Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

The University of Connecticut, through its Office Sponsored Programs, received a $278,950 cooperative agreement awarded June 1, 2025, by 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 provides annual infrastructure support to National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 laboratories through May 31, 2026. This funding supports the university's role within the NAHLN system, which conducts diagnostic testing and surveillance activities critical to protecting U.S. agriculture from economically injurious animal diseases and health threats.

The cooperative agreement represents APHIS's ongoing commitment to strengthening the laboratory infrastructure and diagnostic capacity necessary for disease detection, prevention, and emergency response within the national animal health system. By supporting NAHLN facilities at UConn, the funding enables continued operations of specialized animal health laboratory testing services, including work on priority animal diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, thereby enhancing biosecurity and the safety of the agricultural food supply across regional and national levels.