Final December 5, 2012
STRATEGIC PLAN: PRIORITIZED STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION
FACILITATED BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Washington, D.C.
October 18, 2012
Attendees:
AAFCO Board Members Present:
Tim Darden (President Elect)
Ali Kashani (Secretary-Treasurer)
Chad Linton (Past President
Doug Lueders (Sr. Director)
Richard Ten Eyk (Sr. Director)
Mark LeBlanc (Sr. Director)
Ken Bowers (Jr. Director)
Ricky Schroeder (Jr. Director)
Other Members Present:
Eric Nelson, FDA/CVM
Sharon Benz FDA/CVM
FASS:
Jenna Stoia
Facilitator:
Linda Morrison
New Board Members, effective January 2013:
Linda Morrison
Dan Danielson
Absent: Bob Waltz (President)
Background: On October 18, 2012, a facilitated meeting was held in Washington D.C.,
for the purpose of discussing AAFCO organizational priorities, narrowing the breadth of
elements from the strategic plan to be addressed as action items and to help the Board
of Directors prioritize key strategies. The meeting was attended by available Board
members and representatives from the FDA. The meeting was facilitated by Linda
Morrison, Chair of the Strategic Affairs Committee. The Board had previously
determined that the 2010-12 strategic plan would be extended and priority activities
identified for 2013-2016. Through a priority setting exercise, 3 key goals were selected.
The top three goals identified were:
1. Identify and pursue revenue generating opportunities;
2. Provide professional training opportunities; and,
3. Enhance cooperation among regulatory agencies.
These goals were then fleshed out in terms of anticipated outcomes as well as key
activities, responsibility and time lines to achieve the goals. During the meeting,
assignments were made to standing AAFCO committees and ad hoc teams/ workgroups
as appropriate. The Board will work with Committee Chairs to determine whether
additional ad hoc teams are required.
The priority work identified needs to be communicated to members and progress tracked
in a transparent manner. The Board will first communicate with Committee chairs,
working groups regarding assignments, with a conference call to facilitate discussion
and understanding. This may be supplemented with a face to face discussion during the
Committee Chair meeting prior to the 2013 Mid Year meeting. The AAFCO web site is
envisioned for communications, tracking, etc., on an ongoing basis. Monitoring and
oversight by the Board will be necessary for success. FASS, through the services of
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Jenna Stoia, will assist the Board and will take on additional projects as needed. A
Board liaison will work with FASS on final approvals for all projects where FASS is
providing project management and other support.
General Procedural remarks: Refer to the Agenda for the process followed.
Key Priority Goals*
Identify and Pursue Revenue Generating Opportunities
Key Outcomes:
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Sound financial planning
More cost effective operations
Revenue generation plan
Key Activities:
Sound financial planning/More cost effective operations (combined outcomes)
1. Develop a budget 3 months prior to the start of the Fiscal Year: (who: SecretaryTreasurer with Board Executive Committee). For 2012-2013 and 2013-2014,
present draft budgets at January 2013 BOD.
a. Identify all expense/revenue sources
b. Establish net profit benchmarks for meetings and projects (ideal revenue for
each current item, use past history or projections where reasonable)
c. Identify needs for scholarship funds and establish amounts for each meeting
(determine whether or not to include scholarship costs in meeting budgets or
in AAFCO general budget)
d. Determine whether membership fees are needed and if so, a price (potential
source for scholarships)
e. Estimate staff costs for meetings, projects, and general administration duties
(potential hours/fees)
f. Determine meeting cost agreements (e.g. Inspector training: how meeting
budgets display costs, what does AAFCO as a whole cover vs. what do
specific meetings or projects cover)
g. Beyond estimating meeting expenses/revenue in the general budget, develop
more specific individual meeting budgets (who: Jenna Stoia, 9 months prior to
meeting so as to determine registration fees)
h. Request a list of projects and financial needs from Committee Chairs at
January Midyear meeting
i. Identify cost savings opportunities with FASS (e.g. annual bids from printing
vendors)
j. Provide a multi-year comparison (profit/loss) as is possible
2. Investments (equal priority to develop a budget) (who: Secretary-Treasurer with
Board Executive Committee)
a. Work with FASS to invest savings
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Revenue Generation Plan (who: Secretary-Treasurer with Finance Sub-Committee)
1. Identify sellable publications (with eOP working group: Ricky Schroeder, Chad
Linton and Richard Ten Eyk): Determine what can be sold and how it can be
packaged, determine priorities and identify project owners/approvers to work
toward implementation (within 12 months) for, but not limited to:
a. OP, Label Guides, Pet Food Nutrient Profiles, Definitions List Access, one
day access, etc.
