Dear AAAP Members,

As the upcoming crisp air of fall begins to sweep through our days, we are filled with a sense of purpose and excitement for what lies ahead. The changing colors of the leaves and the harvest season remind us of the beauty of transformation and the abundance that can come from our collective efforts.

It is an honor for me to be the president of our association from 2024 -2025, and I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and thanks to Dr. Deirdre Johnson, our AAAP past president, and the Board of Directors for their tireless work and unwavering commitment to our members.

I am thrilled to share that the Program Advisory Committee successfully presented our first-ever hybrid scientific program at this year’s Annual Meeting. This gathering marked our second independent meeting apart from the AVMA and highlighted our commitment to diversification and responsiveness to member feedback. Many thanks to Dr. Natalie Armour Manginsay for her dedication and hard work during her years as the chair of the above-mentioned committee. Our attendance this year was 787 in person and 45 for online only for a total of 832 who participated in this year’s program.  Thank you to all who participated in the post meeting evaluation.

Read More

---

 

Earlier this year in April, we held elections for the Board of Directors, and we are happy to welcome multiple new members. Here are our new Board of Directors!

 

Dr. Claudia Osorio, President - 2025

Dr. Jose Linares, President-Elect - 2025

Dr. Deirdre Johnson, Past President - 2025

Dr. Suzanne Young McComb (Dougherty) DVM, Executive Vice President - 2026

Dr. TJ Gaydos, Director - 2026
Dr. Ivan Alvarado, Director - 2026

Dr. Rick Phillips, Director - 2028

Dr. Kabel Robbins, Director - 2028

Dr. Simone Stoute, Director - 2025

Dr. Naola Ferguson-Noel, Director - 2025

Dr. Nikolas Faust, Student Director - 2025

Wayne Collins, Associate Director - 2028

 

AAAP would also like to thank former board members Dr. Rocio Crespo, Dr. Karen Grogan, Dr. Julie Helm, Holly Sellers, and Dr. Josie Gamble for their service.

---

Do you have an interest in what educational materials are promoted and produced by AAAP? If so, you should join the Education Committee! This committee works hard to develop, evaluate and provide educational materials for people preparing for careers in poultry health, their instructors, and for the continuing education of AAAP members. Currently, the Education Committee is seeking new members who have great ideas for future webinars. You can read more about the Education Committee on their committee page. To join this committee or any other AAAP committee, please fill out the join a committee form on the AAAP website.

---

Did you know about all of the benefits being a AAAP member gives you? There are multiple AAAP website features that you can only access by having an active AAAP profile (note that you must be logged in to access them). Here are a few:

1. Access to the Avian Diseases Journal: you have free access to the journal as a member benefit. Just click on one of the “View Avian Diseases” buttons under the Journal tab above.
2. Committee Forums: you can view and post on any committee forum. Just hover over a committee in the Committees dropdown above and select the forum.
3. Newsletters: you can view all past newsletters under the news tab. These are great historical documents for AAAP as well as for current information.
4. Membership Directory: use the directory search in the member services section to the right to find other AAAP members in your area or who share your interest/expertise.
5. Job Postings: you can view available jobs in the poultry industry, as well as post your own jobs or resume.
6. Bookstore Discounts: while logged in you receive a 10% discount on books purchased through the website.

---

Our Poultry Medicine Course for Veterinarians in Private Practice helps educate general-practice veterinarians about poultry issues in small and backyard poultry flocks. A self-paced course, upon successful completion of all modules in this course, 8 RACE-approved continuing education credits will be granted. Learn more by clicking the image below.

Want to stay up to date on everything AAAP? Consider following us on LinkedIn and Facebook. We post about recent updates in the poultry industry, upcoming webinars/courses, and information on the annual meeting and scholarships. Following our social media channels is a surefire way to stay involved in the association.

Follow Us on LinkedIn

Follow Us on Facebook

 The American Association of Avian Pathologists is proud to have over 1000 members from all corners of the globe, and we value everything they bring to our association. Our members are truly the lifeblood of AAAP.

We hope you will continue to be a part of the AAAP community we've built and renew your membership. All you have to do is click the button below!

