Randy Shaver, PhD, PAS, Dipl. ACAS – Animal Nutrition 

It is a pleasure to serve as your president for the coming year. I write fresh off our Annual Governing Council and Business Meetings in Montreal. Committee reports and discussions at these meetings underscore that ARPAS is a dynamic and vibrant organization. Our membership continues to grow! Check out the updated ARPAS Web site (http://www.arpas.org/) for online CEU submission and a listing of conferences that have been preapproved by ARPAS for CEUs. The PAS journal is now available via High Wire Press to expedite manuscript submission and review and online searches for journal articles.

We have experience and stability in the important positions of executive vice-president with Ken Cummings, executive assistant with Susie Rahn, PAS journal editor with Wayne Kellogg, and examining committee chair with Steve Schmidt, so you can expect that the day-to-day functions of ARPAS will continue to be conducted effectively. An award and recognition program for emeritus members, the Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Award, has been initiated, with the first group comprising six individuals who have all had a major role in the evolution of ARPAS.

On behalf of the organization, I want to extend appreciation to Marit Arana for her excellent leadership of the Governing Council and for her many years of dedicated service to ARPAS; I look forward to continuing to work with Marit in our new roles on the Executive Committee. I also look forward to working with the incoming president of ACAS, Bill Sanchez, to strengthen the opportunity for board certification of qualified ARPAS members.

The ARPAS Sponsored Symposium at the Joint Annual Meeting in Montreal covered various aspects of the National Feed Management Project and the ARPAS Feed Management Certification with the following invited speakers: Joe Harrison, Washington State University; Glenn Carpenter, NRCS; Virginia Ishler, Penn State University; and Charlie Stallings, Virginia Tech. President-elect Bill Braman and the Program Committee are already planning the next symposium at the 2010 Joint Annual Meeting in Denver.

A listing of ARPAS Standing Committees for 2009–2010 can be found on the ARPAS Web site (http://www.arpas.org/). Thanks to the members of these committees for their willingness to serve ARPAS in this important capacity. Later this year, I will appoint a committee to develop a strategic plan for continuing the success of ARPAS into the future. A survey of the ARPAS membership will be conducted so that you can have input on the planning process.

We recently established an ARPAS Foundation, and I will soon appoint a committee to provide direction to the Foundation. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your president! Please let me know of any ideas that emerge or suggestions that you may have. I can be reached by phone at (608) 263-3491 or by e-mail at rdshaver@wisc.edu.

Executive Vice-President's Report for 2008–2009 

ARPAS is a healthy and growing organization. Our membership is progressive, active, and willing to serve this organization. Being midway through my second year as your executive vice-president, my position on the learning curve now allows me to focus more on helping implement new programs, new chapters, and membership growth and less on fighting small brush fires and individual issues.

Your capable leadership headed by President Marit Arana and Past-President Darrell Johnson have done an outstanding job of orchestrating the activities and programs of ARPAS. I want to thank them and all the members of the Executive Committee for their commitments of time and talent on your behalf. The Governing Council members also deserve recognition because they have chaired the committees that actually do the work so necessary to support our organizational structure.

Special recognition is due Susie Rahn, our capable FASS administrative assistant, for all her efforts on your behalf. Rahn is your primary contact, and she handles the routine issues regarding membership, testing, and CEUs so efficiently that I seldom get involved. She constantly and courteously points out ways we can improve our administrative functions such as membership, tracking of CEUs, and evaluation of educational programs for ARPAS credits. Some changes have been made in our infrastructure as a result of Susie’s suggestions and the support of other FASS personnel. These changes will greatly reduce the time she has to spend on routine issues.

2008–2009 was a year of paying for deferred maintenance (called infrastructure improvements by politicians) for ARPAS. With help from the IT folks at FASS, we remodeled our Web site to eliminate outdated information and make it more user-friendly. We employed an online election process with great success, which significantly increased member participation and reduced staff time. A new sponsorship brochure was developed to enhance our work with this important part of our organization. Bill Sanchez and his committee have worked hard to cultivate new sponsors and retain those who have supported ARPAS in the past. These infrastructure modifications required money, and I am pleased to say that with membership growth and generous sponsors, we were able to pay for these changes without “bailout money” or deficit spending.

A concern voiced by members about the availability of personal information posted on the Web site was considered by the Executive Committee, and they agreed to reduce the information available to non-ARPAS members to only a member’s name and certification.

Steve Schmidt, with help from ARPAS members, Rahn, and FASS personnel, has refreshed most ARPAS exams, prepared and posted study guides, and expanded our ability to balance exams and track individual questions in our exam database. The Professional Animal Scientist is now available on Highwire, and the ARPAS newsletter is online and more user-friendly. A new ARPAS logo was created thanks to the effort of our historian Bill Price and other ARPAS members. It is now being incorporated into all our communications media.

