Location: Animal Production and Protection
Project Number: 0500-00092-001-002-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 16, 2021
End Date: Dec 31, 2024
Objective:
Implement and support antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and alternatives to antibiotics (ATA) -related scientific activities (i.e., prepare scientific material, coordinate and facilitate conferences) through innovative approaches developed by the Cooperator to build collaborations among a community of scientists.
Approach:
ARS supports scientific training and scientific collaborations between U.S. scientists and experts researching AMR and ATA. The USDA Vision Statement is global agricultural leadership in AMR for healthy people, animals and the environment. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious health threats for both animals and humans. Many international and national organizations have developed action plans to address this complex, multi-faceted issue.
In 2014, USDA developed an AMR action plan that laid out three objectives:
1. Determine and/or model patterns, purposes and impacts of antibiotic use in food-producing animals;
2. Monitor antibiotic drug susceptibilities of selected bacterial organisms in food-producing animals, production environments and meat and poultry;
3. Identify feasible management practices, alternatives to antibiotic use, and other mitigations to reduce AMR associated with food-producing animals and their production environments.
The Cooperator will support the ARS efforts by providing implementation and oversight support of the activities outlined in this agreement. The Cooperator has the infrastructure, expertise, and capacity to support and execute activities in line with ARS objectives. ARS will partner with the Cooperator to design, organize, and execute activities to achieve the objectives of the project.
Over the next 5 years, the Cooperator and ARS will work together to prepare scientific material and coordinate and facilitate conferences.
