National Association of Federal Veterinarians

08/27/2021

SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in wild white-tailed

SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in wild white-tailed

Contact: [email protected]

08/27/2021

For federal managers, new vaccine and testing policy brings ...

For federal managers, new vaccine and testing policy brings ...

anxiety — and more

08/25/2021

Stay up to date with our upcoming meeting & events!

https://nafv.org/upcoming-meetings

Stay up to date with our upcoming meeting & events!

https://nafv.org/upcoming-meetings

08/11/2021

Supporting Federal Veterinarians Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic — FEDmanager

Check out the latest NAFV Column for FEDmanager's FedForum:

Supporting Federal Veterinarians Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

"One of the essential roles that Federal Veterinarians play revolves around animal disease inspections. This includes food animals, livestock, wildlife, and laboratory animals. Much of this inspection work requires on-site inspection, documentation, and tracking- making it nearly impossible for this work to be conducted remotely. As such, throughout the pandemic, NAFV has worked very hard to ensure that veterinarians serving in those roles feel supported. Often, NAFV’s most important role has been to serve as a conduit between field and regional employees and headquarters here in Washington. Indeed, we take seriously our role as part of the feedback loop, ensuring that our members have an opportunity to provide feedback on how policies and initiatives affect their ability to perform their duties without fear of retribution. "

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for all people in a variety of ways. For employers, one of such challenges included the need to adapt how employees showed up to work. For federal employees, many of whom serve in essential capacities, there were all kinds of adaptations and consid

08/03/2021

What is a day in the life for FEDforum partners?

What is a day in the life for FEDforum partners?

Read the latest round of the FEDforum to learn about the diverse days of members of NAPA, NAFV, FEEA, SEA, BIG, and PMA.

07/30/2021

Confirmed African swine fever (ASF) in Dominican Republic

Confirmed African swine fever (ASF) in Dominican Republic

Contact: Lyndsay Cole – [email protected] Mike Stepien – [email protected]

06/28/2021

Reminder: Our NAFV Town Hall is happening this coming Wednesday!

This session is open to members and non-members alike.

Please join us for our June 2021 Virtual Town Hall! NAFV President, President-Elect, and Executive Vice President will provide a membership update on NAFV's latest legislative activities and our upcoming Agency Consultation meetings this summer.

For more events & to register for our town hall: https://nafv.org/upcoming-meetings

06/24/2021

Call for nominations: Dr. Daniel E. Salmon Award

For more information: https://conta.cc/3h5lTf4

Call for nominations: Dr. Daniel E. Salmon Award

For more information: https://conta.cc/3h5lTf4

06/10/2021

The ACVPM Continuing Education Committee is pleased to invite ACVPM diplomates and active members of our partner organizations, the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians, and the US Animal Health Association, to an upcoming ACVPM continuing education webinar titled "Zoonotic Disease Risks But Who Cares? Improving Messaging and Biosecurity"

Register for Webinar: https://bit.ly/3w9XhI1

The ACVPM Continuing Education Committee is pleased to invite ACVPM diplomates and active members of our partner organizations, the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians, and the US Animal Health Association, to an upcoming ACVPM continuing education webinar titled "Zoonotic Disease Risks But Who Cares? Improving Messaging and Biosecurity"

Register for Webinar: https://bit.ly/3w9XhI1

06/09/2021

Please join us for our June 2021 Virtual Town Hall! NAFV President, President-Elect, and Executive Vice President will provide a membership update on NAFV's latest legislative activities and our upcoming Agency Consultation meetings this summer.

For more events & to register for our town hall: https://nafv.org/upcoming-meetings

Please join us for our June 2021 Virtual Town Hall! NAFV President, President-Elect, and Executive Vice President will provide a membership update on NAFV's latest legislative activities and our upcoming Agency Consultation meetings this summer.

For more events & to register for our town hall: https://nafv.org/upcoming-meetings

06/07/2021

Field Operations has the following vacancy announcement available

Consider a job with the federal government!

Announcement number:

06/01/2021

Food animal veterinarians are critical to maintaining a healthy, secure, and safe food supply. Today, there is a critical shortage of food animal veterinarians in both private and public practice, particularly in rural communities in the U.S. and insular areas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) provides approximately $7.6 million per year in funding to help eligible veterinarians offset a significant portion of debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medical degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary shortage situations. The VMLRP will pay up to $25,000 each year towards qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three years. In fiscal year 2020, NIFA received 150 applications and distributed 76 awards.

Read full article: https://nifa.usda.gov/blog/tackling-us-food-animal-veterinarian-shortage-nifas-veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program

Food animal veterinarians are critical to maintaining a healthy, secure, and safe food supply. Today, there is a critical shortage of food animal veterinarians in both private and public practice, particularly in rural communities in the U.S. and insular areas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) provides approximately $7.6 million per year in funding to help eligible veterinarians offset a significant portion of debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medical degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary shortage situations. The VMLRP will pay up to $25,000 each year towards qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three years. In fiscal year 2020, NIFA received 150 applications and distributed 76 awards.

