Participants in the AASV Participant-Led, Early-Career Swine Veterinarian Development Program met in Nashville, Tennessee Friday, February 23, 2024, immediately before the AASV Annual Meeting. As selected by the program participants, the topic was “Economic problem-solving tools for business and personal financial decisions” presented by Dr Derald Holtkamp.
In September, participants had a unique opportunity to visit the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. The $1.25 billion, 574,000-ft2 facility will safely and securely support the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) mission to protect livestock from foreign, emerging, and zoonotic diseases. After learning about research priorities, foreign animal disease diagnostic services, and completion progress, participants toured biosafety level (BSL)-2, -3, and -4 livestock containment spaces, the Biologics Development Module, and supporting infrastructure.
One participant said, “Getting to see inside the NBAF facility was likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I greatly appreciate being able to see behind the scenes into what USDA works on when we talk about foreign animal diseases,” while others were impressed with the extraordinary level of biosecurity. The AASV Board of Directors toured NBAF in August 2023 and shared their impressions in a previous issue of JSHAP (aasv.org/shap/issues/v31n6/v31n6advocacy.html).
The following day, early career participants were joined by Kansas State University swine nutrition experts Drs Jordan Gebhardt, Robert Goodband, Mike Tokach, and Katelyn Gaffield. Participants enjoyed an interactive discussion about nutrition and non-infectious disease management.
The sixth and final individual module will be held this winter. The program will end with an early-career preconference seminar, “Be the Pig’s Champion with Effective Herd Visits,” at the 2025 AASV Annual Meeting in San Francisco on Sunday, March 2. All annual meeting attendees are eligible to register for the preconference seminar.
The goal of the AASV Participant-Led Early-Career Swine Veterinarian Development Program, funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Veterinary Services Grant Program, is to create a practitioner-led, early-career swine veterinarian development program to provide participants with resources needed to encourage and ensure successful, lifelong careers as swine veterinarians and to cultivate new leaders in swine veterinary medicine. This program is free to selected participants. Participants attending modules in person receive a $500 stipend per module to offset travel, lodging, and any other costs associated with participation in this program. The current program runs through July 2025. AASV hopes to to offer this program to another cohort of early-career swine veterinarians in the future. Learn more about the program at aasv.org/earlycareerdevelopmentprogram.
AASV Board of Directors conducted business in August
The AASV Board of Directors met in Ames, Iowa August 21-22. After a tour of the new Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, they met to conduct association business. Highlights of action taken include:
Gene editing position statement: The board approved a new position on gene editing. See aasv.org/position-statements.
MentorVet scholarships: The board approved funding for 5 additional AASV member scholarships for the spring 2025 cohort of the program. Application instructions will be announced in the AASV e-Letter.
Member directory: The board directed staff to increase the number of membership directory queries allowed per day from 8 to 15.
Muscular injury survey: The board approved a request from Texas A&M University to invite AASV members to participate in a survey on veterinarian muscular injury research.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) elimination resolution: The board approved a resolution on PEDV elimination to be presented at the upcoming US Animal Health Association meeting.
Complete Board of Directors and Executive Committee meeting minutes are available to AASV members at aasv.org/board-meeting-minutes.
Students: Apply for Alternate Student Delegate position by November 15
The AASV Student Engagement Committee is accepting applications from veterinary students interested in serving as the Alternate Student Delegate on the AASV Board of Directors. This student will represent student interests and serve as a non-voting member of the AASV board. This experience will provide the student with a unique perspective of the inner workings of the AASV. The term of service is 2 years: the first year as alternate student delegate, and the second year as the student delegate.
The alternate student delegate and student delegate are required to attend the AASV board’s fall and spring meetings each year, as well as the two AASV Annual Meetings held during their term. The spring board meeting is usually held in April and the fall board meeting is generally held in September. Recent board meetings have been held in central Iowa, but the date and location can vary as determined by the board. The two delegates work with AASV staff to prepare for student activities (Vet Hunt, Speed Networking) conducted during the AASV Annual Meeting. During the student breakfast at the Annual Meeting, the student delegate is encouraged to present a summary of board activities and describe student opportunities in AASV to the students in attendance. In addition, the delegate and alternate delegate serve as voting members of the AASV Student Engagement Committee and are invited to participate in committee conference calls and meetings.
