Board Members and Meetings

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is guided by a six-member citizen board appointed by the governor. Board members serve four-year terms and may be reappointed. Under Minnesota Statutes, two of the board members must be practicing veterinarians and four of the board members must be livestock producers, one of which must be from a federally recognized tribe.

The board members elect a president and vice-president and also annually appoint a veterinarian to serve as the state veterinarian and executive director of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. The board meets quarterly. Board meeting notices are posted on the Board’s website and meetings are open to the public.

Board Members

Erica Sawatzke | Board President, Poultry Producer, Kensington

Peggy Anne Hawkins, DVM | Board Vice President, Veterinarian, Northfield

Dean Compart | Swine Producer, Nicollet

Jessica Koppien-Fox, DVM | Veterinarian, Marshall

Jim Vagts | Producer, Harmony

Alex Stade | Cattle Producer, Prior Lake

Click here to email members of the board

Video Recordings

September 21, 2022 Board Meeting

Special Meeting of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health

THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED HERE WHEN IT IS RESCHEDULED.

Agenda

Start time 9:00 a.m.

Dean Compart
Call meeting to order

Board members
Review Farmed Cervidae Rules Draft

Next Meeting of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health

The next quarterly meeting of the Board of Animal Health will be held Tuesday, December 6, 2022, both in person at the Oliver Kelley Farm (15788 Kelley Farm Rd, Elk River, MN 55330​) and on Microsoft Teams. 

Some board members may be attending this meeting remotely.

Microsoft Teams Access:

Agenda Items*

Start time 9:30 a.m.

Erica Sawatzke
Call meeting to order
Notice of Meeting
Approval of Minutes from September 21, 2022
Approval of Agenda

Michelle Medina
Legislative Update

Marion Garcia
Board of Animal Health Update

Stephan Schaefbauer
USDA Update

Laura Molgaard
College of Veterinary Medicine Update

Albert Rovira
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Update

Joni Scheftel
Minnesota Department of Health Update

Kara Schmidt
Board of Animal Health Bylaws

Erik Jopp 
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Update

Sandra Larson
HPAI Epidemiology Update

David Stallknecht
Ecology of Avian Influenza Viruses in the US

Michelle Carstensen
DNR Updates

Courtney Wheeler
Farmed Cervid Updates and
Genomics Testing in White-Tailed Deer

Brian Hoefs
U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) and
African Swine Fever Update

 

*Agenda subject to change prior to meeting.