THE LAMENESS IN RUMINANTS (LIR) CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AUGUST 1-5TH, 2022 IN BLOOMINGTON MINNESOTA. THE LIR CONFERENCE IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS NOT SPONSORED BY ANY MEMBERSHIP SOCIETY AND BRIDGES MULTIPLE SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES. THE 5-DAY LIR CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER RESEARCHERS, VETERINARIANS, EXTENSION SPECIALISTS, HOOF-TRIMMERS, INDUSTRY CONSULTANTS, AND FARM PERSONNEL FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO SHARE CURRENT RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING LAMENESS IN DAIRY AND BEEF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, AND OTHER RUMINANTS. THE LIR CONFERENCE IS HELD EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS IN A DIFFERENT REGION OF THE WORLD AND RELIES SOLELY UPON LOCAL COMMITTEE ORGANIZERS AND SPONSORSHIP. THE TWO MOST RECENT MEETINGS HAVE BEEN IN JAPAN AND GERMANY, AND THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE MEETING IS BEING HELD IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE 2002. THE MISSION OF THIS CONFERENCE IS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION RELATED TO LAMENESS IN CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOATS. AS LAMENESS IN OFTEN A MULTI-FACTORIAL PROBLEM, THIS CONFERENCE ADDRESSES ALL ASPECTS RELATED TO LAMENESS IN THESE RUMINANTS. THIS MEETING IS UNIQUE AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN LAMENESS IN RUMINANTS CAN NETWORK AND EXCHANGE IDEAS WITH A LARGE CONSORTIUM OF LIKEMINDED INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD AND WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, SETTING IT APART FROM OTHER SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS. TYPICALLY, THIS MEETING FEATURES NOT ONLY RESEARCHERS PRESENTING THEIR LATEST DATA, BUT ALSO HOOF TRIMMERS, VETERINARIANS, INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS AND EXTENSION AGENTS OFFERING CLINICAL PERSPECTIVES FROM THEIR DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCES. THIS UNIQUE MIX FOSTERS COLLABORATIONS AND ALLOWS THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO BE IMMEDIATELY USED AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK. THE GLOBAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY THE DAIRY SECTOR - INCLUDING SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES (I.E., AGRICHEMICALS, PHARMACEUTICALS, EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS), MAKING COMPANIES LESS WILLING AND ABLE TO SPONSOR AND EXHIBIT AT CONFERENCES. THUS, THE LIR CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS ARE SEEKING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE LIR CONFERENCE ARE HIGHLY ALIGNED WITH PROGRAM DISEASES OF AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS A1221, PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY: DISEASE PREVENTION CONTROL, MANAGEMENT, AND DIAGNOSTICS AND WELFARE AND WELL-BEING OF AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS A1251, PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY: ADVANCE OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF ANIMAL WELFARE (AUTOMATED, NONINVASIVE METHODS), IMPROVEMENTS FOR PAINFUL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES.