We have all said it – “I am zoomed out!”. And we might believe that online meetings lack many of the benefits of in-person conferences: conversations over dinner; face-to-face networking; fresh perspectives that can come from simply being somewhere new. But over the last year, we have found there’s a lot to like about virtual conferencing, so over the next few issues of Taking Stock we are going to add some tips to hopefully help you make the most of the upcoming ASAS 2021 Midwest Virtual Meeting!

The 2021 ASAS-CSAS-SSASAS Annual Meeting & Trade Show will be held as hybrid meeting with a virtual component and a corresponding in-person meeting in Louisville, Kentucky July 14-18, 2021.

The 2021 WSASAS Meeting will take place June 8-10, 2021 at the Hilton Fort Collins in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The 2021 Virtual meeting of the Northeast Section of ASAS and Branch of ADSA is scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday, April 6, and the morning of Wednesday, April 7.

As you have been made aware, the MWASAS Board of Directors made the difficult decision to hold the 2021 MWASAS Annual Meeting in a virtual format.

The movement to a virtual Academic Quadrathlon came with many new challenges, but they were able to successfully host the Southern Section Regional AQ January 23-24, 2021.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will move forward with an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to seek public input and feedback on an anticipated regulatory framework that would update the nation’s system into a scientifically sound, risk-based, and predictable process that facilitates the development and use of these technologies for US farmers and ranchers under the USDA’s authorities.

President-Elect Joe Biden’s nominee for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) secretary, Tom Vilsack, met with over 25 of the country’s leading fruit and vegetable producers during a virtual meeting to discuss the new administration’s commitment to additional stimulus and relief.

In the recently approved appropriations and $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill, there were several areas of importance for those in agriculture and livestock.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the majority of farmers and farmworkers stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health, and over half of those surveyed stated that they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago.

In an exciting new study by Virginia Tech, researchers discovered that removing dairy cows from the United States agriculture system would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.7% while significantly lowering the availability of essential nutrients for humans.

The American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), The American Dairy Science Association (ADAS), and The Poultry Science Association (PSA) have published the 4th edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, also known as the Ag Guide.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced that the Office of Nutrition Research will move from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) to the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) in the NIH Office of the Director.

The United States Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) has published new objectives and health measures as part of the Healthy People 2030 initiative.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) have published the 2020-2025 edition of The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

Pfizer and BioNTech have announced the results of a new study that indicates the Coronavirus vaccine protects against the new variant, N501Y mutant SARS-CoV-2, which is highly infectious, and was originally detected in the United Kingdom.

President-Elect Joe Biden announced Eric Lander as his science advisor and head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

With the 2020 elections (and runoffs) now complete, Washington, DC now turns to transition. This edition of the Washington Roundup will focus on key personnel announcements from the Biden Administration as it transitions into power.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have signed an agreement to strengthen agricultural and earth science research.

Running across 4 days from the 12th – 15th April, the conference will engage and excite attendees, covering cutting edge research in animal science, agriculture, policy and trade, education and knowledge exchange.