USDA Awards $5 Million for Tracking Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals

By Chris Dall

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced last week that it's awarding $5 million to six partners to boost surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock, poultry, and pets.

The money will be used to maintain and expand previously developed AMR dashboards and advance scientific knowledge around AMR, APHIS said in a news release. The dashboards will focus on tracking the emergence and spread of drug-resistant microbes in domesticated animals, monitoring trends in AMR patterns, and developing a better understanding of the relationship between antibiotic use, animal health management, and AMR.

The recipients of the funding are Cornell University, Iowa State University, Texas Tech University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Washington, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

APHIS says the dashboard development efforts will inform strategies for responsible antibiotic use in animals and complement its ongoing work on AMR.

"With its extensive animal health expertise and strong federal, state, tribal and industry partnerships, APHIS plays a critical leadership role in identifying AMR in diseases found in animals, such as livestock and poultry, while protecting the nation's food supply," the agency said.