Renew Your AAAP Membership

• Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA) - Dr. Donald Ritter
• Animal Agriculture Coalition (AAC) - Dr. Jose Linares
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) - Dr. Bruce Stewart Brown
• Council for Agriculture Science and Technology (CAST) - Dr. Mostafa Ghanem
• International Poultry Welfare Alliance (IPWA) - Dr. James Barton
• Legislative Advisory Committee (LAC) - Dr. Suzanne Young McComb (Dougherty) DVM & Dr. Carl J. Heeder III
• National Chicken Council (NCC) - Dr. Elizabeth Krushinski
• National Turkey Federation (NTF) - Dr. Evan VanBeusekom
• Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) - Dr. David Hermes & Dr. Kate Barger Weathers
• Stakeholder Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance (S-FAR) - Dr. Randy Singer
• United Egg Production (UEP) - Dr. Dan Wilson
• United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) - Dr. Yuko Sato
• US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Dr. Randy Singer
• US Poultry & Egg (USP) - Dr. Denise Heard
• World Poultry Veterinary Association (WVPA) - Dr. David Swayne

AAAP is currently in the process of planning our 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, OR on July 29-31! As we work to ensure an amazing and impactful meeting for our attendees, here are some important dates for you to be aware of as we get closer:

• Call for Abstracts - December 1, 2024
• Abstract Submission Deadline - January 27, 2025
• Registration Opens - February 21, 2025
• Early Bird Pricing Ends - May 1, 2025
• Online Recorded Presentations Available - July 1, 2025 - August 1, 2025

Learn more about Portland and where we will be staying by going to our 2025 Annual Meeting page!

2025 Annual Meeting

EVENT

American Association of Avian Pathologists Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, July 9-11, 2024

AWARDS

L. Dwight Schwartz Travel Scholarship Recipient: Dr. Nikolas Faust Affiliation: Texas A&M University

---

A.S. "Rosy" Rosenwald Student Poster Awards Recipients: Klao Runcharoon and Camila Cuadrado Affiliations: Auburn University and University of Georgia

---

Reed Rumsey Award Recipients: Dr. Julia Blakey and Dr. Hemlata Gautam Affiliations: University of Georgia and University of Saskatchewan

---

Rimler Memorial Paper Scholarship Award Recipient: Dr. Roel Becerra Affiliation: University of Georgia

---

P.P. Levine Award Recipient: Dr. John Dunn Affiliation: USDA-ARS US National Poultry Research Center

---

Bayer-Snoeyenbos New Investigator Award Recipient: Dr. Ravi Kulkarni Affiliation: NC State University

---

Lasher-Bottorff Award Recipient: Dr. Mia Torchetti Affiliation: Diagnostic Virology Laboratory at NVSL

---

Y.M. Saif Outstanding Case Report in Avian Diseases, Volume 67 Recipient: Dr. Mayra Tsoi Affiliation: Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Michigan State University

---

Phibro Animal Health Excellence in Poultry Research Award Recipient: Dr. Holly Sellers Affiliation: Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center at University of Georgia

---

Special Service Award Recipient: Dr. Tahseen Abdul-Aziz Affiliation: North Carolina State University

---

Outstanding Field Case/Diagnostic Report Award Recipient: Dr. Gigi Lin Affiliation: BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food

---

Huvepharma Excellence in Mentorship Award Recipient: Dr. Rocio Crespo Affiliation: North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine

---

AAAP Top Performing Committee Recipient: History of Avian Medicine Committee

---

AAAP Most Improved Committee Recipient: Therapeutic, Biologics, and Bioprotection Committee

---

Hall of Honor Inductee

Dr. Mick Fulton was inducted into the AAAP Hall of Honor. The Hall of Honor recognizes a member of the AAAP who has 15 or more years of membership of the AAAP and has made significant contributions to the advancement of poultry health and contributions to the AAAP.

---

The 14th International Symposium on Marek’s Disease and Avian Herpesviruses (MDAH) was highly successful attracting 162 scientists representing 25 countries and 5 continents. One hundred-and-six participated in both the AAAP Annual Meeting and the MDAH Symposium including 50 non-AAAP members. It was a great opportunity to see old friends in person, many of whom were not seen since Covid stopped in-person meetings, as well as to make many new friends. 

Read More

---

EVENT
14 International Symposium on Marek's Disease and Avian Herpesviruses, St. Louis, MO, July 12-14, 2024

Dear AAAP Members,

The AAAP Foundation is the charitable arm of AAAP Inc with a mission to “encourage excellence and enable opportunity for those dedicated to nourishing the world with sustainable abundance of healthy poultry.”  Our AAAP Foundation has grown substantially offering a wider range and greater number of scholarships and awards to deserving students and colleagues. 

Previously our criteria to have an endowed scholarship has been $40,000 which allowed us to generate a $1500 scholarship in perpetuity; however, with the cost of education rising, we have been evaluating our endowment and giving levels in consultation with our financial advisor.  We are excited to announce that beginning in 2025 we will begin providing higher valued scholarships as the endowments grow.  Scholarships will now range from $1500 to $3500 with yearly evaluations to ensure we manage your donations appropriately and for the longevity.

