Threats prompt reallocation of biotech education funds

The University of Florida announced Aug. 27 that it will re-allocate a donation intended to improve the public's understanding of science after public threats to the researcher.

The Monsanto Co. donated $25,000 to support the "Talking Biotech" program, a science communication effort that provided on-campus workshops to train scientists about how to engage the public on agricultural biotechnology. The university will reallocate the funds to the campus food pantry.

The program is run by Kevin Folta, professor and chairman of the UF Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences horticultural sciences department and a recognized leader in bringing science to the public. Since Monsanto's donation to the program became widely visible in a recent Nature article, Folta has experienced baseless, damaging allegations and received comments that could be construed as threats.

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AVMF favorite vet contest halted due to cyber-bullying

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) announced Aug. 26 that it decided, reluctantly, to halt its "America's Favorite Veterinarian Contest" and declare all 20 finalists "America's Favorite Veterinarians" following a vicious cyber-bullying attack that disrupted and contaminated the final election process.

According to AVMF, activists opposed to cat declawing "hijacked" the contest, resorting to cyber-bullying the majority of the contest finalists - those who believe that declawing cats remains a last-resort, but viable, alternative to separating pets from their owners when the animal's behavior cannot be controlled any other way.

AVMF said one contestant, for example, was called "a butcher, a mutilator, a hack, an animal hater, a disgrace to the profession," while other contestants were subjected to the circulation of fraudulent negative advertisements, negative reviews and threatening phone calls.

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Collaborative effort yields manure fact sheet

Thanks to a long-term, collaborative effort, a new fact sheet detailing "Beneficial Uses of Manure & Environmental Protection" has been released.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Assn. (NCBA) and other livestock groups, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, recently released the two-page document, which details the importance of manure and demonstrates to the public the ways in which it can benefit the economy while also being managed in ways which protect the environment.

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Humans carry more antibiotic-resistant bacteria
than animals they work with

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a concern for the health and well-being of both humans and farm animals. One of the most common and costly diseases faced by the dairy industry is bovine mastitis, a potentially fatal bacterial inflammation of the mammary gland (IMI).

Widespread use of antibiotics to treat the disease is often blamed for generating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, researchers investigating staphylococcal populations responsible for causing mastitis in dairy cows in South Africa found that humans carried more antibiotic-resistant staphylococci than the farm animals with which they worked. The research is published in the Journal of Dairy Science.

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ADSA News and Happenings
FDA to Hold Public Meeting on Antibiotic Use Data Collection
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently announced its plan to hold a jointly sponsored public meeting to obtain public input on possible approaches for collecting additional on-farm antimicrobial drug use and resistance data.  The meeting will be held in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  As a part of the government's response to Executive Order 13676: Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, the agencies are working to improve the collection of antibiotic use data to better assess the impact of measures being implemented to foster the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.
The public meeting will be held on September 30, 2015 from 8:00am to 4:30pm, at the USDA's Jefferson Auditorium, located at 14th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201.  Registration is required to participate in the public meeting.  Registration information (including name, title, organization, address, telephone and fax numbers) should be sent by email to [email protected] by September 18, 2015.   Those interested in making an oral presentation during the public comment period must notify FDA by September 16, 2015, and submit a brief statement of the general nature of information they wish to present.  A copy of the Federal Register notice with additional details about the meeting can be found here.
 
JAM Survey Results
Thanks to all who responded to the post-JAM survey.  We are pleased that attendees indicated that it was a quality program that was valuable to them.  Here are a few of the specific results.  The numbers shown are the average response ranging from 1 to 5 where 5= Strongly agree:
  • Overall value, for the registration rate paid, to 3.86
  • Overall conference experience  4.07  
  • Overall, the scientific program met my needs and expectations  4.05
  • The quality of the science presented was worthy of a world-class animal and dairy science meeting  4.01
In addition 94.6% would recommend the JAM to a colleague.
 
ADSA at World Dairy Expo
World Dairy Expo will soon be upon us and ADSA will be there at our usual spot in the Arena level of the Coliseum, Booth: AL 178. The expo will be held from September 29 through October 3, 2015. If you will be attending the expo this year and would like to help at the ADSA exhibit booth, please contact Cara Tharp at [email protected] . We will then get back to you to schedule time slots.
 
