The Washington, DC, area chapter has an active agenda with monthly meetings and is planning a spring symposium. The speakers and topics for our monthly meetings are listed below. We alternate meeting sites between CVM (Rockville, MD) and USDA, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Our mini-symposium is planned for April 26.

Continuing Education Conference: October 2017
Chew on this—Another look at fiber
The calendar year and our chapter year are winding down. Our yearly Continuing Education Conference gave our members an in-depth review of fiber. Chemistry, functionality, and utilization of fiber were covered. Attendance was fantastic. We have a meeting policy whereby vendors are asked to avoid using the meeting as an opportunity to make sales presentations. This year this request was well heeded. Thank you to the many vendors/sponsors for making this meeting a success. 

Each year the California-ARPAS group awards scholarships to students that present a preview or completed thesis project. This October at the annual continuing education meeting, the recipients were 
(left to right) Ashley Niesen, Yuki Okatsu, Maia Laabs, Hannah Gautier, and Morgan Wukadinovich.

All papers were submitted, reviewed by an ARPAS education committee, and then presenters were interviewed.

The state and national ARPAS congratulate these students from the University of California–Davis.

The Midwest region of ARPAS and the Midwest Chapter of ARPAS continue to be active in building and supporting ARPAS membership through engaging candidate members at animal and dairy science technical meetings and through targeted sponsorships and ARPAS presentations.

The winter leadership council meeting covered a wide range of topics related to chapter business and events. In attendance were John Martin (chapter president), Marit Arana, Andy Riordan, Stacy Tsang, Gabriella Acetoze, Jim Oltjen, Dave Ellis, Matt Kelly, Kevin Leahy, Peter Williams, and Renee Smith.

Our chapter is sponsoring our Mini-Symposium on “Environmental Sustainability and Animal Production” on April 26 at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (Conference Room 020, Building 005, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD). Attendees can register at the door at a cost of $40.00 and can claim 5 CEU for attendance. Richard Reynnells, our president elect, has put together a very impressive array of speakers. Allison Thornson, Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, Washington, DC, will speak on a “Multi-Stakeholder Approach for Sustainable Production of Commodity Crops.” Rick Kohn, University of Maryland professor of animal nutrition management, will address “Greenhouse Gas Mitigation.” The presentation of Katie Dotterer-Pyle, Cow Comfort Inn Dairy, Union Bridge, Maryland, is “Ask Farmers, Not Google.” Chris Voell, US EPA, international lead—Ag. AgStar and Global Methane Initiative Climate Change Division, will address “How EPA’s AgStar Program Promotes Environmental Sustainability and Animal Production.” Walter Mlubry, microbiologist, Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab, ARS, USDA, will speak on “Biological Treatment of Dairy Manure: Research Toward more Sustainable Practices in Nutrient Recovery and Reuse.” Last, Joel Newman, president and CEO of AFIA, will speak on “Global Feed LCA Institute and the Feed Industry.” A reception will follow the mini-symposium featuring the honoring of our chapter’s Dr. Vernon G. Pursel Memorial Distinguished Service Award winner for 2017, Richard D. Reynnells, PhD. Reynnells’s award states “for distinguished service to the animal sciences and in recognition of professional character and career accomplishments that serve as a model for professional animal scientists.”