Read More

A great way to support the AAAP Foundation is to donate to one of our scholarship or preceptorship awards. AAAP named scholarships are given in perpetuity and honor past members of the AAAP and the poultry industry, while preceptorships provide funding to allow students to gain practical experiences within the poultry industry. 

The AAAP Foundation Guild Program recognizes members who make valuable contributions to the Scholarship, Award, and Preceptorship Funds.  Becoming a member of a AAAP Guild signifies a long-term commitment to supporting the future of poultry medicine. Membership into the AAAP Foundation Guild is earned through cumulative donations to the AAAP Foundation. Donations can be made in small increments and are counted over the lifetime of the donor. Since its inception in 2018, over 100 AAAP members have joined the ranks of the Foundation Guilds, by making donations at the following levels:

For more information on current AAAP Foundation Guild Members: https://aaap.memberclicks.net/aaap-foundation-guilds

Donate to the AAAP Foundation

Application Deadline: November 1

The American Association of Avian Pathologists is dedicated to the encouragement and development of talented individuals who are interested in careers in poultry health and/or food safety. Through the AAAP Foundation and its partners, multiple scholarships are offered each year, each with different criteria. These scholarships are:

The deadline to apply is November 1. You can learn more about these scholarships and their application criteria by clicking the button below.

AAAP Foundation Scholarships

Avian Biosciences Travel Scholarships

Nomination Deadline: December 15

The AAAP Foundation is accepting applications for the following student awards: the Richard B. Rimler Memorial Paper Award, the Reed Rumsey Award, and the L. Dwight Schwartz Travel Scholarship. These awards help defray travel expenses to attend the 2025 AAAP Annual Meeting. Full details on the award criteria and submission process can be found on the AAAP website.

Richard B. Rimler Memorial Paper

Reed Rumsey Award

L. Dwight Schwartz Travel Scholarship

Donate to the AAAP Foundation

Avian Diseases has now published three issues in 2024. In these first three issues, we published 21 Original Articles, 5 Research Notes and 8 Case Reports.

Read More

Report from: Dr. Kate Barger Weathers, Delegate AAAP (pictured below at the Austin HOD meeting)

Hello colleagues! It’s been an honor to represent you and AAAP at the AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) meetings this year. We met in January (Chicago) and June (Austin) to discuss important matters related to AVMA strategy, AVMA officer elections, and selected topics facing our profession. At each meeting, we review and debate proposals related to AVMA policies so that clear guidance is provided for veterinarians and the practice of veterinary medicine. Please see the summary below for key takeaways from the Austin HOD session. If you have any questions or have specific items that you believe should be addressed by AVMA and/or the HOD, please feel free to contact me!

• AVMA updates:
  • Membership: membership in AVMA is strong and growing with >105,000 members. NOTE: Please remember to renew your AVMA membership when you renew your AAAP membership so that AAAP will continue to meet the requirements for being an constituent allied veterinary organization with the rights to vote in the HOD and to have representation on AVMA councils and committees.
  • Continuing Education: AVMA provides a wealth of information via their website (podcasts, approved CE training modules, career development courses, certificate programs, etc.) and most is FREE!
  • Government Relations Division: AVMA’s GRD has been very busy at the state and national level with legislative activities related to veterinary medicine. GRD is also supporting the Farm Bill (set to expire in 09/24) that involves funding for NAHLN labs, vaccine banks, FARAD, VMLRP (Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program) and the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. The annual fly-in session, PAC ambassador program, regular meetings with the White House & engagement with various federal agencies have augmented AVMA messaging this year. Currently, there are no DVMs in Congress. NOTE: If you are an AVMA member, please consider supporting the AVMA PAC. Giving can be done online and funding allows AVMA to engage with members of Congress (bipartisan lobbying) to advocate for positions that support animal health, veterinary support, etc.
  • New AVMA officers: AVMA President (2024-2025): Dr. Sandra Faeh; AVMA President Elect (2024-2025): Dr. Michael Bailey; AVMA VP (2024-2026): Dr. Gary Marshall; new BOD members: Dr. Carol Ryan (Director for District 7): IA, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD and Dr. Michael Lent (Director for District 9): AZ, CO, KS, NM, OK, UT. (**Dr. Lent is the AAAP Liaison and attended the AAAP BOD meeting in St. Louis).

