The CA chapter of ARPAS has been busy with a number of activities since our Continuing Education Conference (CEC) in October, 2011. In March the governing council had a planning meeting for the 2012 CEC in October, 2012. In May before the California Animal Nutrition Conference there was a business meeting. The CA chapter is in very good financial shape. In December, 2011 we lost Dr. Ray Hinders. He was a wonderful person. He had a very successful career as a dairy nutrition and management consultant. He contributed a tremendous amount to ARPAS. Will very much miss him.

The alfalfa hay project is 95% finished. Carl Old gave the council an update on the trial and information on how to better estimate forage quality. A presentation was given on development of a video to recruit new ARPAS members. The cost of making the video may be a project the ARPAS Foundation may be able to fund.

There has been discussion on the quality of submission of supplement specifications and how they become a feed tag. Mike Davidson of the California Department of Food and Agriculture talked about the possibility of a training session on mineral and drug formulation.

Speakers have been chosen for the 2012 CEC meeting. The theme of the meeting is on the dairy transition cow. Speakers will have 75 minutes to develop there topic. The speakers are as listed- Umberto Bernabucci, Jim Drackley, John Lippolis, Nathan Long, and Tom Overton.

The 2012 officers of the CA ARPAS Chapter include: President - Luis Rodriquez; President-Elect - Gerald Higginbotham; Past President - Travis Taylor; Secretary - Andy Riordan; and Director at Large - John Martin.