International Animal Agriculture and Food Science Conference Implements Precautions in Wake of Foot and Mouth Epidemic

In light of the Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic and recent meeting cancellations, the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) has implemented a number of precautions for this summer's joint meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, American Meat Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, and the Poultry Science Association, July 24-28 in Indianapolis, IN.

To help prevent Foot and Mouth Disease from reaching the United States, FASS strongly recommends that all meeting attendees adhere to the recommendations and guidelines put forth by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIS), http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/fmd/index.html. FASS will provide all pre-registered meeting attendees updated information in early July. All meeting attendees are strongly urged to review the APHIS web site and guidelines periodically and two weeks prior to travel. In addition, these guidelines will be posted on the meeting web site at http://www.fass.org/fass01.

This first-time meeting between the four associations will serve as a forum for 4,000 scientists, researchers and student participants to exchange new information and developments in animal agriculture. With nearly 50 symposia being presented, attendees will gather vital information for the future of the animal agriculture industry.

Unlike other meetings, the International Animal Agriculture and Food Science Conference attendees are predominantly scientists working in academia, government, and industry; very few livestock producers attend this meeting. Scientific sessions will be held at the Indiana Convention Center; live animals are not present at any time during this meeting. To that end, the meeting host committee is taking into consideration and encouraging higher attention to biosecurity. All off-site tours where live animals are housed have been cancelled. The sponsoring organizations are working with their members to raise awareness of biosecurity precautions. In addition, FASS will be working with federal and state animal health agencies to be sure that adequate safeguards are in place prior to and throughout the meeting.