A special thanks to Steve Emanuele for editing the ARPAS newsletter. Our newsletter has grown from a small communication piece developed by Bill Baumgardt, your first executive director, to an outstanding publication in a user-friendly format.

The American College of Animal Science (ACAS) is functional and has admitted several new diplomates. Please help us identify those highly qualified individuals who should be board certified members of ARPAS through our alternate certification program. Bill Sanchez is the incoming-president of ACAS.

I believe the treasurer’s report, submitted by our treasurer, Carl Hunt, will verify that ARPAS is in good financial condition. We owe a debt of gratitude to Keith Lusby for serving as the ARPAS treasurer for the past four years and steering us in the right financial direction.

New programs initiated in 2008–2009 include the ARPAS Foundation and the Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Award. Both of these have been featured in the newsletter. These programs are indicative of ARPAS reaching a stage of maturity that values recognition of members and provides a continuing financial mechanism for support of worthy endeavors.

Meetings I attend on behalf of ARPAS include the PAACO Board, Mid-West ASAS, Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference, Joint ADSA/ASAS, Cornell Nutrition Conference, California ARPAS, and Tri-State Nutrition Conferences. ARPAS exams were given at most of these meetings, and sponsors were cultivated. Thanks to many of you for proctoring ARPAS exams, individually and at conferences, during the past year.

Thanks to all ARPAS and ACAS members who gave of their time to work on behalf of this organization in 2008–2009.

It is very rewarding to work with this organization. Thank you for this privilege.

Kenneth Cummings, PhD,
PAS, Dipl. ACAN
Executive VP, ARPAS

Carl Hunt, Treasurer 

This report reflects the financial status of ARPAS as of June 30th, which is the mid-point of our fiscal year. Membership revenue is very good, and we have made our budget goals in almost all areas with the notable exception of corporate sponsorship, which lacks approximately $7,000 to meet our budget projection. Journal revenues are at 62 percent of annual budget at the mid-point of our fiscal year. Total revenue including unrealized investment gain ($3,600 ytd) was at 86 percent of that budgeted for the fiscal year. Likewise, ARPAS is in a good position with the expense side of the budget. ARPAS journal expenses are 51 percent of the fiscal year budget at the end of June. Although FASS service fees for administration and governance was a difficult item to estimate in the last fiscal year, these fees seem to be nearly on schedule in the current year (63 percent of the fiscal year budget ytd), and total administration and governance is actually under budget at 45 percent year-to-date. ARPAS revenues and expenses year-to-date are in a good position.

The balance sheet shows that ARPAS assets are almost $50,000 less on June 30th than at the end of the last fiscal year, largely because of a loss in asset value of our investments. On June 9, 2009, an ad hoc committee of Kenneth Cummings, Randy Shaver, Keith Lusby, and Carl Hunt discussed ARPAS’s investment goals and objectives. This committee affirmed that ARPAS should 1) attempt to hold in reserve the amount of about one year’s expenses ($250,000) and 2) maintain 75 percent of the reserve in fixed income and money market holdings with the other 25 percent in securities. I will work more closely with the firm of Stefil Nicholas to maintain our reserves in these proportions.

On the whole, the ARPAS membership can feel very positive about the financial status of the organization.

Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Awards for 2009 

Six individuals were named as the initial recipients of the ARPAS Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Awards. They were Bill Baumgardt, Dick Frahm, Virgil Hays, Connie Kercher, James Oldfield, and Wayne Perry. All served ARPAS as founders or in key leadership roles combined with distinguished professional careers in the animal sciences.

The Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Award is bestowed annually on members of ARPAS who have achieved or are eligible for emeritus status and have made significant contributions to the animal sciences during their active career. They also must have served in leadership positions within ARPAS.

Baumgardt was the first executive director for ARPAS, serving from 1999 to 2002. He implemented many of the successful programs and policies that shaped ARPAS as we know it today.

Frahm served ARPAS as secretary (1989–1993), southern director (1988–1990), and as our second executive vice-president (2002–2007).

Hays was the second president of ARPAS (1985–1986) and was instrumental in the formation of ARPAS.

Kercher was western director of ARPAS from 1984 to 1987 and president in 1993–1994.

Oldfield served as the president of ARPAS in 1993–1994 and as editor of The Professional Animal Scientist from 1993 to 1996.

Perry was continually involved with ARPAS from its founding in 1984 until 2004. He served as secretary (1984–1989), treasurer (1984–1992), editor (1984–1988), and historian (1993–2004).

Because this was the inaugural year for the award, we exceeded our stated number of awards (0.3% of membership) to include all these deserving recipients. Each will be honored at an appropriate event of their choosing and given a certificate and a commemorative crystal paperweight engraved with their name. They have been granted lifetime membership in ARPAS with emeritus privileges.

We are grateful for the contributions each of these individuals made to ARPAS and to our profession of animal science.

As a reminder, any ARPAS member may nominate candidates for the 2010 award. Final selection will be made by the ARPAS Executive Committee with confirmation from the ARPAS Governing Council.