Both delegates receive reimbursement of their travel and lodging expenses to attend board meetings as well as both AASV Annual Meetings during their term of office.
Interested students must be members of AASV in their freshman or sophomore year. The Student Engagement Committee does take notice of repeat applicants in the selection process. Applicants are required to submit the following documentation to the AASV (aasv@aasv.org):
- An introductory letter, not to exceed one page, describing why they want to serve as the alternate student delegate for AASV, their level of interest/background in swine medicine, and their future career goals.
- A one- or two-page resume featuring the student’s interest and experience in production medicine, particularly swine medicine.
- A statement of recommendation from a faculty member.
The deadline for submission of necessary documentation is Friday, November 15, 2024. The delegate will be chosen by members of the AASV Student Engagement Committee following review of the submitted materials.
The term of service is two years, beginning at the AASV Annual Meeting. During the first year, the student will serve as the alternate student delegate. The alternate delegate will automatically succeed as student delegate, beginning at the Annual Meeting the following year. The alternate delegate will serve in the capacity of delegate if the student delegate is unable to carry out their duties. Each year, a new alternate delegate is selected by the AASV Student Engagement Committee.
Questions may be directed to the chair of the AASV Student Engagement Committee, Dr Jamie Madigan, by email at jamiemm@pillenfamilyfarms.com.
Who are the “champions” of AASV? Nominate them for an award!
The 2025 AASV Annual Meeting theme exhorts each of us to “be the pig’s champion.” As nominations open for the awards to be presented at the meeting, it seems fitting to ask, “Who are the champions of AASV?” That is, who are the members that elevate the profession by striving for excellence in their role within it?
Who comes to your mind as a champion industry leader? A first-rate teacher or researcher? An exemplary tech services veterinarian? Someone who says “yes” and does a great job when asked to serve the association? An outstanding practitioner or young swine vet? It is time to give them the recognition they deserve! Nominate them for one of the following six awards to be presented in San Francisco, California.
Howard Dunne Memorial Award – Given annually to an AASV member who has made a significant contribution and rendered outstanding service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Meritorious Service Award – Given annually to an individual who has consistently given time and effort to the association in service to the AASV members, AASV officers, and the AASV staff.
Swine Practitioner of the Year – Given annually to the swine practitioner (AASV member) who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency in the delivery of veterinary service to his or her clients.
Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year – Given annually to the technical services or allied industry veterinarian (AASV member) who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of veterinary service to his or her company and its clients as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year – Given annually to an AASV member employed in academia who has demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, and service to the swine veterinary profession. Faculty members, graduate students, and researchers are eligible to receive this award.
Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year – Given annually to a swine veterinarian who is an AASV member, 5 years or less post graduation, who has demonstrated the ideals of exemplary service and proficiency early in his or her career. AASV members who received their veterinary degree in 2019 through 2023 are eligible to be considered for the 2025 award.
Are you wondering who has been recognized in the past? See aasv.org/awards/ for a list of the previous recipients of each award.
Nominations are due December 11. The nomination letter should specify the award and cite the qualifications of the candidate for the award. Submit nominations by email, aasv@aasv.org, or mail to 830 26th Street Perry, Iowa 50220.
Announcing AASV’s new website
We are pleased to announce the launch of AASV’s new website! All of AASV’s content and information will continue to be available to you at aasv.org.
However, the login process has changed. You will need to use the email address you have on file with AASV to set up a new password for accessing the site’s members-only content.
To set your new password:
- Go to aasv.org and click on the lock icon in the upper right of the screen.
- Look for “Need your password?” and click the button to “Reset Password.”
- Enter your email address on file with AASV and click the button to “Get New Password.”
- Open the email message you should have just received from AASV (remember to check your spam folder) and click on the URL it contains.
- Create and enter your new password, then click “Save Password”.
To log in, click the lock icon and enter your email address and your new password.
We think you will love the site’s fresh look and mobile-friendly functionality! The AASV staff has worked hard to update and migrate content, but we realize there may be a few glitches during this transition. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. Please contact aasv@aasv.org if you are unable to find what you are looking for, or if you see something amiss. We will do our best to assist as quickly as possible.
