There are concerns in south carolina about the lack of progress within the cattle industry in emergency response preparations

This federal Cooperative Agreement award of $173,520.00 was provided 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 funding will support Clemson University Livestock Poultry Health (LPH) in developing and delivering education, training, and outreach materials to South Carolina cow-calf producers on the Secure Beef Supply (SBS) plan. The key objectives are to enhance the cattle industry's preparedness and response capabilities in the event of an animal disease outbreak or other disaster. The project aims to assist cow-calf producers in writing site-specific business continuity plans, and to promote adoption of biosecurity best practices and disease surveillance activities. The award has a performance period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2027.

Clemson university livestock poultry health (LPH) will work collaboratively with COW-calf producers and other beef external stakeholders to develop secure beef supply plans. Key components of this proposal include: educating and training COW-calf producers on all facets of the secure beef supply (SBS) plan, the importance of biosecurity, how to perform surveillance, and why business continuity is crucial for the beef supply chain. The project will deliver education, training and outreach materials; and assist in writing plans for site-specific response on COW-calf farms. The end goal is to have a better-prepared cattle industry in the face of an animal disaster or foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak with a coordinated response that is planned to provide business continuity.