Read full article: https://nifa.usda.gov/blog/tackling-us-food-animal-veterinarian-shortage-nifas-veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program

05/24/2021

NAFV Supports

Did you know that you can become a part of the National Association of Federal Veterinarians if you are a public health or regulatory veterinarian who is employed by a state, city, county or tribal government especially being a veterinarian in the military?
And if you are a student and interested in public health and regulatory veterinary medicine, you can join the NAFV and even your entire university can join and all students can become members!!
Access to continuing education courses, financial wellness webinars, newsletter, job opportunities, networking, career development and leadership seminars!

https://nafv.org/new-affiliate-categories

Professionalism and expertise in federal service while promoting continuing education, teamwork and excellence.

05/15/2021

Tracking Animal Disease Through Veterinary Oversight — FEDmanager

Tracking Animal Disease Through Veterinary Oversight — FEDmanager

As we have overviewed in our previous columns, Federal Veterinarians serve a myriad of roles in our nation’s food inspection and animal health programs. The work they do ensures economic stability within the agricultural industry, but it also goes beyond the agricultural sphere.

05/14/2021

Tracking Animal Disease Through Veterinary Oversight — FEDmanager

Tracking Animal Disease Through Veterinary Oversight — FEDmanager

As we have overviewed in our previous columns, Federal Veterinarians serve a myriad of roles in our nation’s food inspection and animal health programs. The work they do ensures economic stability within the agricultural industry, but it also goes beyond the agricultural sphere.

05/05/2021

Find out how the FEDforum community makes #GovPossible!

"This Public Service Recognition Week comes at a time when we have seen public servants step up during one of the most challenging and unprecedented times, both nationally and globally. As the representative of federal and public health veterinarians, I am especially proud of the work that public veterinarians have conducted during this time to continue to keep our country's food supply safe and the work they have done to support animal health and agricultural programs during this time, even as they faced heightened risks of exposure to COVID-19. These past few months especially, veterinary skills have also been employed in innovative ways to help support vaccine deployment efforts. Their work, and that of public sector employees across the board, serve as examples of the extraordinary impact that every day public servants have in creating stability for Americans and the world."

-Joe F. Annelli, Executive Vice President, National Association of Federal Veterinarians

It's Public Service Recognition Week, and the FEDforum is celebrating the contributions of our partners across government.

05/03/2021

Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

CLOSING DATE: Today!

Pay scale & grade: GS 14
Salary: $108,885 to $141,548 per year
Appointment type: Permanent
Work schedule: Full-time

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/599358400

Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

CLOSING DATE: Today!

Pay scale & grade: GS 14
Salary: $108,885 to $141,548 per year
Appointment type: Permanent
Work schedule: Full-time

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/599358400

05/03/2021

NAFV Unsung Veterinary Excellence Award - CAPT Sean Altekruse

The National Association of Federal Veterinarians is pleased to announce the awarding of the Unsung Veterinary Excellence Award to CAPT. Sean Altekruse, retired. Dr. Alterkruse was nominated by CAPT. Marvin L. Thomas for his substantial contributions to the veterinary field across multiple federal agencies over thirty years of service with the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service.

CAPT Sean Altekruse, DVM, MPH, PhD, Diplomat AVCPM, Epidemiology Specialty Board

04/23/2021

As public health veterinarians find themselves more overwhelmed at work, their chances of making mistakes—and the risks of civil liability and adverse administrative actions being taken against them—increase significantly. To protect against these exposures, the National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) partnered to provide access to the very same professional liability insurance (PLI) protections for state and local public health veterinarians that federal veterinarians enjoy. PLI offers liability coverage and legal defense in the event you are sued or investigated for your job actions and decisions. State and local public health veterinarians, through affiliate membership with NAFV, are now able to obtain the very same professional liability insurance at the very same low price.

https://nafv.org/news-2/f/nafv-connects-statelocal-phvs-to-prof-liability-insurance

As public health veterinarians find themselves more overwhelmed at work, their chances of making mistakes—and the risks of civil liability and adverse administrative actions being taken against them—increase significantly. To protect against these exposures, the National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) partnered to provide access to the very same professional liability insurance (PLI) protections for state and local public health veterinarians that federal veterinarians enjoy. PLI offers liability coverage and legal defense in the event you are sued or investigated for your job actions and decisions. State and local public health veterinarians, through affiliate membership with NAFV, are now able to obtain the very same professional liability insurance at the very same low price.

https://nafv.org/news-2/f/nafv-connects-statelocal-phvs-to-prof-liability-insurance

04/16/2021

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is currently seeking candidates for an Assistant State Veterinarian - Chief of Meat Inspection position in the Division of Meat Inspection.