30th Discover Conference Program is Set
Have you made plans yet to attend the 30th Discover Conference "Creating an Enduring U.S. Dairy Production Sector"?  The speaker list is in place and will be a great program.  You can check out the agenda and speakers on the DC 30 website. The Conference, hosted by the American Dairy Science Association�, will be held November 2-5, 2015 at Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Itasca, IL.  On-line and or mail-in registration is available on the website. The early registration deadline is October 2.  
 
Are You Part of ADSA� on Linked In
Our ADSA Linked In group continues to grow. We currently have 1,394 members from around the world, are you one of them? It's a great place to network with other dairy professionals from around the world.  Check it out here.

Thanks to our Corporate Sustaining Members
                                 We appreciate your ongoing support of ADSA and the Journal of Dairy Science�.

Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition
Elanco Animal Health
Diamond V Mills 
Kent Nutrition
Grande Cheese Co.
Kraft Foods
GEA Farm Technologies 
BioZyme Inc.
Darling International Research
Quali Tech
Zook Nutrition & Management
Zinpro
DuPont Pioneer
Zoetis
West Central
Lallemand Animal Nutrition
Ag Processing
Renaissance Nutrition
Global Agri-Trade Corp.
Masters Choice
Papillon Agricultural Co. 
Calendar of Events
Sept. 1-3, 2015 Fluid Milk Packaged for Consumption - Processing & Testing for Quality & Safety Workshop, Food Science Conference Center, 148 Stocking Hall on the Cornell Campus in Ithaca, NY. For more information, click here.
Sept 8-9, 2015 Cultured Dairy Products Short Course UW Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, For more information click here
Sept 13-15, 2015  NYS Cheese Manufacturers' Association .Annual Fall Meeting, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Lake Placid, NY, for more information contact Janene Lucia  607-255-2892
Sept 16-17, 2015  The 76th Minnesota Nutrition Conference ,Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake, MN, For more information click here.
Sept 17-19, 2015  48th Annual Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners* New Orleans, LA For more information click here
Sept 21-24, 2015  NYS Association for Food ProtectionAnnual Conference/FDA NE Regional Update, Syracuse, NY, For more information contact Janene Lucia  607-255-2892
Sept 22-24, 2015  Master Artisan Short Course Series, UW Madison,  For more information click here
Sept 28 - Oct 1, 2015, 5th International Symposium on Managing Animal Mortalities, Products, By-Products, and Associated Risks: Connecting Research, Regulations, and Responses. in Lancaster, PA. For more information click here
Sept. 29 - Oct. 3, 2015 World Dairy Expo "Dairy in Our DNA", Madison, WI.  For more information click here
Oct 12-16, 2015 Cheese Tech Short Course, UW Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, For more information click here
Oct 13-15, 2015  High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Pasteurizer Workshop, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, For more information contact Steve Murphy 607-255-2893 or
Janene Lucia  607-255-2892
October 14-18, 2015  ADGA Annual Convention, The Riverside Hotel, Boise, ID. For more information contact American Dairy Goat Association, PO Box 865, Spindale, NC 28160, 828-286-3801 or [email protected]. www.ADGA.org.
Oct 20-21, 2015  Dairy Ingredient Applications, UW Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, For more information click here
Oct 20-22, 2015  Pasteurizer Operators Workshop, Penn State University, Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building, University Park, PA, for information and registration click here
Oct 20-22, 2015  77th Annual Cornell Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers*, Doubletree Hotel Syracuse, East Syracuse, NY, For more information click here
Oct 22-24, 2015 Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge: hosted by Penn State University in State College, PA For more information, visit the Dairy Challenge web site
Oct. 22-28, 2015 119th IUSAHA- AAVLD Annual Meeting , Rhode Island Convention Center. Providence, RI, For more information click here
Oct. 26, 2015  Vat Pasteurization Workshop in Association with NYS Agriculture & Markets, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, For more information contact  Rob Ralyea 607-255-7643 or  Janene Lucia 607-255-2892
Oct 26-28, 2015  12th Anniversary of the International Symposium on Milk Genomics and Human Health, Sydney Australia, For more information click here.
Oct 27-28, 2015 Basic Cheese Making Workshop, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, For more information contact Rob Ralyea607-255-7643 or Janene Lucia607-255-2892
Nov 2-5, 2015    30th Discover Conference - "Creating an Enduring U.S. Dairy Production Sector", Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Itasca, Il. For more information, click here
Nov 5-7, 2015    Cheese Grading Short Course, UW Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, For more information click here
Nov 9-11, 2015  Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals*, Kansas City, Missouri, For more information click here
Nov. 9-12, 2015  The Science and Art of Cheese Making Short Course, Penn State University, Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Bldg, University Park, PA. For more information and registration click here
Nov. 10-11, 2015  Accredited Introductory HACCP Training, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. For more information, click here, to register click here.

