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AABP/AVC Joint Meeting

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Letter from the President

Takk for sist,

This is a typical greeting for those of us with Norwegian background when we greet close friends.  It just means, thanks for the last time together.  So thanks for the “last time” and I am looking forward to the next time when we meet in Albuquerque.  It seems as if we just had our Dallas meeting and we are now close to our combined AVC/AABP Albuquerque meeting.  As I reflect on this my first letter to the AVC membership as President, I am humbled by the position, yet proud to be a part of both of these groups.  I look forward to this meeting when we will have the combined presence of the two premier cattle veterinary associations in the world.  The program looks great and the pre-conference seminars will be appealing to many. 

To many of us, CE for the food animal veterinarian has changed dramatically, yet much has not changed.  To illustrate, I looked back 30 years to the 1980 proceedings of the March meeting of AVC.  The topics and speakers were Jack Martin, nutritionist on Personnel Problems, Feedlot Personnel Management with Max Deets, Feedlot Manager with Solomon Valley Feeders, Outlines for Good Management by Dave Bornholdt of Norden Laboratories and People Motivation – Methods that will work for the Veterinary Consultant by Dick Owens, Manager of Hub Production.  We could have this same program back with very few changes.  Yet, things have changed dramatically as we now discuss carbon footprints, global warming, odor and dust compounds, human nutrition, consumer issues and the impact of the cattle industry on these issues. 

Our professional association is needed more than ever for the latest information. This includes not just health information but a broad spectrum of information dealing with consumer concerns, human health, political and legal issues, management and yes, animal health.  For some, the temptation is to surrender, hide and take the road that our profession will only deal with animal health.  As AVC members, we have decided, with board direction, to take the challenge of being informed on many issues and be an integral part of the beef industry as well as individual livestock operations.  This is why the AVC will continue to be on the cutting edge of livestock veterinary CE and will remain an integral part of animal agriculture for a long time.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Albuquerque.

Sincerely,

Gerald L. Stokka

AVC President