The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced they are awarding $10.2 million to support disease prevention and emergency response training and exercise projects as well as targeted projects to enhance laboratory diagnostic capability. The agency is also moving forward with developing the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB). The 2018 Farm Bill provided funding for these programs as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions.
$5.2 million of those dollars will be through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP). These projects will be led by state animal health authorities and land-grant universities, addressing training and exercise priorities in all major livestock industries. And some of those training dollars are coming to our Southeastern states. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) will receive $9531, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) will receive $22,525, while the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) will receive $83,868.
Also, ADAI will receive a grant for $55,691 for Avian Influenza Preparedness, FDACS will receive $150,000 for the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to enhance testing capacity for Chronic Wasting Disease, and GDA received another $123,262 to help the state’s FAD Response Capabilities Training and Exercise Program.
Plus, the University of Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory received two grants totaling $824 702 for projects. Learn more about the grants.