PAACO SETS JUNE DATES FOR POULTRY TRAINING
The 2012 edition of the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization’s (PAACO) popular poultry welfare auditor training course is set for June 26-28, 2012, on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.
“The facilities and staff at the university worked so well last year that we were delighted they wanted to have us back,” says Mike Simpson, PAACO executive director. “The timing is a little different – all our previous poultry trainings have been held in the late summer or fall – but this works out best with the university’s schedule. We’re hoping it might better serve some potential attendees who would be on vacation later in the summer.”
The poultry industry stakeholders strongly support the PAACO training, as evidenced by the impressive list of companies who have committed financial resources to this endeavor. Corporate sponsors include Aviagen, Big Dutchman, Cargill, Cobb, Hybrid Turkey, Hy-Line, Jennie-O Turkey Store, Koch Foods, Novus, OK Foods, Pacific Vet Group, Pilgrim’s, Techno-Catch and Walmart.
During the 3-day training, participants will have the opportunity to visit either a broiler, layer or turkey facility, depending upon their area of emphasis, where they will perform mock audits and welfare criteria demonstrated in the context of day-to-day operations. They will then take a written examination over course materials as part of the process of becoming a PAACO-certified poultry welfare auditor.
Industry professionals again comprise the prestigious staff of instructors for the PAACO training. Guiding trainees through both lecture and site visits will be Dr. James Barton, laboratory director of the Poultry Federation Laboratory; Dr. Sacit “Sarge” Bilgili, professor of graduate program offices in the poultry science department of Auburn University; Dr. Karen Christensen, director of technical services at O.K. Farms, Inc.; Dr. Temple Grandin, president of Grandin Livestock Handling Systems; Dr. David Hermes, regional veterinarian for broiler chickens and turkeys, Perdue Farms; Michael Lopez, assistant national supervisor of audits for the USDA/AMS poultry programs; Dr. Ryn McDonald, director of technical services at CalMaine Foods; Dr. Bret Rings, senior veterinarian at Cobb-Vantress; Dr. Yvonne Thaxton, professor and director of food animal well-being in the department of poultry science, University of Arkansas; and Dr. Susan Watkins, professor and director of broiler research in the department of poultry science, University of Arkansas.
Class size is limited and registrations are accepted on a first-come, first served basis. Official registration deadline for the course is May 25, but previous courses have filled up long before the deadline and those who wait to register have found themselves on a waiting list. Interested parties are encouraged to sign up promptly to assure a spot.
For more course information and registration materials go to PAACO’s website, www.animalauditor.org, or contact Mike Simpson, executive director, at 402-403-0104; e-mail: mike@animalauditor.org.
PAACO is an organization of five animal industry organizations with extensive expertise on best management practices and current science in animal agriculture. The organization’s purpose is to promote the humane treatment of animals through education and certification of animal auditors as well as the review and/or certification of animal audit instruments, assessments and programs.