Quarterly Newsletter
Q1 2024 |
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A Letter from Our President |
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Dear AAFCO Members, |
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Welcome back from the holiday season! I hope that
each of you enjoyed time away from the office with
your loved ones and returned to work refreshed and
ready to hit the ground running in 2024. |
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As I start my term as president, I first want to
thank Eric Brady for his service as president in
2023. AAFCO has a brighter future today because of
his leadership and personable touch in how he worked
and communicated with each of us. Eric recently took
a new role in the animal feed industry, but will
continue to support AAFCO with special projects.
Please join me in wishing him and his family luck as
they embark on this next chapter. |
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The Midyear Meeting in Chattanooga is fast
approaching, and there are a lot of projects for
members to get involved with. Pet Food Label
Modernization (PFLM) continues to be an important
topic at AAFCO, especially as member states begin
the recommended enforcement
discretion period and model regulation
adoption process. The Pet Food Committee (PFC)
continues to create training materials, host
workshops, and educate stakeholders in our ongoing
efforts to support members through the transition.
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This past fall, the Proficiency Testing Program
(PTP) Committee submitted a proposal to update, and
ultimately replace, the AAFCO Analytical Variation
(AV) Table. This is another ambitious, but needed,
project that will involve several phases and take
multiple years to complete. The final objective is
to have the AV Table updated to include sources of
error from field sampling, laboratory sampling, and
laboratory analysis. |
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If you have interest in being a part of either of
these projects, or others, please contact the
appropriate committee chair or come talk to me in
Chattanooga. |
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Finally, I’d like to take a moment to remember
longtime AAFCO member, Bob Kieffer, who passed away
on January 1. Bob worked with AAFCO and the PTP
Committee for many years. He and his wife, Amy, were
an integral part of the PT Program Management Team,
and their lab, Able Laboratory, prepares and
distributes proficiency samples for AAFCO. I offer
my condolences to Amy and their daughter, Mo, during
this time. |
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I hope you’re as excited for Midyear as I am. It’s
going to be filled with timely new topics, updates
on current projects, and great opportunities to
network with individuals from all corners of the
animal feed and pet food world. I wish you all
health and happiness in the new year and look
forward to seeing you in Chattanooga. |
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Sincerely, |
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Joshua Arbaugh
President |
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Join the New Internal Audits
Subcommittee |
The Finance Committee has elected to form a dedicated
subcommittee to make internal audits a more formalized
process. Blaine Brown of Indiana has graciously accepted
the subcommittee chair position, and we are in search of
at least two member volunteers to be
AAFCO’s “financial Sherlock Holmes." Interested in
learning more? Contact Ashlee-Rose Ferguson at aferguson@agr.wa.gov.
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Learn More
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Job Opportunities Board |
The AAFCO Job Opportunities Board is a resource to you!
Members and industry partners can share available job
openings for added visibility and a larger potential
applicant pool for state and federal feed control,
regulatory, inspection, and laboratory service positions
across the country. Looking for a new job? Check out
available positions in your area. |
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Learn More
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2024 Official Publication |
The 2024 Official Publication, with the new Model
Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food, is now
available to purchase. |
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Order Now
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COMING SOON! AAFCO’s New E-Commerce
Website |
We’ve seen you all eyeing the tumblers and shirts that
first time attendees receive at Annual and Midyear
Meetings. Soon you’ll be able to purchase your own AAFCO
swag on our e-commerce site. The site will also carry
AAFCO-developed triers and PPE. Keep an eye out, the
site will be launching soon! |
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PFLM Get S.M.A.R.T. |
January 22, 2024 | 12:30-5:30 p.m. EST
Join us for a half day training for industry and
regulators to dive deeper into the PFLM changes,
connect with fellow partners, and receive content to
guide you through the new Model Pet Food
Regulations.
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Register Now
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2024 AFRPS Meeting |
March 18-20, 2024 in Mobile, Alabama
The Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS)
Meeting is open to state and federal regulators
only. |
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Learn More
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International Production and Processing
Expo
Jan 30-Feb 1, 2024
Atlanta, Georgia
Open to feed manufacturers and
industry professionals |
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Learn More
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International Feed Regulators
Meeting
January 29-30, 2024
Atlanta, Georgia
By invitation only for IFIF members and
feed regulators |
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Learn More
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2024 Advanced
Inspector Training Seminar
June 11-13, 2024
Denver, Colorado
Registration is
limited to 50
State Feed Officials. |
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Learn More
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Board of Directors & Member Highlights |
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Welcome New Board Members |
Trish Dunn, David Husner and Kate Nelson will officially
join the AAFCO Board of Directors at the close of the
upcoming Midyear Meeting. Trish Dunn serves as the feed
administrator for the Office of the Indiana State
Chemist, Dave Husner is a Agronomic Program Specialist
for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau
of Plant Industry, and Kate Nelson is the Agriculture
Marketing and Inspection Supervisor for the Connecticut
Department of Agriculture. |
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Memorials
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Do you know an AAFCO member or industry partner who has
recently passed away? Please send details or obituaries
to aafco@aafco.org
so these folks can be honored at future meetings.
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