The task force will advise the federal government on a research agenda and provide public information on antibiotic use in production agriculture. The task force was formed in response to growing concern among the scientific community about antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Some bacteria have developed resistance to different classes of antibiotic compounds.
Officials from key federal agencies will serve as observers to the task force and leaders from public universities in Mexico and Canada will serve as ex officio members.
"The task force will draw on the expertise of its members to serve as a knowledgeable and important source of advice for the federal government as it develops its plans, said Dr. Lonnie J. King, chair of the task force and dean of The Ohio State Univ. College of Veterinary Medicine. "It can also make recommendations on further research that should be undertaken to develop alternative solutions for some antibiotic use in production agriculture."
The task force's members include:
• Lonnie King, dean, The Ohio State Univ. College of Veterinary Medicine (chair of the task force)
• Robert Easter, president, Univ. of Illinois (co-chair of the task force)
• Richard Carnevale, vice president, Regulatory, Scientific and International Affairs, Animal Health Institute
• Thomas Coon, vice president, dean and director, Oklahoma State Univ. Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR)
• Eleanor Green, Carl B. King dean of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M Univ., College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
• Ronnie Green, vice president and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor, Univ. of Nebraska.
• Walter Hill, dean, College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee Univ.
• Christine Hoang, assistant director, Division of Scientific Activities, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• Ashley Peterson, vice president of Science and Technology, National Chicken Council
• Willie Reed, dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue Univ.
• Kathy Simmons, chief veterinarian, National Cattlemen's Beef Association
• Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian, National Pork Producers Council
Ex officio members are Alastair Cribb, dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. of Calgary; and Francisco José Trigo Tavera, Secretary of Institutional Development, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).
Organization ex officio members are Andrew Maccabe, executive director, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC); and Ian Maw, vice president, Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).
