For several decades, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been a recognized public health threat in the United States and across the globe. AMR continues to impact the ability to treat common infections; it reduces the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs, limits treatment options and can lead to unexpected treatment failures. AMR is a complex problem to tackle and requires a united multisectoral approach. One Health is a concept that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. Over the last decade, One Health has been incorporated as a strategic approach to address complex challenges, such as AMR, by bridging multiple disciplines at local, national, and global levels.

FSIS contributes to curbing and addressing AMR using a One Health approach through its role in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS). As FSIS is a public health regulatory agency, FSIS sampling tasks are critical to ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe and properly labeled. In addition to verification testing, FSIS is able to monitor and analyze trends in the antimicrobial susceptibility of select bacteria found in the cecal/gut contents of food animals and food animal products at the time of slaughter. Other NARMS partners monitor AMR trends from bacteria found in people and retail meats. Together, this national surveillance program helps public health agencies identify new patterns of resistance, track changes over time, and understand the impact of interventions in people and animals designed to limit the spread of resistance.

The year 2020 ushered in a series of revised strategies to better incorporate the One Health approach in efforts to address AMR. These include the Department of Health and Human Service’s National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, 2020-2025; the USDA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan; and the NARMS’ strategic plan for 2021-2025. In support of these strategies, in February 2020 FSIS expanded its NARMS testing program to gather data on additional animal species, commodities, and target microorganisms. Part of this expansion included testing for target bacteria in lamb and sheep during fiscal years 2020-2022. Findings showed that most Salmonella in the intestinal contents of lamb and sheep were not resistant to the antimicrobials tested under NARMS while Escherichia coli and Campylobacter showed varying levels of resistance. To further expand the One Health lamb and sheep work from farm-to-fork, in February 2024, FSIS will resume collecting cecal content samples at slaughter, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will collect information and samples during lamb-sheep production, and the Food and Drug Administration will collect product samples at retail. Results from this collaborative study will help inform future animal production practices, facilitate food safety improvements and further public health protection. Study details will be available on FSIS’ NARMS webpage and through FSIS’ weekly Constituent Update newsletter.

The study may also serve as a model for future One Health studies among other food-producing animals and commodities. In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the draft for the national One Health framework. The framework describes a common vision, mission, and goals for the key federal partners involved in implementing a One Health approach to address zoonotic diseases and advance public health preparedness in the United States. Once finalized, the framework will facilitate further One Health collaboration for zoonotic disease prevention and control across the U.S. Government.

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