Texas a & m university will create a national point-of-care (POC) use-case matrix for incident command systems that can be used to evaluate what POC diagnostic tests for livestock diseases may be…

Texas A&M Agrilife Research received a $216,772 Cooperative Agreement 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), effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2027. The project will develop a national point-of-care (POC) use-case matrix for incident command systems to evaluate the appropriateness of POC diagnostic tests for livestock diseases during foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreaks. Texas A&M will identify clinical situations and conditions where POC assay deployment is justified and will produce a position statement with recommendations for national and international development of POC diagnostic assays for FAD outbreak response.

The deliverables directly support APHIS's agricultural protection mission by enabling emergency responders to rapidly contain disease and minimize economic disruption to producers. By providing evidence-based guidance on POC diagnostic deployment, the project will facilitate faster decision-making during FAD incidents, support timely business recovery for farmers and ranchers, protect food supply safety, and preserve rural economic opportunities. The two-year cooperative agreement structure reflects the collaborative nature typical of disease prevention and response activities funded under CFDA 10.025.

Texas a & m university will create a national point-of-care (POC) use-case matrix for incident command systems that can be used to evaluate what POC diagnostic tests for livestock diseases may be appropriate to use during a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. The project will identify the clinical situations or conditions where POC assay use is justified. The project will also develop a position statement and recommendations for an approach for national or international development of POC diagnostic assays for use in FAD outbreaks. This project benefits farmers, ranchers, and producers by providing information to emergency responders, resulting in rapid containment of disease and allowing producers to return to business as quickly as possible during a FAD. The project will ensure a safe food supply and protect rural communities' economic opportunities.