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Risk ranking

Our Services
December 5, 2024

Improving Disease Preparedness Among Small-Scale Poultry Owners: A Project Update

Over the past year, we have achieved some significant milestones in the project. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys were successfully conducted among Purdue extension educators and backyard poultry owners. These surveys provided valuable insights into the current state of disease awareness and biosecurity practices in the state of Indiana, USA.  Based on the survey data, we are now developing tailored online training materials for Purdue Extension Educators, addressing critical gaps in knowledge and practices related to disease prevention and control in backyard poultry farms. Furthermore, training material for backyard poultry owners, including children and adolescents, will be developed.

SAFOSO News
November 1, 2024

EU-FORA: Fellowship Program for Food Safety Risk Assessment

We are excited to continue our participation in the EU-FORA program, a fellowship program by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) that equips participants with the critical skills and knowledge needed to meet European Union standards in Food Safety Assessment.

SAFOSO is leading the Induction Training Module, hosted annually in Parma by the EFSA. As the training coordinator, we survey the training content and provide lectures in Risk Analysis and Principles in Epidemiology.

Our Services
September 15, 2024

Risk appraisal of use of Category 1 animal by-products ash as fertiliser

Phosphorus is not only a non-renewable resource, but also a non-substitutable for food production. There is therefore a need to recycle phosphorus from waste streams. SAFOSO conducted a risk appraisal on behalf of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) to assess the residual BSE risk of ash produced from category 1animal by-products taking into account the present BSE situation. ESPP has shared the report with EFSA as input for their current assessment of prion risk.

Publications and Reports
September 1, 2024

Paratuberculosis in Swiss Dairy Herds: Project Complete and Publication out now

We are happy to share the completion of our research project on paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in Swiss dairy herds, with the results now published in a scientific paper. The project was led by the Clinic for Ruminants at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Bern, with SAFOSO responsible for performing the epidemiological analyses and statistical assessment of risk factors.

Our Services
July 15, 2024

Staying Ahead of Animal Infectious Diseases: Supporting Swissgenetics in the enhancement of their Business Continuity Plan

SAFOSO has supported Swiss genetics, a leading provider of genetic material in Switzerland, in assessing and consolidating current and emerging disease threats to safeguard livestock. Furthermore, this collaboration aimed to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of existing emergency preparedness protocols, ensuring both the protection of livestock and the continuity of business during animal disease outbreaks.

Our Services
May 30, 2024

Advancing Kosovo's Risk Assessment Unit and Benefits for AEO traders: Mission to Pristina

Kosovo’s Food and Veterinary Agency (KFVA) has recently established a Risk Assessment Unit and is now taking concrete steps to institutionalize it. Furthermore, efforts are focusing on enhancing collaboration between the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) authorities, also governed by KFVA, and customs agencies in Kosovo, aiming to optimize operations and generate additional advantages for Authorized Economic Operators (AEO’s) at import border controls. To assist KFVA in its endeavors, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been providing support for some time. In May, we went on a mission to Pristina under an IFC mandate to evaluate progress and define the next steps.

People
March 20, 2024

People behind SAFOSO: Aurélie Castinel

Who are the people behind SAFOSO? What inspires them and how do they contribute to solving animal health challenges? Aurélie Castinel shares her story.
Our Services
February 21, 2024

Using social sciences to tailor biosecurity promotion campaigns to the poultry sector

SAFOSO is involved in a project that aims to provide policy makers and educators with a deeper understanding of how to use social sciences to design targeted biosecurity promotion campaigns. This project is a collaboration with Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), a member of the Texas A&M University System and Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
Our Services
January 10, 2024

Evaluation of continuous education program for food safety inspectors

In Switzerland, food and consumer products are tested and inspected according to internationally recognized methods to assess risks. To train the cantonal authorities to conduct these tasks, the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office offers a further education program. In 2020, this program, including its responsibility, coordination, organization and curriculum, was restructured and aligned with similar training courses for official veterinarians. After three years of implementation of the revised program, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) mandated SAFOSO to conduct an evaluation to identify any potential areas for further improvement.
Updates
December 8, 2023

Improving disease preparedness among small-scale poultry owners

SAFOSO is collaborating with Purdue University in a USDA-funded project aiming to develop evidence-based programs to promote preventive measures among small-scale poultry owners. In the scope of this project, surveys to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of relevant poultry sector stakeholders will be conducted. SAFOSO’s main task in the project will be to develop training materials on poultry health and biosecurity for Purdue Extension Educators and backyard poultry owners, based on the abovementioned surveys.
Our Services
November 15, 2023

Western Balkans Trade Facilitation Support Project

SAFOSO is supporting the World Bank in the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Support Project in the Western Balkans. In particular, the current project is aimed at strengthening food and feed safety and trade by improving border controls. In November, Manon Schuppers travelled to Kosovo to discuss with the Kosovo Food and Veterinary Agency how to support the implementation of risk-based border inspection for food and feed. The discussions held during the mission were based on a survey delivered to the food and veterinary authorities of the Western Balkan region to evaluate the current strengths, challenges and priorities for the design and implementation of risk-based border inspection for animals, food, feed and plants.
People
October 15, 2023

People behind SAFOSO: Julia Hüttl

Who are the people behind SAFOSO? What inspires them and how do they contribute to solving animal health challenges? Julia Hüttl shares her story.

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