CAHFSE is a joint effort among three agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture: the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The mission of this important surveillance effort is (1) to enhance overall understanding of bacteria that pose a food-safety risk by monitoring these bacteria on-farm and in-plant over time, and (2) to provide a means to routinely monitor critical diseases in food-animal production. A particular emphasis of CAHFSE is to address issues related to bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Swine is the first commodity studied as part of the CAHFSE program (CAHFSE Stage One: Swine).

The initial rationale and program outline for the CAHFSE program is described in the brief: Animal Health, Food Safety, and Epidemiology: A USDA Multi-Agency Program (September 2002, pdf)