AASV student member contributes to AASV theme image
Cora Schau, a third-year veterinary student at Iowa State University (ISU) and AASV student member, was happy to lend her artistic talent to support AASV in response to a request from 2025 AASV Annual Meeting Program Chair Dr Locke Karriker.
While working for the ISU Swine Medicine Education Center (SMEC) directed by Dr Karriker, Cora had the opportunity to use her artistic skills in a variety of projects. Recognizing her abilities, Karriker invited her to design a sticker to promote the 2025 AASV Annual Meeting. Cora prepared several designs for consideration, and AASV officers and staff selected their favorite for the sticker.
The stickers proved popular at the 2024 IPVS Congress, ISU James D. McKean Swine Disease Conference, Allen D. Leman Conference, and other gatherings of swine veterinarians, so elements from Cora’s original design were incorporated into the 2025 AASV Annual Meeting theme image that accompanies the meeting program in this issue.
Cora grew up raising and showing many different livestock species and plans to return to Michigan to work in rural mixed-animal practice. However, she has always had an interest in art. When not working with her animals, she spent a lot of time painting and drawing. She owns a photography company and paints commission pieces when she’s not busy with third-year studies.
Cora encourages other student members to attend the Annual Meeting in San Francisco March 1-4, 2025. “It is a great opportunity for students to get out and talk with members of the industry and get involved. It connects individuals from all over and provides a place to learn and grow.”
Video resources for AASV members
Many video resources are available to AASV members in the Video Library at aasv.org/video.
Annual Meeting videos. AASV members can view keynote addresses, special 50th anniversary videos, and other selected presentations from 2005-2024 Annual Meetings.
SHIC/AASV webinars. Webinars sponsored by the Swine Health Information Center and AASV bring together subject matter experts to discuss current issues facing US pork producers and practitioners. Conducted by the Iowa State University Swine Medicine Education Center, webinar participants include practitioners with first-hand experience with the topic being discussed, diagnosticians, and other experts. Recorded webinars from 2019-2024 are available in the video library.
Do you have a recommendation for a topic to be addressed in this format? SHIC and AASV would like your input! Reach out to SHIC Executive Director Dr Megan Niederwerder at mniederwerder@swinehealth.org or AASV Director of Public Health and Communications Dr Abbey Canon at canon@aasv.org with your webinar recommendations.
The Swine Medicine Talks. Free video recordings from the 2015-2024 Swine Medicine Talks seminar series are available to AASV members. Recent topics include tractor-trailer rollovers and emergency response, the path to success for new graduates and gaining trust on a farm, and what practitioners need to know about applied swine genetics.
Early career webinars. Recorded presentations from the 2021 Early Career Swine Veterinarian Conference are available to AASV members. Topics include financial literacy, ventilation, and case studies in reproductive failure and nursery and finishing disease.
Heritage videos. To preserve some of the personal histories and capture the human element of swine veterinary medicine, distinguished AASV members recollect their experiences in the Heritage video series. The latest Heritage videos feature Drs Conrad Schmidt, Lisa Tokach, and Angela Baysinger. A video produced in 2023 recounts the history of the AASV Foundation from its humble beginnings.
Worth 1000 words – AASV Photo Library
Did you know the AASV has more than 10,000 images available in its photo library? Members can access photos at aasv.org/photo-library.
AASV members are encouraged to use the contributed images for their own reference and for extending their own knowledge. Brief scholarly use — such as inclusion in a classroom lecture or when speaking at a conference — is generally permissible. Commercial use or publication is not covered by the informal understanding we have with our contributors. Additional guidelines for use are described in the photo library.
Need something to listen to? Download from AASV’s Audio Library
During the AASV Annual Meeting, veterinary students research a presenter’s topic, prepare questions, and interview conference speakers to gain additional information about their presentation topics. Each 5- to 15-minute audio interview is produced as an MP3 audio file.
Did you miss this year’s meeting? Do you wish you could listen to a talk from a past meeting? More than 300 AASV podcasts are available at no cost to AASV members on the website at aasv.org/aasv-podcasts. Login to hear conference speaker interviews from the 2007-2024 AASV Annual Meetings.
Also available to AASV members as MP3 audio files are recordings produced by the Early Career Committee. These recordings feature interviews with subject matter experts on topics particularly useful for early career swine veterinarians. Find the free podcasts on the AASV website at aasv.org/aasv-podcasts.