Use of Agriculture Species in Food and Fiber Work
The IACUC oversees all aspects of OSU's animal care and use programs as mandated by regulations*. As part of the IACUC’s responsibility for ensuring compliance with federal regulations, it reviews proposals for the use of animals, conducts facility inspections at mandated intervals, and provides programmatic oversight. An agricultural subcommittee of the IACUC develops agricultural policies and guidelines for the IACUC’s review and approval. The agricultural subcommittee consists of representatives from the College of FAES including the Dept of Animal Science, OARDC, and the agricultural attending veterinarian. Semi-annual IACUC facilities inspections of the agricultural research areas will be coordinated and attended by at least one IACUC member from the College of FAES.
*Two sets of regulations specify requirements for oversight of agricultural species in food and fiber research. Both the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animal in Research and Teaching, 3rd edition and the regulations for administering the Hatch Act of 1887 (land grant institutions which conduct agricultural research receive substantial research funding through this mechanism) require that an IACUC must oversee agricultural research animals. The Ag Guide “strongly recommends that this committee be one that also monitors the care and use of laboratory animals at the institution”, and the Hatch regulations state, “use of animals should be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).” Furthermore, all key personnel identified in the approved project are required to comply with the Animal Welfare Act and the principles enunciated in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and standards listed in the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animal in Research and Teaching, 3rd edition. (http://www.csrees.usda.gov/business/awards/formula/manuals/hatch.pdf)
