We have been busy behind the scenes implementing significant improvements to better serve our members. Here is a recap on major projects:

• The ARPAS website was totally revised to improve your member experience. We simplified and shortened it wherever possible. Information was also updated. The result is a much more user-friendly and useful website. 
• The Prolydian electronic 24/7 exam system was established and is now available for all major species, with the remainder soon to come! We hope this makes it easier for our community to verify their expertise from anywhere at any time.
• We are also waiving the fee for lapsed members to come back to the ARPAS community throughout 2025.
• An electronic badging signature was made available to ARPAS members to signify their knowledge and skills. Showcase your expertise with our ARPAS membership badges, which you can use in your email signature and on your professional website or LinkedIn.
• The new academic aPAS and aaPAS membership was set up for initial use.

Three new 2024 sponsors were Cumberland Valley Analytical Services, Merck Animal Health, and Provita Supplements Inc. Thank you for your support, sponsors! Do you have a company or organization in mind that might want to partner with ARPAS? Let us know!

Membership as of early January was about 1,000 total with 64 graduate students and 86 board-certified members. Over the pandemic period, ARPAS lost about 50% of its members. We have programs in action to recruit lapsed members, new aPAS faculty members, and graduate students.

Are you curious about the current demographics of our ARPAS community? Here is a breakdown of our membership as of January 2025:  

1. Members specialties are as follows: 39% dairy, 32% beef, 11% beef/dairy, 9% horse, 5% swine, 4% poultry, 2% sheep/goats, and 1.9% companion and then laboratory, goat, and aquaculture. There are major growth opportunities across all these categories.
2. A total of 26% of members are female, but this statistic is increasing quickly.
3. About 500 members are over 50 years of age, and 400 are over 65 years of age. Almost 90% of these members are men.
4. Only 7% of members are graduate students. This is our biggest opportunity and challenge to grow membership.
5. Members are 45% in companies, 29% in academia, and 19% consultants, and the balance are in small business, government, and other categories. Again, there are growth opportunities across all these categories. And, an increase in academic membership directly affects graduate student membership.