U.S. flag
    An official website of the United States government
      Here's how you know
    Here's how you know
    Contact UsDot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**
          
          Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
    Https**The site is secure.**
          
          The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.  National Institute of Food and Agriculture
    United States Department of Agriculture
  Menu
    Search Close
      Topics

    About Topics

NIFA supports research, educational, and extension efforts in a wide range of scientific fields related to agricultural and behavioral sciences.

View Topics Page
        Ecology Issues
  

        
      Environment
                              Natural ResourcesFarms and Ranches
  

        
      Farming and Ranching
                              Animals
                              Plants
        Health and Science
  

        
      Food Science
                              Human Science
                              Health
                              Advanced Technologies
        Future of Farming
  

        
      Business and Economics
                              Education
                              International Resources
  Grants

    About Grants

The lifecycle of grants and cooperative agreements consists of four phases: Pre-Award, Award, Post-Award, and Close Out.

View Grants Page
        Grant Basics
  

        
      Pre-Award Phase
                              Award Phase
                              Post-Award Phase
                              Close-Out Phase
                              Grant Training/Technical AssistancePrograms
  

        
      Capacity
                              Competitive (AFRI and Non-AFRI)
                              Non-Competitive
                              Program Operational Areas
        Funding Opportunities
  

        
      Search Funding Opportunities
                              Request for Application (RFA) Calendar
                              Request for Application (RFA) ListLoan Repayment
  

        
      Veterinary Medicine Loan RepaymentOur Partners
  

        
      Land-Grant University Website Directory
  Data

    Access to Data

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is committed to serving its stakeholders, Congress, and the public by using new technologies to advance greater openness.

View Data Page
        NIFA Dashboards
  

        
      NIFA Grant Funding
                              NIFA Application Status DashboardNIFA Reporting System
  

        
      NIFA Reporting SystemREEPort
  

        
      REEport Tool
        Budget and Legislation
  

        
      Budget
                              Legislation
                              NIFA Administrative ActionsMore Tools
  

        
      CRIS - Current Research Information System
                              Data Gateway
                              PRS - Peer Review System
                              LMD - Leadership Management Dashboard
                              REEIS - Research, Education and Economics Information System
                              WebNEERS
                              ASAP - Automated Standard Application for Payments
        Access Data GatewayThe Data Gateway enables users to find funding data, metrics, and information about research, education, and extension projects that have received grant awards from NIFA.
  Resources

    View Resources PageThis website houses a large volume of supporting materials. In this section, you can search the wide range of documents, videos, and other resources.View Resources Page
        Documents
  

        
      All Documents
                              Forms
                              Instructions
                              Maps
                              Official Publications and Guidelines
                              Reports
        Promotional Materials
  

        
      Fact Sheets
                              Brochures
                              Presentations
                              Infographics
                              Webinars
        Featured Webinar
    Second Annual Virtual Grants Support Technical Assistance Workshop
    Check out this five-day workshop in March 2024 workshop, designed to help you learn about NIFA grants and resources for grants development and management.

    Read More
  About

    About NIFA

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences.

View About Page
        News
  

        
      Newsroom
                              Press Releases
                              Blogs
                              AnnouncementsImpacts
  

        
      Featured Impact
                              All Impacts
                              NIFA Update
        The Institute
  

        
      Who We Are
                              What We Do
                              How We Work
                              USDA Administration Priorities
                              Career Opportunities
        Civil Rights
  

        
      Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights
                              Civil Rights Compliance Program
                              Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights Resources
                              Diversity and Inclusion Showcase
                              Contact NIFA's Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights
                              Language Access ServicesContact Us
 Researcher in lab. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
    Breadcrumb
    Home
                                About NIFA

