The university of arizona will provide training, tools, and resources for the arizona state veterinary office and arizona tribal nations to perform point-of-care real-time polymerase chain reaction or…

The University of Arizona received a $170,706 Cooperative Agreement awarded September 15, 2025, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The award supports a two-year collaborative initiative through September 14, 2027, to provide training, tools, and resources enabling the Arizona State Veterinary Office and Arizona Tribal Nations to conduct point-of-care real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for food animal disease detection and diagnostics. The project involves the University of Arizona Department of Tribal Extension, the Department of Native American Advancement, Initiatives, and Research, the USDA APHIS Office of the National Tribal Liaison, and the Arizona State Veterinarian's Office as collaborative partners.

The agreement is designed to build trust and strengthen communications between the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the State Veterinarian's Office, and participating Tribal Nations, thereby improving early livestock disease detection, reporting capabilities, and outbreak management in rural communities. By equipping Arizona's farming and ranching operations with enhanced diagnostic resources and processes, the project supports food supply safety and protects the economic interests of agricultural producers across the state.

The university of arizona will provide training, tools, and resources for the arizona state veterinary office and arizona tribal nations to perform point-of-care real-time polymerase chain reaction or PCR testing for food animal disease detection and diagnostics. The project is a collaborative initiative with the university of arizona department of tribal extension; the department of native american advancement, initiatives, and research; the USDA aphis office of the national tribal liaison, and the arizona state veterinarian's office. The project will build trust and communications between the arizona veterinary diagnostic laboratory, the state veterinarian's office, and the participating tribal nations, leading to improvements in early livestock disease detection and reporting and capabilities. This project benefits arizona's livestock producers by providing new resources and processes to help rural communities and tribes quickly detect and manage animal disease outbreaks. Animal disease preparedness projects like this help ensure a safe food supply and protect the livelihoods and economic opportunities of the state's farmers and ranchers.