From the Executive
Director
 Priorities
With the new year upon us, it is a time to consider what we deem
to be important for our personal and professional lives. I am not
big on setting resolutions for the coming year, but I am big on
setting priorities, both personal and professional. As a father of
two teenagers, both of whom will be in college within 2 years, my
personal priorities revolve around family commitments. School
events and my kids’ activities seem to be defining most of my
social calendar. Since my involvement with high school will come to
a screeching halt in the spring of 2009, I am trying to enjoy every
minute with my kids as they complete this phase of their
education.
Professionally, I am centered on the priorities of the AASV. The
board of directors is responsible for setting the course of the
organization. Priorities are set at board meetings and at a
strategic planning session during the year. The overall priority of
increasing the knowledge of swine veterinarians does not change. It
remains the reason we exist, and all other priorities must fit
under that mission. Some priorities are continued from one year to
the next. Other new priorities emerge, such as the idea to hold an
AASV summer conference featuring wet labs. The first one was in
June of 2007. The next will be in May of 2008, and planning is
underway for its program. There are some additional priorities for
AASV that deserve mentioning in this message.
Setting guidelines for humane and timely euthanasia of swine is
a priority for producers, veterinarians, and the AASV. The
euthanasia guidelines jointly developed by the AASV and the
National Pork Board are in need of review and possible revision. If
new science or technology exists, then it needs to be incorporated
into our guidelines. The guidelines must reflect methods which
provide a humane death that occurs without pain or distress. The
methods must be grounded in science and balanced with practicality
and operator safety for on-farm use. A joint NPB-AASV working group
is currently preparing a set of draft guidelines for presentation
to the board of directors.
Swine diseases have historically been a priority for AASV
members and the AASV. Diseases continue to be a priority as the
AASV Swine Health Committee addresses a number of related issues.
The situation in China with reported high-mortality diseases in
pigs has drawn the attention of AASV leadership. Likewise, concern
over other emerging diseases in the swine industry (eg, porcine
circovirus associated disease) has been raised. In response, the
AASV board has directed the swine health committee to investigate
and establish a response to emerging diseases in swine. Dr Kent
Schwartz has agreed to chair this initiative and the swine health
committee.
Ongoing development of the PRRS Risk Assessment Tool is
continuing. In November, the Web-based version of the risk
assessment was rolled out as the Production Animal Disease Risk
Assessment Program (PADRAP). The Web application reduces the time
required to complete and upload surveys. It will also allow users
to more easily access and view reports. The first training session
for users of PADRAP was held on November 10, 2007. Other training
sessions are being planned for the annual meeting in San Diego. The
database now contains more than 1000 assessments, representing more
than 800 breeding-herd sites. A priority is to increase the number
of AASV members using the PRRS Risk Assessment, thus expanding the
database and increasing the overall utility of the tool. A second
priority is to develop the next version of the PRRS Risk Assessment
through a thorough evaluation of the questions, responses, and risk
weights in the current version.
Finally, the AASV Annual Meeting is certainly a priority at this
time of the year. The 2008 meeting is in San Diego for the first
time. This is the farthest west we have ever gone for an annual
meeting. It is also the first time we have been in two warm-weather
sites in consecutive years (the 2007 annual meeting was in
Orlando). It has always been an AASV priority to satisfy the wishes
of our members concerning the site selection for the annual
meeting. Members have indicated that warm weather should be a
priority for site selection. Selection of San Diego is a
culmination of members communicating a priority to leadership. By
all early indications, San Diego is going to be a popular meeting
site. I hope you make it a priority to attend the 2008 annual
meeting and maybe soak up some sun while you are there!
These are not all of the priorities of the AASV, nor are they in
ranked order. Numerous other priorities for the association are
acted upon by AASV leaders, committees, and staff. Please contact
me if you have priorities that need the attention of the AASV.
--Tom Burkgren, DVM
|
