The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $318,814.18 to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture on April 1, 2026, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025). The award runs through March 31, 2027, and funds disease surveillance, animal health emergency response planning and preparedness, and training and outreach activities across Nebraska.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture will conduct active and passive surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza by sampling 3,500 birds across 10 county fairs, 4 livestock shows, 40 exotic sales, and National Poultry Improvement Plan participating flocks. The recipient will perform 4 hatchery inspections, 90 poultry dealer inspections, 3 avian influenza audits, and 3 biosecurity audits. The award supports identification and mapping of backyard flocks to enhance poultry movement and testing data. Outreach education activities include distribution of biosecurity tools and public health information at exotic sales, 4 livestock shows, and 35 county fairs. The recipient will update and exercise their low pathogenicity avian influenza plan and maintain and exercise their poultry depopulation trailer.
For cattle health, the award funds routine sample collection for tuberculosis and brucellosis at slaughter establishments, monitoring and training for caudal fold response rates, and tracing activities for suspect cases. The recipient will provide state-specific accredited veterinarian training and participate in quarterly meetings with the Department of Health and Human Services regarding livestock diseases of zoonotic concern. The award also supports surveillance for swine, sheep, and goat diseases including scrapie, swine brucellosis, pseudorabies, and swine vesicular diseases.