2009 California ARPAS Continuing Education Conference  

The California ARPAS Chapter 2009 Continuing Education Conference is scheduled for October 29 and 30 at Harris Ranch in Coalinga, California. The theme of this year’s conference is Forage Management: Seed to Bunk. Speakers and topics are as follows: Mark McCasland, Cropland, will discuss current plant breeding technologies to balance the agronomics and nutritional merits of alfalfa and other forages. Ted McCollum, Texas A&M, will present information about sorghum forages as an alternative forage when water availability is an issue. Rick Grant, Miner Institute, will explore the topic of forage fragility and digestibility—a new way to look at describing forage physical properties. Lew Armentano, University of Wisconsin, will present information on effective NDF in dairy rations, and Mike Allen, Michigan State, will discuss the effects of forage type (straw, grasses, legumes, and corn silage) on intake, digestion, and milk responses of dairy cows. ARPAS continuing education credits will be available for conference attendees.
Barbara Barton, PhD, PAS, Dipl ACAN

Information regarding the conference can be obtained by contacting Barbara Barton, CA-ARPAS Secretary–Treasurer, at bbarton@balchem.com or by going to the CA-ARPAS Web site www.arpasca.net.

Equine Science Society Symposium, Keystone, Colorado 

The Twenty-First Equine Science Society (ESS) Symposium, hosted by Colorado State University, was held May 29–31, 2009, at the Keystone Conference Center in Keystone, Colorado. Over 300 people were in attendance, with representatives from 67 institutions and seven countries. Abstract submissions were up this year, with 123 presentations and 38 posters in areas such as nutrition, exercise physiology, reproduction, production and management, teaching, and extension. Helping to boost this increase was a new section on genetics and a new program that waived registration fees for students submitting abstracts for the graduate student competition. This year also marked a new relationship for ESS as the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (JEVS) was designated as the official journal of the organization, and the symposium proceedings were published in the May issue of JEVS.

Once again, the symposium hosted several invited talks by speakers including Nicholas Frank of the University of Tennessee (nutrition), Ed Squires of the University of Kentucky (reproductive physiology), Matthew Hickey from Colorado State University (exercise physiology), and Heidi Brady of Texas Tech University (production and management). One of the best attended sessions was an overview of the unwanted horse issue in the United States, presented by Tom Lenz, Chair of the Unwanted Horse Coalition. Papers associated with these invited talks were also published in the May issue of JEVS.

Officers for the coming two-year term are Paul Siciliano, president; Brian Nielsen, vice president; Jason Bruemmer, secretary/treasurer; and directors Jason Turner, Burt Stanier, and Ken McKeever. The 2011 meeting will be held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, hosted by Middle Tennessee State University.

The ESS Symposium is an ARPAS-approved meeting, with up to 20 continuing education units (CEU) available for ARPAS members. In addition, the meeting hosted two opportunities for ARPAS applicants to take the written examination.
Betsy Wagner, PhD, PAS

National Association of Equine Affiliated Academics 

The inaugural meeting of the National Association of Equine Affiliated Academics (NAEAA) was held May 28–29. The meeting was held before the Equine Science Society (ESS) Symposium at the Keystone Conference Center in Keystone, Colorado. The first day centered on the topics of defining the equine discipline, costs and benefits of intensive learning experiences, internship programs, and senior capstone experiences. The presentations and panel discussions associated with these topics were led by faculty and instructors from equine and animal science programs around the country. The day wrapped up with a poster session followed by a discussion panel consisting of industry representatives, including ARPAS president Marit Arana.

A membership meeting was held the final morning of the conference, led by Karin Bump, director and founder of NAEAA. There was a favorable response to the previous day’s topics, which encouraged considerable sharing of ideas and networking among participants. Members were encouraged to submit information to the NAEAA database regarding the size and scope of their institution’s equine program. The organization is considering an annual meeting, possibly held in conjunction with ESS or other organization meetings or as a stand-alone conference. In the meantime, the board of directors will continue to meet regularly as this new organization takes root.

The mission of the National Association of Equine Academics is to encourage increased cooperation and information sharing at a national level between colleges and universities with equine programs. Approximately 185 institutions have some type of undergraduate curricular offerings related to the equine discipline. For more information on this organization, visit their Web site at www.naeaa.com.

Betsy Wagner, PhD, PAS

Penn State Dairy Nutrition Workshop Coming this Fall 

The Penn State Department of Dairy and Animal Science invites ARPAS members to join them again this fall at the Penn State Dairy Nutrition Workshop. The workshop will be held November 11–12, 2009, at the Holiday Inn in Grantville, Pennsylvania. Last year’s workshop was well-attended by ARPAS members, and members can earn up to 18 continuing education units. For more information, visit their Web site: http://www.das.psu.edu/dairy/nutrition/continuing-education/workshop.

ARPAS Members in Montreal