and other pertinent diseases including brucellosis, porcine retrovirus and porcine circovirus.   

The issue-based committees, Animal Care, Animal Health Emergency Management, Animal Health & International Trade, Animal Identification & Information Systems, including the Equine ID subcommittee, Animal Production Food Safety & Security, Emerging Diseases, Environmental Issues, and Youth Programs, will spotlight industry topics. 

For up-to-date information regarding the committee sessions that will be held at the 2007 NIAA Annual Meeting, visit www.animalagriculture.org.

The American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) has approved NIAA’s Annual Meeting for up to 21 Continuing Education (CE) credits towards meeting ARPAS certification requirements.

NIAA’s mission is to provide forums for building consensus and advancing solutions for animal agriculture and to provide continuing education and communication linkages to animal agriculture professionals.