EXECUTIVE BOARD COVERAGE

Revisions to certain AVMA food safety policies were approved by the Executive Board, as recommended by the Food Safety Advisory Committee. Others were reaffirmed or rescinded (see page 12).

The following policies were revised.

• A policy was renamed USDA FSIS Food Safety Internships and Other Student Training Program and was revised to clarify that academic institutions provide academic credit but also to encourage shared responsibility between the Food Safety and Inspection Service and the veterinary schools/colleges in determining credit. The policy was strengthened by including mention of other student programs.
• A policy was renamed Fish and Shellfish Inspection, additional references to "seafood" were changed because that term does not encompass all fish and shellfish used as food, and it was clarified that inspection should be conducted under a centralized, HACCP-based federal fish and shellfish program.
• The policy Organic Foods was revised to be more proactive in promoting AVMA expertise and informational resources to the National Organic Standards Board.
• The Policy on Food Safety was revised for accuracy and clarity about the food production process and veterinarians' role in food safety, and for document consistency. A slight revision also made in the Food Safety Policy (Promotion).
• The policy Approval and Availability of Antimicrobials for Use in Food Producing Animals was revised to be more accurate and consistent with the glossary of the Judicious Therapeutic Use of Antimicrobials, reflect current antimicrobial resistance concerns, and define the acronym AMDUCA (Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act).
• The policy formerly titled Pasteurization was renamed Raw Milk, and additional revisions were made to provide consistent wording with other AVMA food safety and public health policies and to reflect current disease nomenclature.

The FSAC recommendation to revise its representation was also approved. At the request of the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, the IAAAM representation on the FSAC was terminated. The board approved the FSAC recommendation to reassign that seat to an aquatic food animal veterinarian.