Food Safety

1
Food Safety Security Group

• Participants (current)
• Iowa State University
• Kansas State Univeristy
• University of Iowa
• University of Kansas
• University of Missouri
• University of Nebraska

Potential Participants Midwest Research
Institute USDA Meat Animal Research
Center National Animal Disease Center USDA-ARS Nat
ional Veterinary Service Lab Center for
Veterinary Biologics KC Area Animal Health
Industry Danforth Plant Science Center National
Plant Disease Diagnostic Network National
Alliance for Food Safety Security USDA Food
Safety Consortium
2
The Next Frontier in Biology
3
Grand Challenges to Agencies (5-10 years)

• Protecting Americas Food/Ag Critical
  Infrastructure
• Natural threats
• Intentionally introduced threats
• Water, energy, by-product challenges relating to
  food/ag (interact with other Four Corner groups)
• Protecting Americas Public Health Economy
• As it relates to food/ag threats
• Policy development and implementation
• Interdisciplinary scientific and social sciences
  coordination
• Proper Selection and Application of Technological
  Advancements
• Development followed by scientific and
  operational validation
• Best science available and usage impacts (i.e.
  safety of nanosciences)
• Public and industrial acceptance regulatory
  approvals dual and multiple-use

4
Four Corners FSS Vision
Four Corners Food/Agriculture Safety Security
Develop and Validation of Technologies and
Processes
Public Policy and Decision-Making,
Communications, Cyberinformatics and Education
Environmental Genomics of FSS
Integrated solutions to food/ag safety and
security issues Coordinating with other Four
Corners groups as the inter-relations affect
food/ag safety and security Focused areas of
expertise across Four Corners institutions Concent
rating on what we currently know or have, and
where are the gaps in information, resources, and
applications. Seed resources to gain sustainable
resources.
5
Infrastructure Needs

• Needed Infrastructure
• Regional Metabolomics Laboratory to enhance
  existing capabilities (i.e. high-throughput
  capabilities).
• Large animal facilities (new or enhancement of
  current facilities)
• Cyberinfrastructure
• Regional Aerobiology Laboratory dedicated to
  Food/Ag research needs
• Research and support staffing (a priority need)
• Facilitation and coordination faculty to blend
  Four Corners activities
• Research staff (faculty and technicians)
• Student support
• Operating dollars
• Aerobiology research laboratories
• Sample archiving resources

6
Themes

• THEME 1 Ecological genomics of food associated
  environments
• Genomic evolution and understanding selective
  pressures stresses on pathogens
• Interactions of natural flora with pathogens and
  effect on public health/food safety
• Effects of ag/food practices
• Ecological genomics of foodborne diseases
• Ecological genomics of healthy foods

7
Themes

• THEME 2 Food/Agriculture Technology Development
  Validation
• Globalization of food trade driver
• Standardization of production and validation
  efforts
• Center of Excellence

8
Themes

• THEME 3 Public Policy, Communications,
  Cyberinformatics and Education
• Surveillance
• Information collection and dissemination
• Risk analysis
• Communication
• Cyber infrasctructure
• Decision-making and impacting policy
• Public education and outreach

9
Ecological Genomics of FSS

• Lead UNL and MU (Andy Benson, George Stewart)
• Growing strength in microbial ecology
• Ecological Genomics Group (KSU)
• Unique Containment Facilities (KSU, MU, ISU)
• Quantitative Genetics and Statistics Groups at
  all participating universities
• Three colleges of veterinary medicine and three
  medical schools
• Four food science / human nutrition programs
  (UNL, KSU, ISU, MU)

10
Validation of Technologies

• Lead KSU and UNL (Randy Phebus, Reddi
  Thippareddi)
• Unique food processing and ag containment
  facility (BRI)
• Complete production through consumption
  capabilities within BSL 2,3 and 3 Ag containment
• Other processing and containment facilities (ISU,
  UNL)
• USDA-ARS MARC (Clay Center, NE)
• Great interactions and support of food industry
  and technology providers
• Existing interactions among participants in this
  area
• Food Safety Consortium
• Joint educational and degree or certificate
  program initiatives
• Ties and collaborations with regulatory and
  consumer groups
• Food irradiation facility (ISU)

11
Public Policy, Communications, Cyberinformatics
and Education

• Lead ISU and MU (Ted MacDonald, Glen Cameron)
• Emphasis on risk assessment and communications in
  food and agriculture
• Each institution has resources devoted to food/ag
  policy and economics
• Schools of journalism and ag communications (ISU,
  KSU, UNL, MU, UI)
• Communication of contentious issues and dispute
  resolution (MU, ISU, UNL)
• Emergency and crisis management
• National Agricultural and Biosecurity Center
  (KSU)
• Food Safety Network (KSU)
• Law Schools (KU, MU, UI, UNL)

12
Impediments

• Competition related to athletics within Four
  Corners institutions!
• Despite its importance, food safety and security
  issues tend to fall between the cracks of federal
  funding programs currently
• USDA funding is inadequate to meet huge national
  challenges
• Information storage, management and utilization
  infrastructure
• True integration of Four Corners activities
  within FSS group and sustainability of the
  initiative
• Selling the concept of Four Corners to others at
  our respective institutions and generating
  sustainable enthusiasm and buy-in (particularly
  protecting needs/interests of young faculty).
• Defining a clear mechanism to facilitate and
  reward personnel involvement across universities
• Lack of investigator initiated funding streams
  for food safety and animal health in the USDA
  programs

13
SUSTAINABILITY

• Assuming that we get initial seed funding, the
  team interactions developed will generate
  sustaining funding (with a certain level of
  baseline funding needed to maintain core
  staffing)
• Technology and validation theme will generate
  substantial private sector infusion of resources
• These issues are not declining in importance
  nationally and internationallyarea will continue
  to increase in importance over next decade or
  longer
• Growing private sector focus in these areas
  within our region
• We will have a goal to change certain funding
  policies within agencies to better support
  programs and research opportunities

14
Significant Competitors

• We are not aware of other groups who are trying
  to develop these 3 themes into a comprehensive
  alliance
• Individually, or on smaller scale
• Washington University (Jeff Gordon) in gut
  ecology (perhaps should be a Four Corners
  partner)
• USDA-ARS research groups (want them to be
  collaborators and not competitors)

15
Added Values of this Alliance

• Cant be done any other way!
• 4 states involved are national leaders in
  agriculture and public health
• Our political leadership is highly committed to
  this area and very influential
• The 3 themes within FSS group are highly
  integrated and complimentary, and further, are
  complimentary to other Four Corners groups

16
Why important at present time?

• National / International focus on protecting
  food/ag infrastructure
• Increased resources being directed to this focus
  (at least components of it) by government,
  states, private sector and our universities
• Increased interests in healthy and safe
  lifestyles, and the relation of food in human
  health
• Globalization of the food supply dictating these
  programs (science and policy)