A two-day instructional course to prepare for becoming a certified animal welfare auditor is set for Sept. 20-21 at Fremont, NE, and Schuyler, NE. The events are sponsored by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization, Inc. (PAACO) and the American Meat Institute (AMI).

The first course offered by PAACO and AMI held in February, received high marks, prompting scheduling a second course.

The hands-on course is the first step in achieving certification status for cattle, swine and sheep plant auditors. Participants earn full certification by passing an examination and completing at least three in-plant audits monitored by an approved instructor/auditor.

The first day’s instruction takes place at the Hormel Foods packing plant in Fremont, NE. The second day’s training will be held at the Cargill beef plant in Schuyler, NE.

Course instructors include Angela Baysinger, DVM, Farmland Foods; Paul DuBois, DVM, Cargill Pork; Temple Grandin, president of Grandin Livestock Handling Systems; Kellye Pfalzgraf, Tyson Foods; Janet Riley, AMI; and Mike Siemens, Cargill Beef.

For more information, contact Mike Simpson, executive director of PAACO at (402) 403-0104 or e-mail mike@animalauditor.org.