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<p>The objective of this project is to develop a new framework, curriculum and delivery mechanism that will transform the mindset and skill set for veterinarian's tasked with safely feeding the world. There is a serious shortage of veterinarians to support the supply safe and wholesome food. There is a need for experts to work in today's complex farming, food production, and processing systems. A veterinarian working in the food supply chain must understand the implications of decisions throughout the food, environment and public health systems. They must understand the "systems approach" to problem solving. The systems approach is a holistic view of the elements and processes working together to produce a desired result. However, changing veterinary education is difficult because current students are overloaded with information. There is no time for more courses, labs or rotations. Innovative methods in this project are to </p>
<p>1) modify existing food animal topics providing current content while imparting the systems methodology and </p>
<p>2) apply concrete systems engineering principles through partnership with the engineering college. We will develop at least one Systems Trainer at each collaborating university, Iowa State University, Kansas State University and University of Arkansas. These trainers, who are well versed in application of systems engineering methods to veterinary medicine and food safety, will work with selected faculty to modify some of their existing lectures. The revised lectures will include the original content while setting the information into systems based examples.</p>
<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: <br/>There is a serious shortage of veterinarians to support the supply of safe and wholesome food. (Hoblet et al., 2002; USA Today, 2008). There is a need for veterinarians in traditional farm practice, but more critically, there is a need for experts to work in modern farming and food production and processing systems (Bernardo, 2006). For good or for ill, food production is consolidating and intensifying. Therefore a producer and their consulting veterinarians have influence on a much larger number of animals and consequently consumers. Today one decision may affect one carcass which may have a global impact (e.g. international trade bans due to one tissue residue violation, or large-scale disease outbreak). No matter where in the food supply chain a veterinarian is working, they must understand the implications of decisions throughout the food,
environment and public health systems. They must understand the "systems approach" to problem solving and animal health.
<p>APPROACH: <br/>Generally three different activities will provide dissemination of this project's methods and success: 1) peer publications, 2) professional presentations, and 3) our website. 1) Peer publications may include editorial or opinion pieces but also peer-review scientific papers describing the data and results from our evaluations. 2) A variety of venues will be used to present the concepts, case studies and evaluation results. Beef, swine and poultry practitioners will be interested in the new framework for problem solving, which they might apply in their current practice settings. Presentations will be given to veterinary educators (e.g. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges). Information and case studies will be provided to food safety trainers, such as FDA, FSIS, and industry (see letters of collaboration Appendices). 3) The website will be
administered by the Center for Food Safety and Public Health. They have much experience with providing materials to veterinary schools as they currently deliver and administer, for a small fee, the Federal Accreditation materials and exams to 21 universities. Other schools will be invited to revise and submit example case studies. This site may become a forum for learning and advancing the food systems concepts.