THE ROLE OF THE VETERINARIAN AND AN INTEGRATED BIOSECURITY MODEL FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED AGRI-FOOD COMPANIES

Global food safety faces growing challenges with the rise of zoonoses, climate change and increasingly stringent regulatory demands.This article presents an integrated model that unites the essential role of the veterinarian as a public health agent with the implementation of adaptable biosecurity protocols for small and medium-sized agri-food companies.Using a qualitative methodology based on documentary review and analysis of case studies reported in the literature, the study proposes practical solutions to raise sanitary standards, increase regulatory compliance and strengthen economic sustainability.This model, which has already been successfully validated in Brazil, will be scaled up and adapted to the US context, contributing directly to the reduction of health risks, the strengthening of traceability and the resilience of production chains in the face of global health emergencies.