ARS | Publication request: Update from NARMS and CAHFSE

Submitted to: American Agricultural Economics Association Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 5, 2008
Publication Date: July 27, 2008
Citation: Jackson, C.R., Cray, P.J. 2008. Update from NARMS and CAHFSE. American Agricultural Economics Association Meeting. Jul. 27-29,2008, Orlando, Florida.

Technical Abstract: NARMS is the only national program for surveillance of resistant bacteria in animals in the U.S. and provides critical information regarding the prevalence and distribution of antimicrobial resistant bacteria from human and animal clinical specimens, from healthy farm animals, and from raw product of food-producing animals at slaughter. Since 1996, the animal arm of NARMS has been based in the USDA-ARS at the RRC in Athens, GA. Salmonella was selected as the sentinel organism and antimicrobial resistance in over 45,000 Salmonella isolates has been determined. Campylobacter, generic E. coli and Enterococcus were added in subsequent years resulting in over 4,000, 7,000 and 4,000, respectively, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns for each of those bacteria. The CAHFSE program was initiated to enhance overall understanding of pathogens that pose a food-safety risk and to routinely monitor critical diseases in food-animal production. In response to growing surveillance needs, USDA-ARS, APHIS, and FSIS collectively developed CAHFSE, which will enhance understanding of pathogens that pose a food-safety risk by tracking them from farm to plant. The goal is to enhance overall understanding of bacteria that pose a food-safety risk by monitoring these bacteria on-farm and in-plant over time and to provide a means to routinely monitor critical diseases in food-animal production. A particular emphasis of CAHFSE is to address issues related to bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Results and participating farms will determine the direction that CAHFSE will pursue in the coming years so that USDA will be able to identify and implement mitigation strategies for animal health and food safety issues in a timely manner thereby averting adverse economic, animal well-being, and public health consequences. Further, it will provide comprehensive science-based answers regarding animal health and public health, it will serve as a model for future surveillance efforts on a national level, and it will complement information obtained from both the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) and USDA VetNet programs.