Emergency and routine management of animal bodies and (or) remains is a significant challenge and a major responsibility for the sustainability of agricultural, recreational, and natural animal systems. Strategies are critical in order to protect not only animal and human physical health, but more broadly, holistic health, which involves economic, social, and environmental components. In our times, we face the large-scale realities of biological pathogens, toxicological contaminants, radiological contamination, and natural disasters. Likewise important is the daily management of animal deaths and byproduct accumulation under normal and natural production. Research is necessary in developing effective response plans, as are the deliberative interactions among international, national, state, provincial, and local governments, public institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. The 4th International Symposium on Managing Animal Mortality and Health Risk and the resulting Symposium Proceedings enable animal emergency responders, planners, educators, researchers, animal caretakers, livestock producers, food animal processors, food systems managers, and researchers to more effectively manage mass mortality events, animal disease outbreaks, and (or) food contamination events, should they occur. Experts from around the world have contributed new knowledge from lessons learned during these experiences, from demonstrations of depopulation, disposal, and decontamination technologies, from simulating a disease outbreak on an international border, and from recent, related research. The impact of this event will be further extended with the post-symposium release of the Compendium of Related Materials and White Paper. Partnering among the individuals planning the 4th International Symposium on Managing Animal Mortality and Health Risk, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate and the National Center for Foreign Animal Disease and Zoonotic Disease contributed to compilation of these resources and was greatly appreciated. In the future, this and broader working relationships will benefit the local, regional, national and international communities by capturing synergisms and efficiently using resources in research, education and policy-making efforts. Michigan State University was pleased to be the host institution for the 4th International Symposium on Managing Animal Mortality and Health Risk.

Cornell Waste Management Institute, University of Maine-Cooperative Extension, Michigan State University

mortality management; composting; carcass management; health risk

other