Professors In Kansas Using USDA Grant For Veterinary Education Enhancement Project

December 29, 2010 — 

Three faculty members from Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine have received a grant for developing a new method of teaching veterinarians involved with food safety.

David Anderson, Robert Larson and Brad White, all from the department of clinical sciences, are receiving part of a Higher Education Challenge Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their project, "Food Systems Veterinary Medicine for the 21st Century."

The project is part of a multi-institutional grant headed by Scott Hurd at Iowa State University and that involves K-State and the University of Arkansas. The overall grant is for $331,000; K-State's portion is $99,000.

The K-Staters are coming up with a new method of teaching concepts of food animal medicine and food safety by changing the framework, curriculum and delivery mechanism of that information.

The new method will transform the mindset and skill set for veterinarians who are tasked with safely feeding the world, according to Anderson.

"The U.S. has a continuing and serious shortage of veterinarians needed to ensure a constant supply of safe and wholesome food that is produced in a humane manner," said Anderson, professor and section head of agricultural practices in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "This creates a great need for experts to work in complex farming, food production and processing systems, and to help with sustainability, respond to societal changes, and maintain consumer confidence."

Source:
CattleNetwork