Provide administration of official identification devices and to optimize use of electronic records while ensuring information sharing across platforms supports rapid traceability for regulatory…

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries a $243,092.60 cooperative agreement on April 1, 2026, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025).

The recipient administers official RFID identification devices for cattle to support rapid animal traceability for regulatory disease management. Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries provides official RFID tags for show cattle and cattle moving through participating livestock markets, operates readers to collect identification data forwarded to the state office for upload into the data management platform, and incorporates accredited veterinarians through tag reallocation and electronic certificates of veterinary inspection. Deliverables include provision of official RFID tags to all 19 participating livestock markets, quarterly animal ID working group meetings, advisory services to a minimum of 4 stakeholder groups, and a minimum of 8 National Trace Performance Measures exercises recorded in the Emergency Management Response System. The agreement also requires a quarterly ADT enforcement action summary report. The expected outcome is capability to trace an animal within hours, up to 2 business days.

The period of performance runs from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027. Place of performance is the United States.

Purpose

The purpose of this agreement is to provide administration of official identification devices and to optimize use of electronic records while ensuring information sharing across platforms supports rapid traceability for regulatory disease management purposes. Outreach and communication, on top of improving on commonly identified compliance issues, remain instrumental to achieving the goals and objectives.

Activities

Alabama department of agriculture and industries currently provides official rfid tags for show cattle and required cattle moving at participating livestock markets. Readers are utilized to accurately collect the data and is forwarded to the state office for upload into the data management platform. Accredited veterinarians are incorporated into the activities through reallocating assigned tags and use of electronic certificates of veterinary inspection. Outreach events include quarterly working group meetings, involvement with accredited veterinarians, advising stakeholder groups, and other opportunities as they present. National trace performance measures exercises will be conducted and recorded in the emergency management response system, then evaluated for possible areas to improve. • 19/19 livestock markets are provided with official rfid tags • quarterly animal ID working group meetings • advisor to a minimum of 4 stakeholder groups • conduct a minimum of 8 national trace performance measures exercises deliverables and expected outcomes: the ultimate goal is rapid and accurate traceability for regulatory disease management. • deliverables: o minimum of 8 national trace performance measures exercises recorded into the emergency management response system o VS quarterly ADT enforcement action summary report • expected outcome: o capability to trace an animal within hours, up to 2 business days intended beneficiary(IES): the ADT cooperative agreement has a significant impact on animal agriculture in alabama, primarily the CA ttle industry. According to recent USDA nass data, alabama is home to 18,284 cattle farms representing over 1.2 million head. There are currently 19 livestock markets in alabama that sold approximately 40,553 head in 2025. In addition, alabama received 1,107 cvis representing 17,216 cattle and issued 2,463 cvis presenting 165,242 cattle. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: if funded, adai will award a contract to trace first for CVI central. CVI central will allow adai to receive and store animal identifications and traceability information from livestock markets, animal testing and vaccination "sightings", and cvis. This information is critical for rapid and accurate animal disease traceability in alabama.