The purpose of the award is to establish an international collaboration, gpazds, consisting of a network of partners in high-risk d isease-endemic countries to implement activities that allow enhanced…

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded Lifestock, Inc. a Cooperative Agreement totaling $1,949,907 on May 8, 2026, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025) to establish the Global Partnership for Animal and Zoonotic Disease Surveillance (GPAZDS), an international network of laboratory and research partners in disease-endemic countries designed to enhance surveillance and enable timely detection of high-consequence foreign animal and zoonotic disease threats to U.S. agriculture, food supply, and public health.

Lifestock, Inc., a woman-owned nonprofit organization based in Athens, Georgia, will convene with USDA APHIS to identify priority areas at partner laboratories; develop guidelines for pre-proposal solicitation and statements of work from collaborating laboratories; regularly evaluate and review program performance at partner facilities and provide performance reports; facilitate short visits by Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory staff to participate in laboratory and field studies at partner sites; conduct capacity-building trainings in areas required for implementation; and disburse and administer funds to collaborating laboratories for task performance.

The award covers a period of performance from May 8, 2026 through November 7, 2027, with place of performance in Athens, Georgia. The GPAZDS initiative addresses the absence of a structured framework for strategic surveillance of transboundary high-consequence animal and zoonotic diseases in endemic countries, filling a significant vulnerability gap in U.S. livestock agriculture protection.

The purpose of the award is to establish an international collaboration, gpazds, consisting of a network of partners in high-risk d isease-endemic countries to implement activities that allow enhanced surveillance and timely detection of high-consequence foreign animal and zoonotic disease threats to US agriculture, food supply and public health. The threat to US agriculture, food supply and human health comes from both accidental and intentional introduction of foreign animal and zoonotic pathogens. While the US maintains an elaborate surveillance system for foreign animal diseases (fads) through the national animal health laboratory network (nahln), the absence of a structured framework for strategic surveillance of transboundary high consequence animal and zoonotic diseases in endemic countries presents significant vulnerability to US livestock agriculture, food supply and public health. The USDA/aphis/VS will work directly with lifestock international, as an implementing partner, to oversee collaborations and programs with laboratories and research organizations located in countries endemic for, or with high risk for, high consequence foreign animal and zoonotic disease threats. The recipient, lifestock international, will perform the following: a) convene with USDA/aphis to help identify priority areas of action in partner laboratories b) work with USDA/aphis and develop guidelines to solicit pre-proposals and statements of work for submission by collaborating laboratories c) regularly evaluate and review program performance at collaborating laboratories (provide program evaluation and performance reports) d) facilitate initiatives for faddl staff to undertake short visits at partner labs to participate in laboratory and field studies when needed e) conduct capacity building trainings in areas needed for implementation of activities by partner laboratories f) disburse and administer funds to collaborating laboratories for performance of tasks as outlined in statements of work. G) support convening an annual symposium involving partners/subawardees to present study findings at nbaf h) provide annual reports of performance, including summary of study results, by partner laboratories and organizations to aphis/USDA