Support activities to reduce the introduction of livestock and poultry diseases into california, to enhance food safety and security through enforcement of livestock and poultry entry requirements,…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded the California Department of Food and Agriculture a $204,235 cooperative agreement on April 1, 2026, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025) to reduce the introduction of livestock and poultry diseases into California and enhance food safety through animal disease traceability.

The recipient will distribute USDA-sourced electronic identification tags and readers to Category II accredited veterinarians, livestock producers, and livestock markets across four district field offices, deploying at least 24 electronic identification readers (six per district) and at least 650,000 electronic identification tags for cattle and swine combined over the one-year period. The recipient will conduct at least 64 stakeholder engagements with livestock markets and Category II veterinarians across the four districts per year to increase electronic identification tag and reader adoption, and will perform at least 70 audits and inspections at licensed premises to review and improve electronic identification records management and application.

The recipient will enhance electronic records management and inter-agency cross communication between internal electronic databases and USDA systems to optimize animal disease traceability data searchability, accounting for at least 9,400 certificates of veterinary inspection, 2,200 interstate movement permits, and 5,700 interstate shipments of cattle.

The period of performance runs from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027. Work is performed in California.

Purpose

The purpose of this agreement is to support activities to reduce the introduction of livestock and poultry diseases into california, to enhance food safety and security through enforcement of livestock and poultry entry requirements, and to reduce the impact of animal diseases through rapid tracing of animal movements and identification of exposed or at-risk animals.

Activities

(a.) administration of official identification devices: i.) distribute and facilitate the availability of USDA sourced electronic identification tags (cattle and swine) and electronic identification readers as applicable to category II accredited veterinarians, livestock producers and livestock markets from 4 district field offices - at least 6 electronic identification readers per district for a total of 24 readers and at least 650,000 electronic identification tags (cattle and swine combined) over the 1-year award period; II.) at least 4 stakeholder engagements per district (4) per quarter for a total of 64 engagements proposed per 1-year award period with livestock markets and category II veterinarians to increase electronic identification tag and reader usage; III.) at least 2 approved tagging site engagements projected across 1-year award period for each currently licensed premises within each of the 4 districts (for a total of at least 70 audits/inspections proposed) to review and improve electronic identification records management and electronic identification application and reader usage. (b.) electronic records: i.) activities to increase the volume of electronic records that optimize the searchability of potential animal disease traceability data to include - 1. Enhanced electronic records management and electronic inter-agency cross communication between internal electronic databases and that of TH e USDA to account for at least 9,400 certificates of veterinary inspection, 2,200 interstate movement permits, and 5,700 interstate shipments of cattle per quarter. 2. Industry stakeholder engagement with livestock markets and veterinary clinics (at least 4 per district per quarter for a total of at least 64 engagements per 1-year award period). (c.) information sharing: i.) maintenance of internal electronic databases for interstate permits, certificates of veterinary inspection and electronic identification distribution and enhanced shareability functionality with external regulatory agencies accounting for management of over 8.5 million livestock; 2,200 entry permits; 9,400 certificates of veterinary inspection; and 650,000 livestock identification devices per quarter. (d.) outreach and communication: i.) active inter-agency and cross-sector engagement: 1. Targeted industry engagement via direct engagement with industry stakeholders (at least 1 engagement per district per quarter for a total of at least 16 engagements per 1-year award period) and distribution of written materials and online outreach materials (to include at least 6 newsletter articles and industry presentations across 1-year award period). 2. California department of food and agriculture, USDA interagency field staff engagements: visits/calls with california department of food and agriculture and USDA district field staff (at least 2 visits per district for a total of 8) across 1-year award period. 3. Engagement with cattle industry associations and programs (at least 4 engagements across 1-year award period). 4. Cross-organizational engagement with agricultural inspection stations (border protection stations): monthly border station calls (at least 12), border station visits (at least 1 visit/station for a total of at least 16 visits) across 1-year award period. 5. Veterinary outreach via veterinary professional associations (national, state- and county-based) (2 per district for a total of at least 8 across 1-year award period), direct veterinary clinic visits (at least 4 per district (4) per quarter for a total of 16 across 1-year award period), national accreditation seminars (at least 8 across 1-year award period) 6. Veterinary and animal science student interaction via regulatory lectures and laboratories (~560 students/year) and engagement with animal science programs (at least 10 engagements across 1-year award period focused on advancing animal disease traceability objectives). 7. Local and regional industry engagement (at least 4 per quarter for a total of at least 16 engagements across 1-year award period). 8. Livestock market association outreach (50 engagements across 1-year award period). 9. Validation of congruence of state animal disease traceability regulations with national animal disease traceability regulations as outlined in 9 CFR part 86 via routine audits/assessments (4 per quarter per district (4) for a total of at least 16 audits/assessments across 1-year award period). (e.) national priority tracing exercises: i.) complete assigned national priority trace exercises (tpms) over the cooperative agreement year (1 per quarter expected to be assigned) and address risk factors and issues uncovered. (f.) compliance and enforcement of traceability regulations: i. Non-compliance and violations of identification and interstate movement regulations within 9 CFR part 86 shall be documented and maintained within compliance module of state-based database (anticipate recording at least 100 movement investigations specific to border crossing data across 1-year award period (approximately 25 investigations per quarter projected)); II.) accuracy of records maintenance and compliance with tagging site agreements and electronic identification veterinary agreements validated through routine livestock inspections and audits (at least two (2) audits/inspections projected across 1-year award period per site within districts (4) for a total of at least 100 audits/inspections proposed). Deliverables and expected outcomes: (a.) administration of official identification devices: records of distribution and RE-distribution of electronic identification data in federal database (animal identification management system) and california department of food and agriculture internal databases associated with over 650,000 electronic identification devices per quarter. (b.) electronic records: i.) increased data capture of incoming and outgoing certificates of veterinary inspections, in both paper and electronic formats (at least 9,400 per quarter) as well as ongoing outr each to all stakeholders to be retained in internal state-based databases (at least 50 engagements per quarter across all activities); II.) anticipated increased usage and reporting of electronic certificates of inspection for interstate movement (target of 80% usage of electronic certificates of veterinary inspections across all species at end of 1-year award period). (c.) informational sharing: i.) reporting and direct inputs into federal database systems to include administration and redistribution of over 650,000 livestock identification devices per quarter; II.) 100% input of distribution and redistribution records of livestock identification devices into federal database systems of record (animal identification management system). (d.) outreach and communication: records of activities maintained in compliance and outreach module of internal state-based database systems accounting for at least 50 engagements per quarter across 1-year award period. (e.) national priority tracing exercises: successful completion of assigned trace performance measures (1 per quarter anticipated). (f.) compliance and enforcement of traceability regulations: records of activities maintained in compliance and outreach module of internal state-based database systems associated with at least 100 movement investigations and at least 4 audits/inspections per site within each district (4) per quarter across 1-year award period.

