In 2011 the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) and the National Pork Board partnered to train veterinarians as OMS speakers with a goal to schedule a speaker at all 28 schools of veterinary medicine with messages about the swine industry. Since then we have trained 41 veterinarians and scheduled speakers at 24 of the 28 schools reaching more than 5,000 students through the OMS program.
With the confusion over the role and function of animals in our society affecting the debate about farm animal care, all veterinarians have an important role in this discussion. We need to ensure that all veterinarians, regardless of career path, have exposure to the swine industry.
Any AASV member interested in becoming a trained OMS speaker and helping in this endeavor is invited to participate. Two classes will be held at World Pork Expo 2013:
- June 4-5, 2013. Training will begin at 11:00 AM June 4th and conclude at 12:00 PM June 5th.
- June 6-7, 2013. Training will begin at 11:30 AM June 6th and conclude at 3:00 PM June 7th.
The training will include updates on what activist groups are saying about agriculture today, and will provide you with the needed tools to address those concerns in a proactive manner. You will be trained on giving interviews, presentations, speaking scenarios and will include a breakout session focusing on targeting veterinary schools specifically. OMS is funded by the National Pork Board through the Pork Checkoff.
To register for this OMS training or for any additional questions, contact Mary Wonders at NPB (515-223-3535 or MWonders@pork.org). The deadline for registration is May 17, 2013.