Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

The University of Illinois received a Cooperative Agreement award of $278,950 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 program (CFDA 10.025). The award, effective June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, provides annual infrastructure support to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) across all Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 laboratories. This funding supports the university's capacity to maintain and operate diagnostic and surveillance capabilities essential to protecting U.S. agriculture from economically injurious plant and animal diseases and pests.

The infrastructure support delivered through this cooperative agreement enables the University of Illinois to sustain critical laboratory operations, equipment, and resources necessary for disease detection, prevention, and response activities within the NAHLN system. By maintaining robust diagnostic infrastructure at designated laboratory levels, the award supports APHIS's broader mission to ensure agricultural biosecurity, enhance emergency preparedness for disease outbreaks, and provide essential diagnostic services that protect livestock, poultry, and agricultural ecosystems from regional and national disease threats.