    Managing Antimicrobial Resistance
    
  November 27, 2023SharePrint Friendly Email Twitter Facebook
    
    THE INSTITUTE
                            Who We Are
                            History
                              Relationship to USDA
                              Organizational Structure
                            Leadership
                              Institutes
                              National Program Leaders
                              Contact Us
                              What We Do
                            NIFA Strategic Plan 2022 - 2026
                              NIFA Annual Report 2022
                              Types of Federal Assistance
                              Panelist Information
                              How We Work
                            Research
                              Education
                              Extension
                            Cooperative Ext. System
                              Cooperative Ext. History
                              Partnerships
                            APLU Liaisons
                              Certified Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture
                              Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
                              Land-Grant Colleges and Universities
                              NIFA's State, Federal and Other Partners
                              Public and Land-grant Universities Memorial Lecture Series
                              Grants Modernization Initiative
                              Career Opportunities
                              Visit NIFAGuest Author
    Sara Delheimer, Program Coordinator, Multistate Research Fund Impacts Program

  In animal agriculture, antimicrobial drugs are used to protect animal health and welfare, but over the past several decades, microbial resistance to these drugs has escalated. Resistant microbes and resistant genes can spread through the environment and the food web. As antimicrobial resistance spreads, drugs may become ineffective, leaving animals and humans vulnerable to infections.

  Supported by funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, scientists at Land-grant Universities have teamed up to tackle the complex problem of antimicrobial resistance in agriculture.This interdisciplinary, multistate team is uniquely positioned to develop and implement comprehensive solutions as well as targeted strategies for different types of animals, environmental conditions and management styles. Since 2017, this team has made key discoveries about antimicrobial resistance in animal agriculture and developed ways to help mitigate it. Their outreach and education efforts have increased awareness of antimicrobial resistance issues and solutions among scientists, farmers, veterinarians, communities, policymakers and students. The team shed light on the characteristics and spread of antimicrobial resistant microbes and resistance genes. This information is key to estimating and minimizing risks. More specifically, researchers:Evaluated how different manure treatments affect antimicrobial resistance (Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania)Identified poultry litter characteristics and microbiota that could exclude or reduce the growth of resistant Salmonella (Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee)Found that moving cows treated with antibiotics to hospital pens led to higher levels of antibiotic resistance than leaving cows in their home pens (Michigan)Showed how extreme weather events like hurricanes affect pathogen distribution and movement from swine and poultry farms (North Carolina)Modeled the risk of resistant pathogens surviving antimicrobial interventions during meat processing (Nebraska)Project members developed tools for faster detection of antimicrobial resistance, which will guide judicious antimicrobial use by farmers and veterinarians. For example, scientists:Improved data standardization and sharing among veterinary diagnostic laboratories, which will support faster detection of antimicrobial resistance (Iowa, Nebraska)Developed a rapid test to diagnose and recommend treatment for bovine respiratory disease (Indiana)The team developed strategies that will help reduce antimicrobial use, the development of drug resistance, and human exposure to resistant microbes. For example, researchers:Identified a tomato protein with outstanding bactericidal effects on Salmonella, which is resistant to numerous antibiotic drugs (New York)Created new vaccines and alternatives to antimicrobials for controlling poultry respiratory diseases (Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, South Dakota)Investigated nutritional strategies to improve the intestinal health of newly weaned pigs without antimicrobial supplements (Kansas, North Carolina)Created a probiotic cocktail that enhances turkey growth and immune system function (Delaware, Minnesota, Texas)Developed heat-based technology to inactivate resistant bacteria and genes in manure (Hawaii, Nebraska)Showed that prairie strips can decrease the amount of antimicrobial resistance genes present on plots where manure is applied (Iowa)Developed models that help producers compare the cost-effectiveness of various strategies to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistant pathogens (Minnesota, Mississippi)Developed a program that certifies farms if they provide annual reports of antimicrobial use and outcomes, helping ensure sustainable antimicrobial use on farms (Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska)Social science studies revealed perceptions about antimicrobial resistance, which will help tailor outreach. In particular, researchers:Conducted a survey of farmer and veterinarian perceptions of antimicrobial resistance, in which conventional dairy farmers said they use antibiotics responsibly and further cuts would compromise animal welfare, increase costs and raise the price of dairy products; veterinarians said they do not have the tools to treat organic dairy cows (California, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, New York)Conducted a phone survey, which found that higher educated and younger adults perceive antibiotic use in cattle as a public health threat, are willing to pay more for milk produced by cows not given antibiotics, and support organic dairy farming (New York)Evaluated the socio-economic impact of policies designed to fight antimicrobial resistance and considered whether farmers will need compensation (New York)To improve awareness and communication about antimicrobial resistance, project members:Shared findings from antimicrobial resistance studies with professionals in the food and agriculture industries and consumers via online courses, websites, experiential learning, videos and other media (All members)Created and promoted the iAMResponsible program, which provides science-based information, resources, and decision-support tools related to antimicrobial resistance via a website, hosts workshops and lectures and produces social media content to facilitate connections among researchers, industry personnel and policymakers (Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon)Organized and taught a well-received online course, in which 24 graduate students learned from academic, industry, and government leaders about the antimicrobial resistance crisis and created scientific communication materials that were added to the iAMResponsible website (Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington)Participated in the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education, which hosts conferences, roundtables and webinars about antimicrobial resistance, creating community and conversation that encourages collaboration (California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio)This article was originally published by the Multistate Research Fund Impacts Program. It is reprinted here with permission.

