Cooperative Agreement AP24VSDB000C021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) awarded a $106,300 Cooperative Agreement to Murray State University under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025). The purpose of this 1-year agreement is to provide annual infrastructure support to all National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) Level 1, 2, and 3 laboratories, including Murray State's Breathitt Veterinary Center. This funding will assist NAHLN laboratories in meeting their designated responsibilities, increasing overall NAHLN capacity and capabilities to rapidly respond to adverse animal health events caused by emerging diseases or foreign animal diseases. Specifically, the grant will support quality management systems, laboratory information management systems, staffing expertise and proficiency, and essential equipment upgrades to enhance testing work product and outcomes for animal disease surveillance and monitoring.