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NASAC
2010 Annual Meeting - Branson, MO
The annual NASAC meeting
will be held in Branson, MO this year. Mark your
calendars for Sep 9-11, 2010 at the Lodge of the Ozarks.
For more information click
http://www.ustfa.org/industry/events/events.html
NASAC
2009 Annual Meeting - Denver, CO
The National Association of
State Aquaculture Coordinators (NASAC) held its annual
meeting in Denver, Colorado July 21-24.The gathering was
hosted by the Colorado Department of Agriculture and
sponsored by Schering-Plough Animal Health. Thanks to
these great sponsors and the persistence of state
coordinators, the meeting was a success in spite of the
challenging economy. Highlights of the event included
timely
presentations, educational tours, and great networking.
For
coordinators, it is often the most significant meeting
of the year.
Formal presentations during the meeting covered
significant topics by national figures as well as some
specifics of the Colorado industry. Dr. Jill Rolland
with the USDA APHIS discussed the status of VHS and
possible options for future regulations regarding the
disease. She also shared about progress that has been
made on the National Aquatic Animal
Health Plan and the benefits it holds. The 2008
Aquaculture Grant Program which is part of the Stimulus
Plan was covered by Amy Mitchell who is administering it
for the USDA Farm Service Agency. Betsy Hart with the
National Aquaculture Association discussed some actions
the NAA is taking that will benefit both producers and
consumers of US aquacultured products. Greg Brunjak and
Ken Cline gave a producer
perspective on issues within the Colorado industry while
Elizabeth Brown with the Colorado Division of Wildlife
shared steps the state is taking to control the spread
of zebra and quagga mussels.
A highlight of the NASAC meetings is always the
tours. They are an education in themselves. A great deal
of planning obviously went into the tours this year. The
first stop was the Colorado Correction Industries in
Canon City. The inmates at this facility have been
raising and processing tilapia at this facility for
several years now. They are now in the process of
expanding their production capability with the addition
of several greenhouses. What they were doing with
aquaculture was impressive but even more impressive was
that it was just one of 55 different projects that they
have there. The next day, the
group toured Cline Trout Farm in Boulder. Ken Cline is
well known in the industry and is a NAA Board Member. He
and his wife Becky were great hosts as they showed us
around the farm and then downtown Boulder. The last day,
tour stops included some wildlife research facilities
where the group learned of efforts underway to conserve
some of Colorado's native species.
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