You may have reserved your hotel room months ago, but don't forget to register for the AASV 2010 Annual Meeting, says the AASV.

The programme is available online [click here], and registration materials have been mailed to all AASV members.

Under the direction of AASV president-elect and programme chair Dr Paul Ruen, the meeting sessions reflect the theme 'Implementing Knowledge'. Dr Ruen emphasises that "Our challenge isn't only to get smarter but to make things better."

Dr Jim Lowe will present the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture, entitled 'People, Processes, and Pigs: Are we fixing what is really broken?' to open the general session on Monday 8 March. Dr Peter Davies will follow with the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture, entitled 'The misinformation game: Does the villain have a voice?' Three concurrent sessions fill the remainder of Monday's programme and address the topics of swine well-being, viral diseases and bacteriology.

Tuesday's general session will identify opportunities for swine veterinarians to lead tomorrow's pig industry. Logger Bruce Vincent will explain how his industry faced opposition by making some changes and learning to share a positive message with the public. Bob Ruth of Hatfield Quality Meats will focus on earning the trust and business of the pork consumer. The meeting will conclude with presentations by four highly respected AASV members offering their insights on '(Surprising) opportunities in challenging times'.

Pre-conference seminars on Saturday and Sunday offer additional opportunities for veterinary continuing education on a variety of topics. The regular meeting sessions commence with the poster session on Sunday at noon, followed by five concurrent sessions, including the Student Seminar, Research Topics, and Industrial Partners presentations.