Intended beneficiaries

Improved traceability serves to reduce the impact of animal diseases through rapid tracing of animal movements and identification of exposed or at-risk animals enhancing overall food safety and security within state and nation and improved economic stability of industry. Intended beneficiaries would include direct and indirect aspects of the livestock and agricultural industries within california associated with: (a.) 1.7 million dairy cows accounting for $10.4 billion in annual milk production (2022 national agricultural statistics service survey data) equal to 18% of national liquid milk supply. As an industry the value of the allied dairy industry in california accounts for 44% of the nation's nonfat dry milk, 33% of the nation's butter, and 18% percent of the nation's cheese production . (b.) over 5.2 million cows and calves on over 11,000 farms (2022 national agricultural statistics service survey data) associated with $3.6 billion in cattle and calf sales accounting for 21% of california livestock revenues and 4% of national production annually. (c.) over $28 million in swine sales and production annually and over 1100 swine operations (2022 national agricultural statistics service survey data). (d.) over 530,000 sheep and lambs on over 3,000 premises accounting for $2.6 million in annual wool production (9.2% of national production) and $57 million in meat (sheep and lamb) production (2022 national agricultural statistics service survey data). (e.) over 127,000 goats on 3,400 premises accounting for $9.2 million in production annually (2022 national agricultural statistics service survey data). (f.) california livestock industry directly employs over 28,000 workers across all s ectors of the livestock industry. (g.) california horse industry that directly contributes over $4.5 billion to california's economy across all activities and sectors, along with over 77,000 jobs with $8.3 billion associated with allied industries with a total EMP loyment impact of over 115,000 jobs.

Subrecipient activities

Subawards not anticipated during cooperative agreement period.