Over the past year, we have achieved some significant milestones in the project. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys were successfully conducted among Purdue extension educators and backyard poultry owners. These surveys provided valuable insights into the current state of disease awareness and biosecurity practices in the state of Indiana, USA. Based on the survey data, we are now developing tailored online training materials for Purdue Extension Educators, addressing critical gaps in knowledge and practices related to disease prevention and control in backyard poultry farms. Furthermore, training material for backyard poultry owners, including children and adolescents, will be developed.
We are excited to continue our participation in the EU-FORA program, a fellowship program by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) that equips participants with the critical skills and knowledge needed to meet European Union standards in Food Safety Assessment.
SAFOSO is leading the Induction Training Module, hosted annually in Parma by the EFSA. As the training coordinator, we survey the training content and provide lectures in Risk Analysis and Principles in Epidemiology.
Phosphorus is not only a non-renewable resource, but also a non-substitutable for food production. There is therefore a need to recycle phosphorus from waste streams. SAFOSO conducted a risk appraisal on behalf of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) to assess the residual BSE risk of ash produced from category 1animal by-products taking into account the present BSE situation. ESPP has shared the report with EFSA as input for their current assessment of prion risk.
We are happy to share the completion of our research project on paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in Swiss dairy herds, with the results now published in a scientific paper. The project was led by the Clinic for Ruminants at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Bern, with SAFOSO responsible for performing the epidemiological analyses and statistical assessment of risk factors.
SAFOSO has supported Swiss genetics, a leading provider of genetic material in Switzerland, in assessing and consolidating current and emerging disease threats to safeguard livestock. Furthermore, this collaboration aimed to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of existing emergency preparedness protocols, ensuring both the protection of livestock and the continuity of business during animal disease outbreaks.
Kosovo’s Food and Veterinary Agency (KFVA) has recently established a Risk Assessment Unit and is now taking concrete steps to institutionalize it. Furthermore, efforts are focusing on enhancing collaboration between the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) authorities, also governed by KFVA, and customs agencies in Kosovo, aiming to optimize operations and generate additional advantages for Authorized Economic Operators (AEO’s) at import border controls. To assist KFVA in its endeavors, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been providing support for some time. In May, we went on a mission to Pristina under an IFC mandate to evaluate progress and define the next steps.
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