AVMA calls on USDA to help with veterinary student-debt relief

Schaumburg, Ill. — Members of the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) House of Delegates approved seven of nine resolutions, and a 10th was withdrawn, at the winter session in Chicago in January.

Here are the resolutions and vote results:

APPROVED — Resolution 1, urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make student loan debt relief available for food-animal veterinarians; submitted by the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians and the American Association of Food Hygiene Veterinarians (AAFHV).

DISPPROVED — Resolution 2, allowing the House of Delegates (HAC) to develop and propose bylaw amendments to change the term of service of Council members (with the exception of the Council on Education) from six years to three, permitting two consecutive terms; submitted by the HAC.

APPROVED — Resolution 3, revising the Manual of the House of Delegates to allow reference committees to submit resolutions that pertain to the committee for consideration by the House of Delegates; submitted by the HAC.

APPROVED — Resolution 4, urging the USDA to re-establish and fill the chief veterinary public health officer position within the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS); submitted by the HAC, AAFHV and the National Association of Federal Veterinarians.

APPROVED — Resolution 5, proposing a manual change that would open unfilled seats on council to anyone, even those who do not meet the specific professional classifications for the seat; submitted by the HAC.

APPROVED — Resolution 6, amending the policy on antimicrobials in livestock feed to proactively address the issue of antimicrobial resistance through science-based risk analysis; submitted by the American Association of Avian Pathologists, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners, American Association of Swine Veterinarians and the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association.

APPROVED — Resolution 7, continuing support for the AVMA Veterinary Leadership Experience for four more years (2010-2013) after the current support ends this year; submitted by the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association and the Florida Veterinary Medical Association.

WITHDRAWN — Resolution 8, allowing non-weighted voting for informational purposes only in the House of Delegates following official weighted voting on Animal Welfare Resolutions; submitted by the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association.

DISAPPROVED — Resolution 9, amending the policy on antimicrobial use in animal feeds to emphasize the importance of the veterinarian's role in prescribing antimicrobials; submitted by the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association and the Maine Veterinary Medical Association.

APPROVED — Resolution 10, adopting one position on veal calves, titled Veal Calf Management, which will supersede the current policies; submitted by the AVMA Executive Board pending waiver or prior notice.