WVA’s Global One Health Summit highlights veterinarians’ contributions to global food security

April 30, 2025

From vaccinating cattle in Botswana against foot-and-mouth disease to identifying gaps in biosecurity on a commercial broiler chicken farm in California, veterinarians are an essential component of food security around the world.

The role of the veterinarian in advancing global food security is the theme of the 11th World Veterinary Association (WVA) Global One Health Summit, being held July 20 during AVMA Convention 2025 and the 40th WVA Congress in Washington, D.C. The summit runs from 8 a.m.-2:50 p.m. Eastern in room 102AB at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. It will provide a total of six hours of in-person continuing education.

Men, dairy production or farmers farming a cattle herd or animals on grass field — Access to safe and nutritious animal protein isn’t possible without veterinarians. The 11th World Veterinary Association Global One Health Summit aims to inspire action and underscore the vital role of veterinarians in ensuring a secure, healthy, and sustainable food future for all.

Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, means that all people always have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Strengthening food security worldwide poses complex interdisciplinary challenges, and the veterinary profession’s role in addressing these issues can be uniquely impactful. The WVA and AVMA both have policies endorsing this position.

The Global One Health summit features a diverse slate of speakers who will share case studies and provide examples that illustrate the essential contributions of veterinarians to global food security, particularly in the areas of emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and sustainability.

Confirmed summit speakers as of April include Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, director general of the World Organisation for Animal Health, who will give the opening address at the Global One Health summit; Dr. Thanawat Tiensin, director of the Animal Production and Health Division and chief veterinarian at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN); Dr. Fabrizio Canaval, One Health consultant for North America at the UN Environment Programme; and Dr. Jonathon Rushton, professor of animal health and food systems economics at the University of Liverpool.

Those speakers and other professionals will give talks on the following subjects:

“Wet Markets and Wild Meat, Their Contribution to Food Security”
“Food Security and One Health”
“Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety”
“Medicines and Food Security”
“Wildlife Management: Risks to Food Security”
“Economics of Food Security—Does the Veterinarian Add Value?”
“Future Foods for Food Security—Is There a Role for Veterinarians?”
“Livestock Sector Contribution to Food Security, Climate Safe Agriculture”
“Environmental Impacts on Food Security”

The 11th WVA Global One Health Summit will conclude with a panel discussion from 2-2:50 p.m. Eastern in which speakers and session attendees can delve deeper into this complex global challenge and explore how veterinarians can broaden their involvement and impact.

After the summit, attendees and speakers are invited to attend the Global Health Networking Reception, sponsored by Zoetis, which will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. Eastern in the LeDroit Park-Shaw Rooms of the Marriott Marquis, 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The recipients of the 2025 AVMA Global Veterinary Service Award and Public Service Award will be recognized during the reception.