Continuing education needs assessment for on-farm food safety services

Objective-To identify the perceived market or client demand for dairy on-fa rm food safety services by veterinarians, the need for a food safety contin uing education program, and the educational issues that might be addressed in an on-farm food safety curriculum. Design-Survey. Study Population-Consulting dairy veterinarians, government veterinarians l ocated in California, and meat packers slaughtering cull dairy cows in Cali fornia, Procedure-Results of a questionnaire supplied to veterinarians and telephon e interviews with meal packer representatives were analyzed by use of univa riate and multivariate logistic regression procedures. Results-Some meat packers considered the quality of incoming cull dairy cat tle as a control point for food safety hazards. More than 50% of dairy and government-employed veterinarians believed that a current market for on-far m food safely services exists; > 85% believed that a potential market exist s. Duration since graduation was negatively correlated with belief in a cur rent market. Government-employed veterinarians were more likely to believe in a current marker. Veterinarians were more likely to express a strong int erest in offering on-farm food safety services if they believed a current m arket exists, indicated that they already offer such services, or listed re sidues and pathogens as the most important issues facing the dairy industry . Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Although a potential market for on-farm food safety services is perceived, veterinarians are unsure of their role i n this area. New demands of meat packers slaughtering cull dairy cows may b e the motivation practitioners need to broach the subject of food safety wi th clients.