Which agency's strategic plan uses an integrated systems-based One Health approach to minimize the risk of pest and disease events to protect the national food supply?

• A. FDA
• B. Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
• C. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• D. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Answer: (B)

An integrated One Health approach connects human, animal, plant, and environmental health and uses a systems view to prevent pests and diseases from impacting the food supply. The agency that leads this kind of strategy for safeguarding plant and animal health and, by extension, national food security, is the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. APHIS focuses on preventing introductions and controlling outbreaks of agricultural pests and diseases, and its strategic plan emphasizes cross-sector coordination, surveillance, diagnostics, risk assessment, and rapid response—working with partners across government and industry to maintain a stable food system. While FDA, EPA, and NOAA play crucial roles in food safety, environmental protection, and climate-related monitoring, APHIS is the one whose plan centers on a unified One Health, systems-based approach to minimize pest and disease risks to the national food supply.