NARMS Cooperative Agreement Program to Strengthen Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Retail Food Specimens

The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is seeking partners through a cooperative agreement to bolster the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System by enhancing surveillance of antibiotic resistance in retail food specimens. This initiative builds on NARMS, established in 1996 as a cornerstone of the national strategy to address antimicrobial resistance, with a focus on expanding detection capabilities and increasing the geographic scope of sampling across food commodities. The goal is to strengthen public health protections by improving the collection and analysis of resistance data from retail meat, poultry, and other food products, ensuring the program remains aligned with established NARMS objectives. The cooperative agreement aims to support new and existing sites in expanding their capacity to monitor antimicrobial resistance trends, providing critical insights that inform regulatory and policy decisions. Applicants are expected to contribute to a more comprehensive national picture of resistance patterns in the food supply chain. The program is administered by the FDA under the Department of Health and Human Services, with Terrin Brown listed as the point of contact for inquiries. While no solicitation number or set-aside details are provided, the opportunity was posted on November 5, 2024, and interested parties can access further information through the official grants portal.