Today, the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announced the appointment of Collette Schultz Kaster experienced Training Specialists to meet the growing needs for animal auditor training, certification, and audit certification across all sectors of the livestock industry. 

 

Kaster brings to her new AMSA role more than 25 years of technical experience in areas of animal welfare, meat quality, food safety, and quality assurance, as well as executive roles developing and leading successful teams in the meat industry.  She has served as the Executive Director for PAACO for the past three years and overseen significant growth in its training events and content for animal welfare auditing, including the addition of four new welfare auditor certification areas:  dairy, on-farm swine, beef feedlot, and broiler.

 

The PAACO Board of Directors and AMSA Board of Directors have agreed that her leadership skills and experience will benefit both organizations.  PAACO will continue to be directed from the same location near Kansas City.

 

Dr. Angela Basinger, Merck Animal Welfare Lead, and PAACO Chairperson said, “Collette’s extensive industry knowledge as its new Chief Executive Officer. In addition to her new role with AMSA, Kaster will continue to lead PAACO as its Executive Director.  To enable this dual role, PAACO has added several highly

 

combined with her formidable experience managing successful teams and businesses will contribute to the success and growth of both PAACO and AMSA. PAACO will continue to expand its domestic and international reach to further advance animal welfare through auditor training and audit certification.”

 

Kaster will begin as AMSA CEO on July 1.