1.

The University of Georgia will provide $200,000 in products and services to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service under a Cooperative Agreement awarded through the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025).

Specifically, the University will conduct surveillance of exotic vector ticks and other arthropods that threaten livestock health on wildlife in Texas and the eastern U.S. This will help identify new infestations of cattle fever ticks outside permanent quarantine zones. The University will also compare surveillance methods for biting midges (Culicoides spp.) and analyze the spatial distribution and climate factors influencing these insect populations in southeastern states. Findings will support the agency's efforts to assess disease risk and model spread. No subawards are specified. The one-year award period began on April 8, 2022 and will provide $200k in funding to support these surveillance, research and information dissemination activities through April 7, 2023.

Purpose

The purpose of providing federal financial assistance for this cooperative agreement between USDA-aphis-VS and scwds(RECIPIENT) is to continue to: 1) develop and evaluate data for USDA-aphis-VS relative to surveillance and early detection of exotic vector ticks and other arthropods associated with wildlife that also threaten health of domestic livestock and 2) provide consultations and surveillance for foreign and domestic disease agents in wildlife that also affect domestic livestock and poultry.2.

Activities

The recipient will conduct surveys for cattle fever ticks on wildlife in texas; conduct surveys for ticks, including haemaphysalis longicornis, in the eastern US; compare surveillance methods for culicoides SPP. And conduct spatial and climatic variable analyses on culicoides populations in the southeastern US; and provide presentations, prepare manuscripts for publication, and provide consultation.3. Deliverables and expected outcomes: the recipient will conduct surveys for cattle fever ticks on wildlife in texas to identify areas outside the permanent quarantine zone that may have new infestations of cattle fever ticks and to monitor the role of wild ungulates in the spread of cattle fever ticks in south texas within and outside of the permanent quarantine zone. The recipient will conduct surveys for ticks, including H. Longicornis, in the eastern US through active and passive surveillance to help delineate the current distribution and identify areas of ongoing range expansion of H. Longicornis in the southeastern US, to refine understanding of the host range and phenology of H.longicornis in north america, and to provide information for the role of wildlife in the introduction, spread, and maintenance of potential of H.longicornis populations in north america. The recipient will compare surveillance methods for culicoides SPP. And conduct spatial and climatic variable analyses on culicoides populations in the southeasternus to compare culicoides numbers and diversity collected via CDC UV light traps and direct aspiration from cattle, will analyze the spatial distribution of culicoides species with characterizations of population dynamics collected across multiple habitat types to aid future work in disease risk assessment by ceah, will determine if any climate variables influenced culicoides SPP. Collected on dairy farm and forested areas, and will collect data on culicoides SPP. To support ceah habitat suitability models and disease spread models currently being adapted for north american culicoides SPP. Vectors. Finally, the recipient will provide presentations, prepare manuscripts for publication, and provide consultation by dissemination of information to USDA and the broader scientific and regulatory community through reports, presentations, publications, and newsletter articles.4. Intended beneficiary(IES): USDA-aphis-VS, scwds, LIVESTOCKSTAKEHOLDERS5. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: none