The 2012 edition of the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization’s (PAACO) poultry welfare auditor training course is set for June 26-28, 2012, on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.
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. Participants 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 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.
The registration deadline for the course is May 25. For more course information and registration materials go to PAACO’s website, www.animalauditor.org/ or contact Mike Simpson, executive director, via phone at 402-403-0104.