  Topic
    Animals
              The Science of Food
              Food Safety
              Advanced Technologies
              Biotechnology
              Bioenergy
              Nanotechnology

  Related Program
    Food Safety
              The Hatch Act of 1887 (Multistate Research Fund)

  Farm Bill Priority Areas
    Animal health and production and animal products
              Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health

  U.S. States and Territories
    California
              Illinois
              Indiana
              Iowa
              Kansas
              Minnesota
              Nebraska
              New Hampshire
              New York
              North Carolina
              North Dakota
              Ohio
              Pennsylvania
              Rhode Island
              Texas
            Latest Updates
Latest Funding Opportunities
    Latest Blogs
    Latest Impactsfunding opportunity
      New Beginning for Tribal Students Program

      funding opportunity
      Research Facilities Act Program

      funding opportunity
      Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development
Latest Updates
Latest Funding Opportunities
    Latest Blogs
    Latest Impactspost
      Protecting Our Water

      post
      Number of AFRI FY 2024 Commodity Board Co-Funding Topics Breaks Record; Expands Focus on Nutrition

      post
      Tropical Birds Could Tolerate Warming Better Than Expected
Latest Updates
Latest Funding Opportunities
    Latest Blogs
    Latest Impactspost
      Tropical Birds Could Tolerate Warming Better Than Expected

      post
      Cultivating the Future: Agricultural Innovations for Climate Resilience

      post
      Nevada Researcher Aims to Improve Sorghum Hybrids for Dairy Cattle Feed Return to top
 Your feedback is important to us. Take the Website Survey
 National Institute of Food and Agriculture
    United States Department of Agriculture
  Menu
        POLICIES AND STATEMENTS
                            Freedom of Information Act
                              Information Quality
                              Our Performance
                              Privacy Policy
                              Accessibility Statement
                              Non-Discrimination Statement
          RELATED SITES
                            USDA.Gov
                              Office of the Inspector General
                              WhiteHouse.gov
                              USA.gov
                              AskUSDA
          RESOURCES
                            Report Fraud on USDA Contracts
                              Plain Writing
                              No Fear Act Data
                              Open Government
                              Careers
                              Survey (A-11)
                              Civil Rights
                              Language Access Services
                              Archives
                              Glossary
                              Sitemap
          Stay Connected
    To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please click on the "Sign Me Up" button below.
    Twitter
      Facebook
      Linkedin
      Youtube
    Subscribe to our Newsletter
      Sign Me Up