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.