The center for food security and public health (CFSPH) at iowa state university will develop a web-based library of resources for animal disease emergency responders, especially those with limited…

The Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) at Iowa State University received a $447,000 cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025). The award, effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2027, funds the development of a comprehensive web-based resource library designed to support animal disease emergency responders, particularly those with limited outbreak response experience. Deliverables include on-demand training videos addressing foreign animal diseases and essential response activities, an interactive web-based scenario course, and a communication messaging toolkit with templates for state agencies and public information officers to rapidly disseminate outbreak information.

All content will be developed and peer-reviewed by CFSPH veterinary staff, professionally formatted with custom graphics and high-resolution photography, and made freely accessible through a responsive, accessibility-compliant website. Materials are designed for mobile accessibility to support field operations, office training, and self-directed learning, with potential applications in staff training, employee onboarding, and producer education. The project builds upon a prior National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program initiative and includes national promotion of resources to state, tribal, and regional animal health and emergency response agencies.

The center for food security and public health (CFSPH) at iowa state university will develop a web-based library of resources for animal disease emergency responders, especially those with limited experience in animal disease outbreak response. The project will create and provide a series of on-demand short, just-in-time training videos on selected foreign animal diseases (FAD) and essential response activities. An interactive web course will be developed to provide an engaging and scenario-based delivery of processes and specific activities conducted during animal disease outbreaks. A communication messaging toolkit and templates will be developed to help state agencies and public information officers quickly disseminate key information during an outbreak. All content will be researched and developed by veterinary staff at CFSPH, peer reviewed, and packaged in a professional and graphically appealing format, with inclusion of custom graphics and high-resolution photos. All materials will be available for free access on a CFSPH website that incorporates responsive web design and meets accessibility standards. National promotion of the resources will be conducted to inform state, tribal, and regional animal health and emergency response agencies of their availability. Providing concise and mobile- friendly materials allows for quick review in the field, training in a busy office environment, or self-study as time allows. The materials could be used for staff or team training sessions, as onboarding tools for new employees, or shared with producers or their employees to provide a quick overview of what will occur during response efforts. This project builds on a previous nadprp project (fain AP23VSSP0000C045 "prioritizing essential animal disease outbreak response competencies and developing foundational and just-in-time training tools for state and tribal animal health officials and their staff"). Quick access to information and just-in-time training will to help responders conduct critical activities to control animal disease outbreaks and protect the livelihoods of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.