The purpose of this cooperative agreement proposal is to enhance idaho's ability to respond to a largescale disease outbreak in birds to allow for rapid and efficient means of depopulation and disposal

The Idaho Department of Agriculture received a $158,271 cooperative agreement award from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025). The funding will allow the Department to purchase equipment and provide training to enhance Idaho's response capabilities for large-scale disease outbreaks in birds. Specifically, the Department will acquire equipment for humane depopulation of infected flocks using foam and provide in-house and external training to staff on safe capture, restraint, and use of the foamers. This will increase efficiency in depopulating commercial, backyard, and exhibition birds as needed to prevent further spread of highly contagious diseases such as avian influenza. The award period is from June 1, 2023 through May 31, 2025.

The idaho state department of agriculture will use the funds to purchase equipment and provide in-house capture and restraint training as well as training on the foamer from an outside expert which will allow staff to humanely depopulate birds in both commercial, backyard and exhibition-type collections when needed. This enhancement will allow for increased efficiency which prevents further spread of highly contagious diseases such as avian influenza.