Specific Aims 2020 AAFCO Midyear Scientific Conference PAR-16-378 Application The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) expects to utilize grant funding in support of its 2020 AAFCO Midyear Scientific Conference in Albuquerque NM from January 20 – 23, 2020. This conference is one of two conferences AAFCO offers annually, with the second conference being the AAFCO Annual Meeting held in August of each year. The AAFCO Midyear Scientific Conference provides state feed program staff and laboratory staff with the opportunity to receive trending scientific information on issues affecting the safety of animal feed ingredients for the intended use in the intended species. This conference also provides all attendees with the opportunity to view and participate in live committee meetings addressing topics of animal feed regulatory significance including ingredient definitions, feed labeling, feed and feed ingredient manufacturing, pet food ingredients and labeling, and model regulations for states to use to protect the uniformity of interstate commerce. The 2020 conference will offer 3 keynote speakers, one on each day, to offer information on topics or perspectives of importance to the animal feed industry. In addition to state regulatory staff, industry and consumers are represented. Interaction with these important sectors is valuable to both the state regulators and to those sectors to build on the collaboration to ensure that the animal feed used in the US is safe for the intended use in the intended species, and that the animals that humans consume are safe for the humans to consume. The Association plans to: 1. Provide relevant presentations and discussions centered on: a. Medicated Feed Labeling Workshop presented on Monday, January 20, by FDA CVM. b. Food Safety Modernization Act implementation components are discussed in all committee meetings due to the relevance of the FSMA language to the entire scope of the animal feed business. 2. Provide a venue for state feed program staff, laboratory staff, industry representatives and consumers to collaborate and effectively discuss difficult topics in an appropriate forum where scientific knowledge is represented. AAFCO intends to ensure that the 2020 AAFCO Midyear Scientific Conference, with the assistance of funding from a federal grant, provides the attendees with new information and innovative ideas that can be utilized to enhance their level of knowledge and expertise in the performance of their duties.