2. ID grant opportunities
a. Short term: small conference grant (Jenna to submit on Dec. 15)
b. Long term: identify opportunities (with help from Meagan), BOD to identify
individual to write grant applications
3. Identify sellable training opportunities (excluding member inspector training): (work
with Education and Training Committee).
a. Label training, BITS/AITS for industry, webinars, medicated feed,
preventative control, etc
b. Identify ways to make the Annual and Midyear meetings more valuable to
attendees and in turn profitable
4. As opportunities arise
Provide professional training opportunities
Key Outcomes:
 Develop Leaders (skills building)
 Professional and technical competence (understanding skills/needs, survey
assessment, training curriculum) through activities that benefit members (including
new members)
 Engage membership through understanding the process/purpose/value of AAFCO
Key Activities:
Professional and technical competence and engaged membership (combined outcomes)
1. Process for new members (who: Current Issues and Outreach Committee. To be
developed within 6 months (outline by January 2013 Mid Year))
a. Welcome from BOD – new member welcome packet (bylaws, procedures,
web access information, standard FAQs, reasons to attend, benefits as
members, listserv/networking opportunities, OP)
b. Identify what new members bring to AAFCO (bios, skills)
c. Offer a free ride to the first meeting – new members and current state admin
first timers (administrator, scholarship – would cover all travel costs)
2. Training
a. Needs/skills assessment survey (Who: Education and Training to coordinate
with committees notably Inspection and Sampling, Lab Methods and
Services, Labeling, and Pet Food Committees). E&T to identify a survey
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specialist. Survey to be designed within 12 months and completed w/
answers and analysis 6 months later).
i. Initial and ongoing training
ii. Member expectations from AAFCO
b. Curriculum (long-term: phase two – begin when survey is complete – may
take longer than the 3 year strategic plan)
i. Technical Training (e.g. inspection, labeling, GMP, enforcement,
medicated feed, AFRPS, lab methods)
ii. Professional/Leadership Training (e.g. communication, time
management)
iii. Partnering for more cost/time effective training
1. Investigate IFPTI, FDA, USDA, APHL (lab), NCBRT (LSU), trade
associations to integrate and or collaborate on training for better
use of resources, including consideration of utilizing a consultant
to accelerate implementation
a. Share material already developed
b. Collaborate on development (FSMA partnership, e.g.
AFPRS and RRT)
c. Supplement ours selectively
iv. Delivery Plan (e.g. AITS, BITS, intermediate level training, lab)
1. Trainers: members vs. outside expertise
2. E-training (DVDs, smart phone apps (e.g. sampling techniques)
support materials, webinars (live and recorded))
Build leaders with AAFCO background who support AAFCO (who: Strategic Affairs
Committee; 18 months)
1. Identify key skills (e.g. team building, motivation) relevant to AAFCO and
identify off the shelf program to use
2. Develop a plan and use a training firm (e.g. invite speakers to Seminar)
Enhance Cooperation Among Regulatory Agencies
Key Outcomes:
 Understand who our partners are, what they do and communicating who we are
 Actively working together and participating with other groups including shared work
plans, goals and resources..
Key Activities:
Working together/Actively Participating
1. Organize Tabletop Emergency Preparedness Exercise (work with FDA employing
RRT for feed appropriate tabletop) (who: Feed and Feed Ingredient Manufacturing
Committee by 2015)
o District, Regional, and National
o Rapid Response (natural emergencies, outbreaks, international
contaminates)
o Recalls
2. Standards (BoD and all Committee Chairpersons)
a. Common elements (e.g. risk informed work plans, ingredient definitions)
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b. Roles and responsibilities (e.g. communicating who handles what – sharing
publicly)
c. Coordination of enforcement and compliance activities (e.g. tasks on listserv)
3. Partnership establishment (Develop a partnership agreement model (MOU),
encourage systematic approach for communications) (who: Current Issues and
Outreach Committee within 24 months)
4. Encourage participation of federal agencies, states, other associations (AFDO,
NEHA, APHL) at AAFCO meetings (who: Board of Directors)
5. Support APHL grant: Building an Integrated Laboratory System to Advance the
Safety of Food and Animal Feed (who: Secretary-Treasurer with Lab Methods and
Services and Collaborative Check Sample Committees) (five year work plan)
Enhanced Communications Promoting Cooperation (who: Current Issues and Outreach
Committee with FASS support within 3 years) develop plan with activities:
1. Assess feed listserv and make recommendations for enhancements.
2. Identify contacts of key partners and keep it current
a. Audit key contacts yearly
3. Facilitate annual national gathering of regulatory partners (working with
Enforcement Issues Committee inviting FDA and adding USDA and Department of
Homeland Security)
4. Use marketing materials to clearly communicate mission, accomplishments,
current issues (e.g. brochure, banners, etc) – (working with FASS) – by Midyear
2013 (will be used at IPPE in January 2013)
5. AAFCO mobile app for consumer audience
6. AAFCO newsletter (resource intensive)
* NOTE: activities without specific timing are to be worked on over the course of the
2013-16 Strategic Plan
Tracking:
 Jenna/FASS to recommend tracking (software) and develop system for BoD
approval
 BOD to review and track progress at April FAS and October FDA Briefing meetings
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