From the Vine to Wine Production: Grape and Wine Producer Antimicrobial Resistance Curriculum

Commodities

Practices

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), stewardship (AMS) and anti-fungal practices have become a growing concern in the grape and wine industry over the years, especially related to climate change. As changes in regulations are happening, producers constantly need to be aware of how AMR and AMS can impact their operation economically and environmentally. Even though research projects are ongoing, there is a lack of educational programs and materials about it. This proposed project aims to create an innovative educational curriculum that will increase grape and wine producers’ overall knowledge and awareness about AMR and AMS in the state of Iowa. Moreover, it aims to increase their motivation to implement new practices resulting in a more sustainable system in which antimicrobials and anti-fungal continue to be effective tools in grape and wine production. Although this curriculum will be created and pilot tested in the state of Iowa, it could be utilized outside of the state too. The collaboration between Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the National Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education and four Iowa grape and wine producers will create an innovative curriculum that addresses growing concerns, increases awareness and it is aligned with producers’ needs.

The overall goal for this project is to create an educational curriculum for grape and wine producers about antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from the vine to the wine. The objectives to achieve this goal include: 1) Identify challenges that grape producers are facing in the industry as it relates to AMR and AMS, 2) Determine competencies that need to be included in a new curriculum, 3) Create and pilot test a new educational curriculum, 4) Disseminate the information and offer the curriculum to industry members.