We will have the opportunity to gather at our ARPAS Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) of ADSA and ASAS in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July. The Governing Council and members will review activities of the past and discuss ARPAS programs and services that will enhance our professions. The organization was developed on the needs for certification, continued education, and commitment to a code of ethics. During the last 40 years since the formation of ARPAS, the organization has increased membership and programs to support animal scientists and is strong financially.

The first two issues of the 32nd volume of The Professional Animal Scientist (PAS) contain eight review articles:

Design, Analysis, and Execution of Quality Grazing Research

• Grazing management options in meeting objectives of grazing experiments
• The roles of forage management, forage quality, and forage allowance in grazing research
• Designing a grazing experiment that can reliably detect meaningful differences
• Getting more information from your grazing research beyond cattle performance

Reproductive Efficiency of Beef Cows

• Nutrition and management of cows: Supplementation and feed additives
• Choosing a calving date
• Use of ultrasonography to make reproductive management decisions
• Advantages of current and future reproductive technologies for beef cattle production

The 2016 ARPAS Elections will open Sunday, May 1, 2016. An email notification will be sent to all members with information about the 2016 nominees and how to cast a vote. 

This year’s nominees are as follows:

President-Elect
Dr. John K. Bernard
Dr. David P. Casper

Northeast Section Director
Dr. Mark S. Wagner 

Voting will end Tuesday, May 31 at midnight. 

May 4, 2016. ARPAS California Chapter Spring Business Meeting 

August 25, 2016. Bang for Your Buck–4:00 to 8:30 pm. This has become a major fundraising event for our Scholarship and Research Committees. A trap shoot is held at the Kingsburg Gun Club. A great event that everyone should attend. If you are a member of ARPAS (nationally) and have any possible reason to get to California choose some time around this date. You will not be disappointed. 

October 29–27, 2016. California ARPAS Continuing Education Conference, Harris Ranch, Coalinga, CA. The committee has decided to continue the theme started last year with the Biology of Why Models Work or Don’t: Carbohydrates and Fats. Most of the topics and speakers have been confirmed. Check the website for continuing updates on the agenda as the speakers are confirmed. This event is rather unique for attendants. We have a policy that this is a technical meeting and vendors are asked not to engage in sales presentations. If your schedule permits, and you cannot make the trap shoot, please join us in October to the CEC. 

The Midwest Chapter of ARPAS, which was started in 2011, had approximately 161 members as of March 2016. The chapter continues to be active in building and supporting ARPAS membership through the University and Industry Relations Committees as well as through targeted sponsorships and ARPAS presentations.