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USAHA Welcomes New Members!

USAHA members are the lifeblood of our organization and we are pleased to share with you the names of colleagues who have joined since January. Please join the USAHA executive committee and staff in welcoming these colleagues onto the USAHA team! New members, we are glad to have you and look forward to working with you for the betterment of USAHA and animal agriculture!

Individual Members:
  • Olivier Espiesse – Ceva Animal Health
  • Francois Fournier - Virbac Corporation
  • Holly Lemaire - Advanced Veterinary Services
  • Larry Shamis - Cortaro Equine Hospital
  • Ricord Torgerson - Washington State Dept of Agriculture
  • Binu Velayudhan - North Carolina Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
  • Min Yue - Zhejiang University

 
Student Members:
  • Melissa Ackerman - Washington State University
  • Rebecca Burke - University of South Carolina, Aiken
  • Taylor Donaldson - Texas A&M University
  • Katherine Franc - University of Georgia
  • Laura Glazik - University of Illinois
  • Tierra Price – Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Jeremy Rayl - University of Illinois
  • Zack Talbert - University of Illinois
  • Johnny Uelmen - University of Illinois
USAHA Hosts Another Successful GRC Meeting

Meeting Chair Dr. Charlie Hatcher and USAHA Executive Director Ben Richey welcomed 30 colleagues from USAHA and AAVLD to the annual Government Relations Committee (GRC) meeting, held in Washington D.C. from March 18 – March 20. The GRC meeting provides an opportunity for focused discussions with key federal agencies and organizations regarding USAHA Resolutions and topics of mutual interest that impact U.S. animal agriculture. Representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and from the Blue Ribbon Study Panel joined these important discussions for the first time and USAHA engaged perennial partners regarding long-standing issues of interest. The USAHA executive team discussed implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill during successful Hill meetings with Undersecretary Ibach and majority/minority congressional staff members. Attending members even took advantage of the capital bikeshare options to get some exercise in, and fortunately there were no injuries sustained thanks to the diligent cycling tuteledge of Dr. Dustin Oedekoven, USAHA 2 nd vice president. Thank you to all who attended this meeting and contributed to the discussions, and a special nod of appreciation goes to USAHA Executive Director Ben Richey for organizing three productive days.      
Committee Chair Transition Update

USAHA’s success is attributable in part to the excellent work completed by committee members under the leadership of our committee chairs, co-chairs and vice-chairs. While it is always bittersweet to witness enthusiastic, productive chairs complete their terms, it is reassuring to note that they are succeeded by USAHA member colleagues with comparable passion and expertise. Thanks to the guidance and input from these leaders, USAHA remains relevant in a quickly evolving world. We extend a heartfelt thank you to those committee leaders who have recently completed their terms or stepped down, and congratulate those who are newly appointed. Members, keep in mind committee leadership is a great way to get more deeply involved in animal agriculture issues important to you and the organizations you represent. Congratulations to the following USAHA colleagues:

Outgoing Committee Leadership
  • Donna Gatewood, Committee on Biologics and Biotechnology
  • Joe Huff, Committee on Biologics and Biotechnology
  • Andy Schwartz, Committee on Equine
  • Tammy Beckham, Committee on Foreign and Emerging Diseases
  • Alfonso Clavijo, Committee on Foreign and Emerging Diseases
  • Colin Gillin, Committee on Wildlife
  • Kevin Maher, Committee/Subcommittee on Livestock Identification
  • Dale Lauer, Committee on Poultry and Other Avian Species
  • Dustin Oedekoven, Committee on Cattle and Bison
  • Michael Costin, Subcommittee on Pharmaceutical Issues
  • Tim Goldsmith, Subcommittee on Pharmaceutical Issues
 
2019 Committee Leadership Appointments

Committee on Biologics and Biotechnology
  • Keith Haffer, Advantage BioConsultants, Chair
  • Alan Young, South Dakota State University, Vice Chair
Committee on Cattle and Bison
  • Beth Thompson, Minnesota Board of Animal Health, Vice Chair
Subcommittee on Tuberculosis
  • Beth Carlson, North Dakota Board of Animal Health, Vice Chair
Committee on Equine
  • Katie Flynn, California Dept. of Food and Agriculture, Chair
  • Joe Fisch, Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Vice Chair
Committee on Foreign and Emerging Diseases
  • Linda Logan, Texas A&M University, Chair
  • Karyn Havas, Cornell University, Vice Chair
Subcommittee on Pharmaceutical Issues
  • Steve Crawford, New Hampshire Dept. of Agriculture, Chair
  • Heather Fowler, National Pork Board, Vice Chair
Committee on Poultry and Other Avian Species
  • Yuko Sato, Iowa State University, Chair
  • Melissa Yates, Arkansas Poultry and Livestock Comm., Vice Chair
Committee on Wildlife
  • Peregrine Wolff, Nevada Dept. of Wildlife, Chair
  • Mark Ruder, University of Georgia, Vice Chair
USAHA Recodifies Professional Partnership with AAVLD

The American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) has been a loyal USAHA partner for nearly 62 years. The USAHA executive committee and staff recently took necessary steps to modernize and execute the MOU that codifies this professional relationship. This will help ensure transparency and accountability for both organizations in the coming years. The process also highlighted the need to convene a task force to review the Annual Meeting format and make recommendations for improvement to the USAHA and AAVLD leadership teams. This task force will likely be convened in the coming months, and feedback from every USAHA member will be important to ensure that the Annual Meeting remains productive for all attendees. Stay tuned for more information as this initiative evolves.
Register Now for the USAHA District Meetings

Are you craving a USAHA meeting fix but don’t want to leave your back yard to get it? You are in luck because the USAHA district meetings are right around the corner! Don’t forget to register and enjoy the great discussions and company of colleagues and friends.   

  • Northeast district: 4/7 – 4/10 in Annapolis, MD

  • North Central district: 5/14 – 5/15 in Des Moines, IA

  • Southern district: 6/2 – 6/5 in Greenville, SC

  • Western district: 6/2 – 6/5 in Park City, UT
Thank you all for your leadership and the contributions you make to USAHA!
U.S. Animal Health Association | usaha.org