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)

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) was awarded a $137,870 cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care (10.025) federal grant program. The purpose of the June 15, 2023 through June 14, 2024 award is to assist NCDA&CS in meeting its responsibilities as a designated member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), including supporting quality management systems, laboratory information management systems, staff expertise and proficiency, equipment enhancements, and limited facility projects. This will help NCDA&CS rapidly respond to adverse animal health events and enhance the NAHLN's overall capacity to address emerging diseases or foreign animal diseases, benefiting both the agricultural industry and American public. No federal subawards are associated with this cooperative agreement.

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.