Washington Update

Paul Patterson is the recipient of the 2005 Poultry Extension Special Recognition Award for his exceptional contributions to regional and national extension programs over many years. Current responsibilities include the recently completed National Swine Alternative Housing project; liaison to several multistate research committees; review of grant proposals, plans of work and accomplishment reports and Hatch projects; coordination of biobased plant nutrient related workshops; and evaluation of CRIS reports. The National Extension Workshop has a long track record of accomplishment, which has been possible only through the dedicated efforts of volunteers. The Future Trends in Animal Agriculture 2005 symposium was “Certification and Education Programs: Current Status of Farm Animal Welfare.” The Triennial Poultry Extension Workshop will become a biennial event in 2007. The National Poultry Waste Management Symposium was led by Mike Hulet in 2004. Susan Watkins is the coordinator for 2006; please contact Susan to volunteer.New procedures for USDA grants and deadlines can be found on the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) Web site. The CSREES/Plant and Animal Systems (PAS) review of their portfolio on animal health and welfare resulted in an outstanding evaluation (95/100). Increasing demands for accountability require increased documentation by all persons in our system. Michigan State and Purdue University are providing leadership in several animal welfare educational areas, including assessment and distance education programs. The Texture Technologies Corporation Support Personnel Award recipient is JoAnna Tharrington Foegeding, North Carolina State University. This award will be sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. in 2006. We are achieving impressive results through cooperation and networking, which are of increasing importance. Continued teamwork and increased participation in multistate research committees is essential.