Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded a $300,000 Cooperative Agreement to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026, under the Wildlife Services program (CFDA 10.028). This agreement supports methods development initiatives specifically focused on improving animal welfare standards in trapping programs across the United States. AFWA will leverage its established role as a coordinating body between state fish and wildlife agencies and federal partners to develop best management practices and evidence-based approaches that balance effective wildlife management with humane trapping methodologies.

The deliverables under this award will advance the Wildlife Services program's mission to reduce wildlife-caused damage while emphasizing humane control methods wherever feasible. AFWA's work will likely include developing training resources, establishing standardized protocols, facilitating multi-state collaboration on trapping techniques and welfare standards, and creating educational materials that can be disseminated to state wildlife agencies and field practitioners. This methods development effort supports APHIS's broader portfolio of wildlife damage mitigation and disease management activities while addressing the growing emphasis on animal welfare considerations in wildlife management operations nationwide.