AASV Goes to Washington

June 16, 2010 — 

The AASV Executive Committee traveled to Washington, DC June 13 - 15, 2010 to meet with animal agriculture related agencies. Participants included Past-president Butch Baker, President Paul Ruen, Vice president Tara Donovan, Executive Director Tom Burkgren and Communications Director Harry Snelson. The AASV leadership joined their counterparts from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP).

The trip has become an annual event hosted by the American Veterinary Medical Association's Government Relations Division in DC. The AASV and AABP leadership met with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, American Farm Bureau, USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services and Food Safety Inspection Service, and the Food and Drug Administration to discuss issues of importance to swine and bovine veterinarians.

In addition, the AASV participants visited with research program leaders from USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). During this meeting, the group discussed on-going swine health and production research programs and the challenges to maintaining and increasing federal funding for basic and applied swine research. Upon the formation of NIFA, formerly CSREES, five priority topic areas (global food security, childhood obesity, climate change, food safety and sustainable bio-energy) were identified to govern the emphasis of research projects funded by the agency. All future research projects must fit into at least one of the five priorities some of which have proven challenging for swine research efforts. Ultimately it is hoped that this change in emphasis will result in increased funding for agriculture in general but the impact on swine health and production remains unclear.

The AASV leadership had the opportunity to meet with the AVMA's Government Relations folks to discuss legislative issues of importance to veterinary medicine. The Executive Committee members spent time visiting their Congressional representatives and staff members to educate them regarding issues such as the Veterinary Loan Repayment program, the Veterinary Services Investment Act, and the Preservation of Antimicrobials for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA).