The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has opened applications for grants under the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program. NADPRP “addresses the risk of introduction and spread of high-consequence animal pests and diseases through cooperative or interagency agreements between APHIS and States, universities, livestock producer organizations, Tribal organizations, land-grant universities, and other eligible entities,” APHIS said in a statement. “Together, APHIS and its partners carry out high-value projects that enhance prevention, preparedness, detection, and response to the most damaging emerging and foreign animal diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture.”
The period to submit proposals opened last month and will close Oct. 20. APHIS will award $17 million in nine priority areas. The priorities, several of which are directly relevant to poultry and egg production, are:
- Develop, enhance, and exercise State and Tribal animal disease outbreak emergency response plans.
- Support livestock and poultry biosecurity measures and programs.
- Enhance capability and capacity for depopulation, carcass disposal, and decontamination in a disease outbreak.
- Support animal movement decisions in a disease outbreak.
- Enhance animal disease traceability during a disease outbreak.
- Support outreach & education on animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response.
- Develop and deliver training & exercises for animal agriculture sector responders.
- Advance the development of sheep and goat vaccines.
- Enhance aquatic animal disease preparedness and response.
In addition to state agriculture departments, animal health agencies, land-grant universities, state and national livestock and poultry producer organizations are also eligible to submit proposals. UEP and other barnyard groups led efforts to create the program in the 2018 farm bill and support its renewal and expansion in the upcoming 2023 farm bill.
APHIS will hold a webinar on NDPRP’s 2024 funding opportunities August 15 at 2 p.m. Eastern.
