Ohio State to Host Organic Animal Health Symposium March 18

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two Ohio State University programs will host an Organic Animal Health Symposium on March 18 in Columbus.

The event’s focus will be on the health of livestock in organic farming systems. Included will be discussions of practices and of needs in future research and education.

Among the speakers will be university faculty and experts from the organic industry.

The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Blackwell Inn and Conference Center, 2110 Tuttle Park Place, on Ohio State’s campus in Columbus.

Admission is free and open to anyone interested in organic farming and livestock health, including scientists, Extension professionals, veterinary practitioners, farmers and consumers. Lunch is included. But advance registration is required by March 11 due to limited space.

Participants should register at http://go.osu.edu/RdJ.

The speakers will include:

• Jennifer Walker, director of stewardship, Dean Foods.
• Pam Ruegg, professor, Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Juan Velez, senior vice president of farm operations, Aurora Organic Dairy.
• Mike Lilburn, professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio State, who holds joint appointments with Ohio State University Extension and the university's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).
• Guy Jodarski, staff veterinarian, Organic Valley.
• Paivi Rajala-Schultz, associate professor, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State.
• Gustavo Schuenemann, assistant professor, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State, and OSU Extension veterinarian.

For more information, contact Schuenemann at schuenemann.5@osu.edu or 614-292-6924; or Jeff Workman at workman.45@osu.edu or 614-292-9453.

Joint sponsors of the event are OSU Extension’s Veterinary Extension program, part of Ohio State’s Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine; and OARDC's Organic Food and Farming Education and Research (OFFER) program.

OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

The Blackwell Inn also offers paid overnight lodging, with registration available at http://www.theblackwell.com or 866-247-4003.

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