Conduct animal health national surveillance and response activities that will provide specific i nformation to the recipient, aphis, and other interested parties for various commodities under this…

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded a Cooperative Agreement worth $247,905 to Clemson University's Division of Research on April 1, 2026, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025). The award funds animal health national surveillance and response activities in South Carolina through March 31, 2027.

Clemson will support animal health staff, provide and obtain training, and execute animal disease surveillance and laboratory activities to prevent, detect, and respond to animal health issues across three commodity sectors. For avian health, the recipient will conduct approximately 80 NPIP flock inspection visits, perform an estimated 9,059 avian influenza tests, visit 50 non-NPIP poultry premises for AI testing, investigate 30–40 sick bird calls, and conduct 21 commercial biosecurity audits. Deliverables include biosecurity and disease recognition training for approximately 390 poultry producers, AI sample collection training for approximately 250 commercial flock supervisors, foam depopulation training for approximately 20 commercial flock employees, and five HPAI response drills. For sheep, goat, and cervid operations, Clemson will conduct approximately 90 livestock market visits per quarter to ensure identification compliance, submit quarterly compliance reports and annual consistent state status renewal applications by January 15, and conduct four outreach events to producer groups. For swine, the recipient will target approximately 400 inspections at concentration points and conduct approximately 36 onsite investigations for garbage feeding. All work will be coordinated with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services to detect and respond to disease occurrences.

Conduct animal health national surveillance and response activities that will provide specific i nformation to the recipient, aphis, and other interested parties for various commodities under this umbrella cooperative agreement. Activities to be performed: what activities will the recipient carry out for each award? Support animal health staff, provide training, obtain training, and carry out animal disease surveillance and laboratory activities to prevent, detect, and respond to animal health issues. Avian: targeting 80 npip flock inspection visits during agreement period. Estimating 9,059 tests for avian influenza (AI). Targeting 50 visits to non-npip poultry premises for AI testing. Estimating 30-40 sick bird calls for investigating. Targeting 21 commercial biosecurity audits. Sheep, goat, & cervid: targeting about 90 livestock market visits/quarter to ensure identification compliance. Submitting quarterly reports with compliance data. Submitting annual consistent state status renewal application by january 15. Targeting four (4) outreach events to producer groups. Swine: targeting about 400 inspections at concentration points during agreement period. Estimating 36 onsite investigations for garbage feeding during agreement period. Deliverables and expected outcomes: what are the goals of the award and what evidence is required from the recipient? Completion of metrics as outlined in the workplans for each commodity. See metrics above. Collaboration with USDA aphis VS to detect and respond to any disease occurrences. Avian: deliver biosecurity and disease recognition training to about 390 poultry producers throughout the year. AI sample collection training to about 250 commercial flock supervisors throughout the year. Foam depopulation training to about 20 commercial flock employees. Targeting five (5) hpai response drills with state veterinarian, local USDA VS, other local agencies and industry. Sheep & goat: assign premises identification numbers to producers in south carolina. Assist with scrapie tag orders. Swine: submit data for reports on quarterly basis. Education and outreach at local producer, veterinary, and SC farm bureau meetings. Assist with any producer traces of vesicular lesions or other diseases and investigations. Intended beneficiary(IES): who will benefit from this beyond the recipient? Clemson university livestock poultry health, aphis, and agriculture industry to maintain domestic food supply and international trade, including at least: 4,300 cattle operations (mostly small), 4,909 poultry producers, 694 sheep producers, 2,493 goat producers, 882 swine operations. Indirectly benefitting about 5.5M consumers in SC. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: n/a. Budget: recipient personnel and fringe-- $158,764; recipient travel in and out of state to attend relevant conferences-- $18,912; other- including lab testing-- $47,693; indirect costs-- $22 ,536.