The UK agrifood network known as the AMAST Network has secured £54 million from the UK government and UKRI to run a five-year programme aimed at cutting antibiotic reliance in livestock, aquaculture and crops while protecting animal health.
Over the next half-decade the consortium will design and trial practical measures that let food producers use antibiotics more responsibly, preserving the long-term effectiveness of these drugs.
Farmers, veterinarians, industry representatives, researchers and policymakers will work side-by-side to shape solutions that fit everyday farm realities.
Since its launch in 2024, more than 250 members from farming, veterinary practice, industry, government and academia have helped pinpoint obstacles to optimal antimicrobial use.
Collective priorities now cover animal health, antimicrobial use, diagnostics, data management, behaviour change and environmental impact.
Sector-focused projects
In the pig sector, teams will partner with growers, vets and advisers to address persistent disease pressure, using swine dysentery as a test case for linking diagnostics, biosecurity and management decisions.
Cattle and sheep initiatives will put the UK Ruminant Antibiotic Stewardship Roadmap into action, improving data capture and enabling benchmarks that guide farmers and vets toward better antibiotic choices.
The roadmap is slated for launch at the British Cattle Veterinary Association Congress on 15 October.
Across the wider agrifood environment, researchers will explore methods relevant to livestock, aquaculture, gamebirds and crops, drawing on lessons from international programmes.
Environmental work will assess antimicrobial residues in manure, soil and water, seeking ways to limit the spread of resistance beyond farms.
Leadership and future investments
The effort is led by Dr Matthew Gilmour at the Quadram Institute, with co-directors Dr Marie McIntyre and Professor Alex Hughes at Newcastle University.
Dr Gilmour said UK agriculture has already made major progress on antibiotic stewardship, but further gains will come from solving the underlying problems that drive use, such as disease pressure and data gaps.
Dr John Pearl of the University of Leicester’s Department of Respiratory Sciences highlighted the need for vigilance across clinical practice and the agricultural food chain, noting the broader environmental implications of resistance.
The £54 million investment also funds work on future epidemics and next-generation livestock vaccines, bolstering the UK’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to biological threats while supporting food security and sustainable economic growth.