For nearly 25 years, the College of Veterinary Medicine's Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) has made the world safer and healthier. 

Through a unique blend of training, education, research, and strategic partnerships focused on food and agriculture, the center has become a recognized global leader for food-safety related research and training. At the foundation is the team’s culture of respect for local expertise and local challenges that require custom solutions.

Since 2017, Andres Perez, Endowed Chair of Global Animal Health and Food Safety, has been elevating the global mission of CAHFS. A veterinarian by training, he has decades of experience in animal disease surveillance and developing models that explain how disease moves around the world. 

CAHFS is a leading organization in food safety research and training. It has been recognized as a capacity-building collaborating center by the World Organization for Animal Health and designated as a reference center for veterinary public health by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Perez’s leadership has been recognized by many, including his recent University of Minnesota (UMN) 2024 Award for Global Engagement, honoring outstanding contributions to global education and international programs.

Creating a sustainable vision for animal health and food safety

CAHFS grew out of two high-profile public health issues related to animal health and food safety. The first, an outbreak of E. coli traced to Jack in the Box restaurants, occurred in the 1990s. It was the largest E. coli outbreak in American history at the time. The second incident took place several years later when scientists identified Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a condition linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy—also known as mad cow disease.

These public health events convinced Minnesota policymakers and two Minnesota-based companies that more sustained work was needed to combat emerging threats to food safety. CAHFS received startup funding from the Minnesota State Legislature and has continued to thrive thanks to the financial support of Cargill and General Mills, two companies committed to global food security. In 2007, Cargill contributed $2 million to establish the endowed chair position now held by Perez, with General Mills following in 2008 with an additional $1 million investment.

In today's world, threats to the food supply are more significant than ever. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, foot and mouth disease in cattle and swine, and Newcastle disease in poultry are grabbing today’s headlines and are threats to the food supply chain. 

Additionally, the Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the world will need to produce twice as much food by 2050 without using twice as much land or other resources. Similarly, the rapid increase in international travel and trade has increased the speed at which infectious diseases can overcome even the most formidable barriers. 

A proven model meets an uncertain future

Since his arrival, Perez has added his global network to the growing community of CAHFS-trained leaders. The result is an unmatched ability to create and expand partnerships and provide more services. CAHFS helps mitigate the impact of epidemics in affected countries and trade partners.

For example, the work done by Perez and his team to support African swine fever control in the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic helped evaluate control strategies in those countries and also contributed lessons that were shared with other countries concerned about similar threats to their pork industry. Cargill, which has clients in China, was briefed on these AFS control strategies in late 2024 by CAHFS postdoc Jesper Hsu.

The Veterinary Public Health and Preventative Medicine Residency is a first-of-its-kind training program that builds international capacity for responding to highly infectious animal disease outbreaks. The program has produced nearly 50 graduates who are on the front lines of responding to disease. Similarly, CAHFS led the UMN to begin offering a dual degree in veterinary medicine and public health that has trained hundreds of students at more than 16 veterinary schools.

Perez has also embraced ProgRESSVet, which is active in 50 countries and has trained more than 350 leaders. The program strengthens the capacity of veterinary services, recognizing that the industry is often the first to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks that can disrupt business and trade and potentially lead to famine and armed conflict.

Last year, the CAHFS team secured a seven-year, $5 million grant to expand the ProgRESSVet program in East Africa. To ensure success, this version of the program needed to be different. More than 50 percent of the African continent’s livestock is located in East Africa. In their official regulatory capacity, national veterinary authorities and veterinary service personnel across the region carry the responsibility of regulating and promoting animal and livestock health and food safety. Strengthening the veterinary service workforce, therefore, has the potential to improve the food systems, public health, and economies in participants’ countries. 

“Disease outbreaks are happening everywhere. Learning from these outbreaks helps everyone respond faster and more effectively,” Perez says, noting a strong response to a disease outbreak limits the risk of the disease spreading to other countries. “International trade and business growth depend on the stable relationships that arise when our human capacity is supported,” Perez says. “The same applies to centers like CAHFS. We need stable, long-term financial support to make the world safer and healthier.”