Nov 11-12, 2015 PA Dairy Cattle Nutrition Workshop, For more information
click here
Nov 12-13, 2015  DCRC Annual Meeting, Adam's Mark, Buffalo, New York, For more information click here
Nov. 12-13, 2015   Implementing SQF Systems, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. For more information click here, to register Click here.

Nov 15-17, 2015 Southern Regional Dairy Challenge: hosted by Virginia Tech in Abington, VA For more information, visit the Dairy Challenge web site
Dec 2-4, 2015   Ice Cream Makers Short Course, UW Madison, Babcock Hall, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison WI Download a copy of the brochure and register for the short course
Feb 17-19, 2016 Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge: hosted by UW Platteville and Southwest Technical College in Platteville, WI For more information, visit the Dairy Challenge web site
Feb 23, 2016  Vermont Dairy Producers Conference, For more information click here
Feb 25-27, 2016 Western Regional Dairy Challenge: hosted by College of the Sequoias in Tulare, CA  For more information, visit the Dairy Challenge web site
Mar. 8 - 11, 2016  34th Western Canadian Dairy Seminar*, for more information click here
Mar 14 - 16, 2016 Midwest Meeting ADSA� Midwest Branch and ASAS Midwestern Section, Des Moines, IA
April 7-9, 2016 North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge & Academy: hosted by the Northeast Region in Syracuse, NY For more information, visit the Dairy Challenge web site
Apr18 - 20, 2016 Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, Grand Wayne Center,  Fort Wayne, IN, For more information click here
May 1-4, 2016Large Dairy Herd Management (LDHM) Conference, Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort and Conference Center, Oak Brook, IL, For more information click here
June 20-24, 2016 13th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis*, Nantes, France, For more information click here
July 19-23, 2016  ADSA- ASAS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM)*, Salt Lake City, UT, for more information click here
June 25-28, 2017 2017 ADSA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Pittsburgh, PA.  For more information click here
*An S-PAC Partner Conference
 
If your organization's conference isn't among the ever growing list that contribute proceedings and presentations to S-PAC�, ask your conference organizer to contact Ken Olson for more information about the benefits of participation.
If you would like to have an event included in the "Dates to Note," please contact Ken Olson.
ADSA Membership Benefits                                 
                                           
Did you know that your ADSA Professional Membership provides you with:

*        Electronic access to the Journal of Dairy Science�

*        Joint Annual Meeting at member rates

*        Discover Conferences at member rates

*        S-PAC: Free access to JAM and ADSA divisional abstracts

*        S-PAC subscription at member rates

*        Access to recorded symposia library                                                                       

*        ADSA News (association newsletter)

*        ADSA Dair e-news (ADSA industry newsletter)

*        Access to member directory

*        Peer recognition through ADSA and Foundation Award Program

*        Discounted page charges in Journal of Dairy Science�

*        A strong voice of advocacy for the animal sciences, animal agriculture and agriculture research

*        Broad author recognition through ADSA/Elsevier press release program

*        Linked In and You Tube sites for ADSA

*        Quality networking with academic and industry professionals

*        Travel awards for all graduate students attending Discover Conferences

*        Opportunity to serve peers via committee and officer positions

 
For more information on your benefits please visit: http://www.adsa.org/join.asp
To join now and gain these member benefits, visit: http://www.adsa.org/join.asp

American Dairy Science Association
1800 South Oak St., Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820