Animal Bioethics Workshop Engages 20 Institutions from U.S., Canada
Originally posted in the July 2017 Dean’s Corner. View original article here.
Two faculty members from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) were among those from 20 universities and institutions from across the United States and Canada who participated in a two-day, interactive workshop sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Drs. Rosina “Tammi” Krecek and Angela Arenas explored relevant bioethical issues associated with contemporary animal production during the 2017 Agricultural Animal Bioethics Workshop, held in Indianapolis, from June 4-6.
The USDA Challenge Grant-funded workshop was designed to provide curriculum and resources on animal bioethics to instructors of relevant courses in agricultural sciences and veterinary medicine.
“Agricultural animal bioethics is fundamental to Global One Health programs, specifically at the animal and human intersect,” Krecek said. “This workshop provided the environment for experienced colleagues from across the U.S. and Canada to share skills necessary to develop educational modules and for teaching animal welfare. Especially valuable were discussions that explored innovative effective pedagogical approaches in both developed and developing countries.”
The core training team represented Purdue University, University of Maryland, Michigan State University, University of Alaska Anchorage, Texas A&M University, and the USDA, participants from which were instructed to examine the development and effective use of tools for bioethics instruction.
Participants were provided an opportunity to tailor materials and practice, incorporating them into moral deliberation about ethical issues in animal agriculture.
The overall aim of the event was to engage consumers, critics, and other stakeholders on relevant bioethical issues associated with contemporary animal production, including the impacts on animal welfare, the environment, small farms, social justice, “cheap” food policy, and consumer demand, which is both important and also intimidating to the animal sciences and industries, according to Krecek.
For more information on the workshop, visit https://vet.purdue.edu/CAWS/bioethics.
