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AOCS Feed Microscopy Division
Newsletter April 2007

In Focus
Marge McCutcheon

It's hard to believe that in a few short months my first year as Feed Microscopy Division Chair will come to a close and the 98th AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo will be upon us. This year has been a fast and furious one with Vice Chair Neil Vary and I working diligently to attain a slate of interesting and informative speakers for our three days of symposia. We greatly appreciate the Members-At-Large (MAL) for all their input and help in developing our four full sessions. This year we were pleased to work with our friend Keshun Liu and the Protein and Co-Products (PCP) Division on a highly educational joint session on aquaculture for Tuesday afternoon following the Hot Topics session. Special thanks to Keshun and his work ethic involved in this venture. We look forward to working with him and the PCP Division again in the near future.

Our Monday morning the Agricultural Microscopy I Session will focus on issues dealing with our applied science. We are thrilled to have top speakers in their field speak on alternative products and their impact on the future of animal nutrition and our global economy, and the effects of insects and mycotoxins on grain storage, management, and product quality. We've also arranged an exciting presentation by a representative from Leica Microsystems on what's new in microscopic equipment and techniques, followed by the Feed Microscopy Division's own Dr. Kim Koch discussing feed processing issues.

Monday afternoon's Agricultural Microscopy II session will be dedicated to regulatory issues affecting the US, Canada and world markets. Dr. Jim Makowski will conclude that session with an update on an exciting project—our new Manual of Agricultural Microscopy—that was put into motion last May by the MAL and the highly devoted Manual Development Committee consisting of Jim Makowski, Neil Vary, Pat Ramsey, and myself.

Wednesday morning's conclusive session will be dedicated to TSEs. This session contains a familiar face to the FM group: Dr. Chris Silva is back to challenge our minds and delve into the mysterious world of prions. Dr. Leo van Raamsdonk from the Netherlands will present his paper on new developments in the detection and identification of processed animal proteins in feeds, and the session will end showcasing the extensive work of the Canadian Food Inspection Agencies on the subject of BSE.

Neil and Annie Fournier have worked endlessly to procure a terrific site, Laval University, for our Intermediate/Advanced Agricultural Microscopy Short Course that will follow Wednesday morning's TSE Session. Many thanks must go out to our teaching staff (Neil, Pat and Jim) as well as Annie and the folks at the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency on all their hard work and dedication in preparing the curriculum, materials, and organizing this short course. We are also excited and honored to have a very special guest instructor, Dr. Leo van Raamsdonk from the Netherlands making this short course like no other one we have had before!

Again many thanks to my dedicated Vice Chair Neil Vary, the MAL, and all those who have worked diligently behind the scenes on all issues relating to the development of our Division and the outstanding technical program we will be presenting this year! Special thanks to the AOCS staff for all their assistance they give throughout the year! A leader is only as good as the people behind them and you all sure make me look like a professional. I look forward to a highly successful meeting and short course in beautiful Québec City, Québec, Canada. Don't miss out on a meeting and short course of a lifetime! See you there.

AOCS, 2710 S. Boulder, Urbana, IL 61802-6996 USA