FDA allocates funds for data collection and reporting on antimicrobial use in animals

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With antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continuing to grow as a global threat,¹ the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced it is granting cooperative agreement funds for 3 projects focused on the collection, analysis, and data reporting of antimicrobial use (AMU) in animals.² According to the agency, this grant program backs long term initiatives under development aimed at collecting AMU data in the country, which includes a draft of public-private partnership frameworks to improve tracking of AMU in food-producing animals.^1,2

Through these agreements, each recipient will receive $200,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Funding may extend for up to 4 additional years, depending on annual appropriations, availability of funding, and the recipient's performance.

“The FDA looks forward to working with the animal health community and relevant stakeholders to gain a better understanding of how and when antimicrobials are being used in animals in the US This AMU data collection program will support the continued advancement of FDA’s initiatives to promote antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings,” the FDA shared in an announcement.²

For FY 2024, FDA funding will focus on proposals aimed at gathering AMU data from domestic livestock or poultry. Looking ahead to FY 2025, the FDA plans to provide funding for 2 more AMU data collection proposals for companion animals or “minor species,” according to the organization.² The FDA will open the submission period for FY 2025 proposals in March 2025.

The following 3 projects will receive FDA funding as part of the cooperative agreement²:

• Antimicrobial Use Data Collection in the U.S. Poultry Production System: Aims to expand an ongoing, nationally representative and sustainable system for collecting on-farm quantitative AMU data from the turkey, broiler chicken, and table egg industries of the US. The project, proposed by Mindwalk Consulting Group, LLC, aims to fill important data gaps and builds on previous initiatives funded by the FDA.
• A System Approach to Animal-Level Antimicrobial Use Monitoring in Dairy Cattle: Cornell University aims to implement a system for AMU monitoring in dairy cattle by collecting multiple years of detailed AMU data from dairy farms, developing a system approach to animal-level AMU monitoring, and assessing the views of farmers and veterinarians on AMU monitoring. The monitoring system would employ techniques to incentivize dairy farmer participation and would offer insights into farmers' perceptions and needs related to AMU monitoring.
• Bridging Critical Data Gaps in Veterinary Medicine Via Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Large Language Models to Procure Real-Time Antibiotic Use Data in Livestock, Poultry and Companion Animals: Kansas State University proposed to utilize multiple existing databases for AMU data in US livestock and poultry and employ advanced computational and analytical tools to create a dashboard that shows AMU data trends.

References

1. Summary report. Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA. August 2023. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://reaganudall.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/072823_Summary%20Report_Final.pdf
2. FDA awards funds for three projects to collect, analyze and report data on antimicrobial use in animals. News release. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. September 25, 2024. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-awards-funds-three-projects-collect-analyze-and-report-data-antimicrobial-use-animals?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery