Assist the laboratory in meeting the responsibilities required of their designated level as outlined in the 2023 agreement for participation in the national animal health laboratory network (nahln)

This $387,870 cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to Mississippi State University will support the university's responsibilities and capacity building efforts as a designated member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Through this award with a project period from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024, the university will enhance its quality management systems, laboratory information management systems, staff expertise and proficiencies, equipment, and limited facility projects. These improvements will directly benefit the laboratory's work product and test outcomes to ensure the rapid response capabilities required for adverse animal health events involving emerging or foreign animal diseases of concern. No subawards are associated with this cooperative agreement funding from the USDA APHIS Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA No. 10.025), which supports protecting U.S. agriculture from economically damaging plant and animal diseases and pests.

In addition, IT will support an overall increase in nahln capacity and capabilities to meet the needs faced during an adverse animal health event caused by the presence of an emerging disease or foreign animal disease. This will be accomplished by providing support for; quality management systems, laboratory information management systems to electronically submit testing data accurately and consistently, improving staffing expertise and proficiency, enhancing equipment, and limited "brick and mortar" projects that will directly enhance work product, test outcomes, etc. This agreement will benefit the overall network as well as the american population by helping to ensure the rapid response to an adverse animal health event. No subawards.