The duties for the Chief of Meat Inspection position include but are not limited to:

- Acts as Chief for the Division of Meat Inspection with the Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Administers comprehensive statewide meat & poultry inspection program in accordance with Chapter 918 of Ohio Revised Code (ORC)
- Oversees meat & poultry inspection & state/federal cooperative interstate shipment program for facilities that slaughter & process red meat & poultry
- Regulates Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) of inspected facilities
- Ensures ante mortem & post mortem inspection of livestock & poultry at slaughter
- Implements proper control of restricted ingredients
- Ensures decisions and actions in ex*****on of the program are legally and technically supportable and that due process rights of the regulated industry are protected
- Develops & implements Division of Meat Inspection policies & procedures (e.g., procedures to issue administrative enforcement actions to plant operations for non-compliance, procedures for determination of unfit products & retention & destruction thereof, procedures for effective consistent verification and documentation of regulatory requirements)
- Prepares, submits & monitors divisional budget & budget requests which incorporates management of federal/state grants process
- Implements employee technical training programs (e.g., collection of samples, chain of custody, inspection procedures & control monitoring, EEO, Title VI & Title VII)
- Drafts proposed amendments &/or additions to Title 9 of OAC & rules promulgated there under
- Interprets & implements federal & state laws, rules & regulations in order to ensure mandates are followed as set forth under the state/federal cooperative meat & poultry inspection guidelines
- Serves as a liaison between department executive staff and inspection division employees, as well as the regulated industry and national organizations
- Consults with Enforcement, Legal, and Human Resources on issues needing their expertise and guidance
- Works with enforcement during investigations of inspected establishments, alleged illegal activities and internal affairs
- Assigns division responsibilities to appropriate staff
- Evaluates staff performance and provides performance evaluations
- Approves biweekly Kronos timecards and associated requests
- Recommends/authorizes disciplinary action
- Acts as liaison with other meat & poultry industry stakeholders (e.g., inspection program managers of other states, USDA VS, FDA, Ohio State University, & Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, NASFMID, OFBF, OAMP)
- Attends conferences & seminars to represent division &/or agency in matters pertaining to meat & poultry inspection
- Participates in regular CIS and NASFMID calls/meetings
- Maintains professional competence by reading journals, attending seminars and conferences and networking with other professionals

https://dasstateoh.taleo.net/careersection/oh_ext/jobdetail.ftl?job=2100020T&tz=GMT-04%3A00&tzname=America%2FNew_York

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is currently seeking candidates for an Assistant State Veterinarian - Chief of Meat Inspection position in the Division of Meat Inspection.

The duties for the Chief of Meat Inspection position include but are not limited to:

- Acts as Chief for the Division of Meat Inspection with the Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Administers comprehensive statewide meat & poultry inspection program in accordance with Chapter 918 of Ohio Revised Code (ORC)
- Oversees meat & poultry inspection & state/federal cooperative interstate shipment program for facilities that slaughter & process red meat & poultry
- Regulates Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) of inspected facilities
- Ensures ante mortem & post mortem inspection of livestock & poultry at slaughter
- Implements proper control of restricted ingredients
- Ensures decisions and actions in ex*****on of the program are legally and technically supportable and that due process rights of the regulated industry are protected
- Develops & implements Division of Meat Inspection policies & procedures (e.g., procedures to issue administrative enforcement actions to plant operations for non-compliance, procedures for determination of unfit products & retention & destruction thereof, procedures for effective consistent verification and documentation of regulatory requirements)
- Prepares, submits & monitors divisional budget & budget requests which incorporates management of federal/state grants process
- Implements employee technical training programs (e.g., collection of samples, chain of custody, inspection procedures & control monitoring, EEO, Title VI & Title VII)
- Drafts proposed amendments &/or additions to Title 9 of OAC & rules promulgated there under
- Interprets & implements federal & state laws, rules & regulations in order to ensure mandates are followed as set forth under the state/federal cooperative meat & poultry inspection guidelines
- Serves as a liaison between department executive staff and inspection division employees, as well as the regulated industry and national organizations
- Consults with Enforcement, Legal, and Human Resources on issues needing their expertise and guidance
- Works with enforcement during investigations of inspected establishments, alleged illegal activities and internal affairs
- Assigns division responsibilities to appropriate staff
- Evaluates staff performance and provides performance evaluations
- Approves biweekly Kronos timecards and associated requests
- Recommends/authorizes disciplinary action
- Acts as liaison with other meat & poultry industry stakeholders (e.g., inspection program managers of other states, USDA VS, FDA, Ohio State University, & Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, NASFMID, OFBF, OAMP)
- Attends conferences & seminars to represent division &/or agency in matters pertaining to meat & poultry inspection
- Participates in regular CIS and NASFMID calls/meetings
- Maintains professional competence by reading journals, attending seminars and conferences and networking with other professionals

https://dasstateoh.taleo.net/careersection/oh_ext/jobdetail.ftl?job=2100020T&tz=GMT-04%3A00&tzname=America%2FNew_York