Committees

Code of Ethics Committee

This Committee serves as the body to review complaints which AAMP receives about practices of its members, or to resolve disputes arising among competitor members. The Committee reviews complaints by mail and confers by telephone. If disputes or situations cannot be resolved through review or discussion, recommendations are made and submitted to the Board of Directors for further action. The Code of Ethics Committee meets during the annual convention if it is deemed necessary. Expenses for attending the convention are covered by the individual.

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Convention Committee

This Committee has the responsibility for overall planning of the Association’s annual convention. It normally meets in September/October of the year preceding the convention to develop programs, workshops, social activities and other considerations implemented. However, matters relating to pricing for exhibit space, registration fees, or items necessitating significant financial commitment are regarded as subject to Board approval prior to implementation. Committee members serve a one-year term and are reimbursed only for their travel and lodging during the actual Convention Committee meeting in the fall of the year preceding the convention being planned.

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Cured Meat Show Advisory Committee

This Committee is assigned the role of reviewing the classes of competition and rules of the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC) and annually making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding this program.

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Cured Meats Hall of Fame Committee

This Committee, created in 1991, is charged with the task of recognizing those individuals who have excelled in the craft of meat curing. Each year, nominations are evaluated by the Committee, who recommends to the AAMP Board of Directors an individual(s) to be inducted into the Cured Meats Hall of Fame. A presentation is made at the AAMP Convention at the American Cured Meat Championships Awards Session. The recipient is given a plaque, and a duplicate of the plaque is permanently displayed in the Cured Meat Hall of Fame at the AAMP Headquarters.

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Education/Training Committee

This Committee was established with the belief that a more planned and formalized approach is needed to educate and train Association members and others in the industry. It is the mission of the Education/Training Committee to determine the needs of both the membership of the American Association of Meat Processors and the meat and poultry processing and slaughtering industry in the development of products and other needed areas, and to work toward creation of the necessary media, through electronic, printed and other technological sources, to provide the help needed by the members and the industry in those areas.

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Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is provided for in the AAMP By-Laws and shall consist of the President and Secretary. Historically, the Treasurer has been included as a member of the Executive Committee because the Treasurer has traditionally continued to become the President. For purposes of continuity, the Immediate Past President of the Association has been included as a member of the Committee. Similarly, since the 1st Vice President would succeed the President in the event that he or she would be unable to complete their term, past AAMP Boards have recommended that the 1st Vice President be included as a member of this Committee. The Executive Committee usually meets in late Janaury and other times by conference calls. Among their areas of responsibility: review the previous year’s financial report and audit, make recommendations to the Board for the new year’s budget, awards, provide advice and guidance to the staff, verify the effectiveness of AAMP’s overall operations, and make other recommendations to the Board of Directors on matter of agenda items deemed to be of a timely nature. The Association covers the travel and lodging costs for members of the Executive Committee.

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Food Safety & Science Committee

This Committee, established by AAMP in 2000, will help the Association to provide more scientifically-oriented information to its members so they can meet the increasingly stringent food safety directives from USDA and state inspection programs. With USDA and state inspection regulations focusing more and more on preventing pathogens in meat and poultry products, AAMP believes that small meat and poultry processors and slaughterers need more scientific resources and help with microbiological issues to deal with and solve food safety problems. The Committee’s purpose is to focus on helping small meat and poultry processors and slaughterers to meet the increasingly sophisticated scientific and microbiological challenges that are posed by USDA and state regulatory rule making and Congressional legislation. The members of the Committee conduct their business mostly via telephone conference and mail, whenever questions arise that need scientific expertise to answer. The Committee includes microbiologists and animal scientists from universities, as well as representatives from the industry scientific community.

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Meat Inspection/Governmental Affairs Committee

The Committee represents a cross section of the membership, including Federal and State inspected businesses, retail, wholesale, custom-exempt, food service, and various geographic locations. All Committee members, including the Committee Chairman, are appointed by the AAMP President for a one-year term beginning immediately after the annual convention. The Committee officially meets once per year at the AAMP Convention. The Meat Inspection/Governmental Affairs Committee is charged with advising and making policy recommendations to the Board of Directors on regulatory and legislative issues affecting the meat industry and the Association’s membership.

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Membership Committee

This Committee of supplier, operator and other members is assigned the role of development of membership recruitment and retention programs. It considers new areas of potential members and recommends programs to the Board of Directors to help attract new members. It also takes an active role in contacting non-members about joining.  This Committee meets during Convention.

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Nominating Committee

This Committee, appointed by the President, is charged with providing at least one nominee for each open position on the AAMP Board of Directors. Prior to the convention, Committee members solicit suggestions from fellow Association. The Committee meets during the convention to organize the slate for the election, which is conducted at the AAMP Business Meeting. Following the voting, the appointed tellers count the ballots and verify the winners. Expenses incurred in attending the convention are covered by the individual.

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Scholarship Committee

The Scholarship Committee developed the criteria for the (2) $5,000 annual scholarships to be awarded at the convention and also serves to screen candidates for the award. In addition, the committee has worked to find ways to promote donations to the scholarship fund.