As the number of animal and animal-to-human diseases increases, so does the potential for the introduction of one of these agents into the nation’s food supply.
(College Station)—When most people think about first responders, they conjure up images of firemen, paramedics and policemen. The events of 9/11 brought these community heroes and their stories into the limelight. However, for many years, another group of professionals has quietly been serving our country by protecting its food supply—the food animal veterinarian.
This special group of veterinary practitioners specializes in the care of cattle, swine, sheep, goats and poultry and has historically worked to ensure the health of food animals from conception to consumption. With the heightened level of security, the food animal veterinarian can now be counted among first responders.
“We’ve always been about biodefense, but on 9/11, the emphasis changed,” said Dan Posey, chief of Food Animal Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. “The need for increased vigilance is there. The first line of defense against an attack—intentional or natural—on our food supply is the rural veterinarian that lives in and is part of the community that serves our nation’s producers.”
With the number of foreign animal and zoonotic diseases (those that affect both humans and animals) increasing, the potential for the introduction of one of these agents into the nation’s food supply is also increasing. The introduction of a zoonotic agent into the food chain would not only be physically and economically devastating, but also psychologically. Veterinarians are able to help bridge the gap between the producers and the latest research so that current information about available diagnostics and reporting procedures are quickly disseminated.
“Texas A&M and the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences are uniquely poised to take the lead in agrodefense efforts,” said Floron Faries, veterinarian for Texas Cooperative Extension. “Extension has the resources and relationships to reach out county by county to provide education to veterinarians across the state about how to identify these foreign animal and zoonotic diseases. We provide training programs that teach them how to recognize and respond rapidly through a coordinated effort. In addition, we encourage veterinarians to get involved with their county or community disaster preparedness team.”
Veterinarians can quickly disseminate the latest information about available diagnostics and reporting procedures.
Veterinary medical students at Texas A&M are taught early on about preparedness and the importance of rapid reporting. In many cases, it is not just about the health of populations of animals at stake. It could be a matter of public health with a tremendous economic impact as well.
“Environmental health issues come up where people and animals interface,” added Posey. “It’s not just the food animal veterinarian’s responsibility but our profession’s responsibility to respond. We teach our students about this responsibility and to remain vigilant and not to be the veterinarian that didn’t make the call.”
The most important impact that the new emphasis has made on the veterinary profession is how future veterinarians are trained. At Texas A&M, this includes integrating six important topics from the classroom to clinical application. These are bioterrorism, alternative food production (aquaculture, organics), food safety, environmental health, regulatory medicine and animal welfare associated with food animals. By introducing these concepts in the early stages and then incorporating them in their clinical training, it gives students the opportunity to put into practice what they learn from lecture.
“By providing our students with a well-rounded exposure to the food animal production industry, they will be better prepared for the veterinary careers of tomorrow,” said Posey. “Already the food industry is coming under increased scrutiny from society, and these corporations want to be able to have source and age verification on the animals processed. They are learning very quickly that veterinarians specializing in food animals are good arbitrators and synthesizers of information. It’s in areas like this where there will be an increasing demand for the food animal veterinarian.”
While the title of first responder may be new to food animal veterinarians, the role and the responsibility are not. These men and women will continue to quietly serve so that the meat, eggs and milk Americans eat and drink continue to be among the safest in the world. 