• AVMA HOD Resolutions: during the Winter HOD and Summer HOD sessions, delegates review, discuss and vote on resolutions. Resolutions typically involve an update on AVMA policies and thus originate from an AVMA council/committee before they are reviewed by the AVMA BOD and then sent to the HOD. If you are serving on an AVMA council or entity that develops a policy that results in a resolution for the HOD, please contact your AAAP HOD reps (me and Karen Burns Grogan). It is great to have ‘insider perspective’ on the proposal and to keep you up-to-date on what is happening during the HOD session. Resolutions at the Austin meeting included:
  • Res. 7 (new policy on the Transportation of Animals): approved as written
  • Res. 8 (revision of the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics): amended & approved
  • Res. 9 (formal statement to Honor and Commend Role of Military and Uniformed Services Veterinarians): amended & approved

Summary and link to the final resolutions: https://www.avma.org/news/house-passes-updated-ethics-document-new-transport-policy

• AVMA Topics Discussed:
• HPAI: a broad group of invited speakers (including me from AAAP) provided brief information on HPAI to the HOD during the meeting. The primary focus was the ongoing situation of Influenza Type A in dairy cattle and other non-poultry species.
• Three VIF (Veterinary Info Forum) Topics:
• Update for Model Veterinary Practice Act (MVPA)
• Use of Technology (i.e., wearables, AI) in veterinary practice/medicine
• Challenges with Veterinary Licensure
• Summary can be seen here: https://www.avma.org/news/house-considers-changes-required-meet-professions-future-needs

In order for AAAP to continue to be recognized as an allied veterinary association of the AVMA, we need your help!

To remain a constituent member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, AAAP needs to showcase that we have the required threshold of members who are also AVMA members. Please consider joining the AVMA or renewing your membership. 

Being a constituent member of the AVMA provides AAAP and its members benefits that impact the veterinary profession and poultry industry. This includes:

1. Having two representatives representing the poultry sector within the AVMA House of Delegates.
2. Getting access to the AVMA Governmental Relations Division, which influences Congress on legislation.
3. Providing representatives on AVMA committees which influence AVMA's positions on topics such as antimicrobial usage, animal welfare, and telemedicine.

That's not even including the tangible benefits AVMA members receive, such as access to insurance, retirement benefits, professional publications, career services, crisis management resources, and more.  The AVMA is AAAP's vehicle to influencing policy decisions for the veterinary profession and advocating for the poultry industry, so it is vital that AAAP members join the AVMA.

Click the button below to join or renew your AVMA membership!

Join/Renew Your AVMA Membership

Our AAAP members serving on AVMA committees have some updates they would like to share with our members. Continue reading below to read some relevant AVMA related news and updates from our representatives:

AVMA Animal Welfare Committee

The AVMA has reaffirmed their Layer Hen Housing Systems statement and developed a new Transport, Sale Yard Practices, and Humane Slaughter of Hoofstock and Poultry statement. If you have material that could be used in creating educational resources for either of these statements, please contact our primary AAAP member AVMA Representative Nancy Reimers at [email protected].

AVMA Committee on Antimicrobials

The AVMA’s Committee on Antimicrobials (CoA) is beginning an update to the report published in 2020 entitled “Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens Affecting Animal Health in the United States.” The 2020 report, for which Drs. Randall Singer and Hector Cervantes led the poultry effort, focused on animal bacterial pathogens in the U.S. for which significant antimicrobial resistance had been identified. It included sections on the poultry pathogens E. coli in chickens and turkeys as well as the turkey pathogens Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) and Pasteurella multocida.  

The updated report, targeted for release in 2025, will broaden the scope as many of the most frequent organisms that drive veterinary antimicrobial use were not included in the prior report due to their relatively low prevalence of phenotypic resistance. This update will be led by Drs. Michelle Kromm and Randall Singer, the current AAAP representatives to the AVMA CoA. After discussion with production colleagues, the 2025 report will include Clostridium spp. in chickens and turkeys, bacterial enteritis in turkeys, and Avibacterium paragallinarum in layers to the list of poultry diseases.

AVMA Panel on Depopulation

On the AVMA's Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals statement, there will be a comment period open for a minimum of 90 days opening in November.  There have been multiple changes including an introduction section, tiers, evidentiary statements, the methods themselves, and more. The AAAP would like to encourage members to give their feedback on this statement to the AVMA. Comments can be made by clicking the link to the statement above and clicking the "Comment on this Policy" button at the top of the page.

AVMA Panel on Humane Slaughter

The AVMA Humane Slaughter Guidelines have been publicly released in the first half of September. Please view the AVMA Policies webpage to read these guidelines and more.