The Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Health and with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, developed resources to teach youth involved in animal agriculture about zoonotic diseases and biosecurity. An engaging, interactive course for middle-high school aged youth, and a new course for elementary aged youth are meant to encourage showmanship and animal involvement while keeping both animals and humans safe and healthy. Additional free resources, including hands-on activity guides, are available on the website.
Raising and showing livestock help youth develop responsibility, learn good sportsmanship, and gain confidence. While raising and showing animals have an overall positive impact on youth and the community, there are many animal diseases that can be spread between people and animals (zoonotic diseases), especially when people have close contact with animals. Several animal-related disease outbreaks, such as influenza and E. coli, have been associated with fairs and resulted in severe illness in youth. Youth livestock projects can also present disease transmission risks to animals due to the commingling of various animals and animal species from different locations.
Understanding disease risks and preventive measures is critical to reduce the occurrence of zoonotic diseases. Awareness of these risks can help youth to understand the importance of disease prevention for themselves, their animals, and the public. Youth, parents, teachers, and club leaders will all learn about disease risks and prevention, as well as career opportunities in One Health.
To learn more and to take the courses, visit http://www.BlueNotFlu.org.