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This proposal is to fund the continued implementation of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD). FARAD is a collaborative project funded by USDA/CSREES since 1982 that involves the collaboration of North Carolina State University [NCSU], the University of California, Davis [UCD], and the University of Florida [UFL]. FARAD has as its goal the production of safe foods of animal origin through the prevention and mitigation of violative chemical residues in food animal products. While the users of FARAD are veterinarians, regulatory agencies, and extension specialists, the ultimate client is the general public who can consume foods of animal origin that are free of harmful drug and chemical residues.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: FARAD's immediate clients are practicing veterinarians, regulators and extension officers, but it ultimately protects the food consuming public. FARAD functions through the collection of a variety of data and their application in formulating recommendations to its clients to avoid or mitigate residues. This process can involve the use of simple mathematic extrapolation or novel complicated algorithms where no readily applicable data exists to predict chemical depletion.
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APPROACH: FARAD originated with the Residue Avoidance Program (RAP) in 1982 as a repository of residue avoidance information and educational materials. FARAD has now evolved into an expert-mediated residue avoidance decision support system which is able to provide timely advice and information on a wide range of drug and chemical entities. This ability has proved vital to the execution of the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA) regulations that legalized the extralabel use of drugs by veterinarians. AMDUCA regulations require that extralabel use of drugs in food animals be based on sound principles of residue avoidance. The National Research Council acknowledged FARAD as the primary source of this information.