PRESS RELEASE

For information contact:

Lisa Cobb

217-356-2426 ext. 41

lisac@assochq.org

Gerrits Receives 2001 Fellow Award

Dr. Roger J. Gerrits was honored with the 2001 Fellow Award at the American Society of Animal Science awards ceremony in Indianapolis on Friday, July 27. The Fellow

Award, sponsored by the American Society of Animal Science, recognizes ASAS members for their distinguished service to the animal industry for 25 years or more. Each nominee must have made exceptional contributions to the animal industry, to an animal related discipline, or to ASAS; must have had continuous professional membership in ASAS for a minimum of 25 years; and must be in good standing with the Society.

Gerrits joined the USDA, Agricultural Research Service in 1963, where he held several positions in research and research administration before retiring from the National Program Leader position.

Several research efforts were advanced under Gerrits leadership in physiology, genetics, and reproduction, including estrus synchronization, frozen semen and embryos for swine, the first effective method of sex pre-selection of livestock and humans, the first transgenic swine, and the first genetic linkage maps for cattle, swine, sheep, and poultry.

In 1992, Gerrits served as leader and coordinator for the establishment of the National Animal Germplasm Program. He also gave leadership to the national swine identification program, the control and eradication programs for trichinosis, toxoplasmosis and psuedorabies, and to the safety of antimicrobials, hormones, and sulfas.

Gerrits worked with the National Pork Producers Council with the development of the Pork Industry Handbook and the National Swine Improvement Federation.

Throughout the last 38 years, he has authored or co-authored over 100 scientific and technical publications on animal agriculture.