The purpose of the agreement is to conduct animal health national surveillance and response activities that will provide specific information to the recipient (NY), aphis, and other interested parties…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded a cooperative agreement to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets on April 1, 2026, totaling $348,264, 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 for avian and cattle commodity categories under New York's umbrella cooperative agreement. For the avian program, NYSDA will conduct surveillance testing and site inspections across multiple flock categories: 75 of 250 New York National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) flocks under 145 Subpart E with H5/H7 avian influenza clean certification testing (150 visits and 440 PCR tests annually); 8 commercial NPIP table-egg layer flocks (550 AGID-egg and 74 PCR tests annually); 1 multi-site egg layer breeder flock and single-site flocks (1,000 AGID-bird tests and 12 PCR tests annually); 1 upland game bird breeder flock and three raised-for-release upland game bird flocks (16 visits and 33 PCR tests annually); 4 ostrich, emu, rhea, and cassowary breeding flocks participating in NPIP (8 visits and 10 PCR tests annually); 2 primary and multiplier meat-type chicken breeding flocks receiving yearly visits; approximately 30,440 birds at 83 live bird markets tested annually (332 inspections, approximately 3,044 PCR bird tests annually, and approximately 680 virus isolation and 14 PCR environmental sample tests); and 4 poultry distributors inspected quarterly. Activities include supporting animal health staff, obtaining and providing training, and carrying out laboratory work to prevent, detect, and respond to animal disease issues. The period of performance runs from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027. Work is performed in New York.

Activities

Support animal health staff, obtain and provide training and carry out animal disease surveillance and l aboratory activities to prevent, detect, and respond to animal disease health issues. The avian program focuses on surveillance testing and site inspections. Site inspections will monitor avian health, sanitation, and required records. Avian influenza (AI) surveillance testing and site visits will include: • 75 out of the 250 new york national poultry improvement plan (npip) flocks under 145 subpart e also tested for H5/H7 AI clean certification (150 visits and 440 PCR tests/year) • 8 commercial npip table-EGG layer flocks (550 agid-EGG, 74 PCR tests/year) • 1 multi-site EGG layer breeder flock and single site flocks (1000 agid-bird tests,12 PCR tests/year) • 1 upland game bird breeder flock and three raised for release upland game bird flocks (16 visits and 33 PCR tests/year) • 4 ostrich, EMU, rhea & cassowary breeding flocks participating in npip (8 visits and 10 PCR tests/year) • the 1 primary meat type chicken breeding flock in NY state will be visited yearly • the 1 multiplier meat type chicken breeding flock in NY state will be visited yearly • ~30,440 birds tested at the 83 live bird markets (lbms)/year (332 inspections, ~3,044 PCR bird tests/year, and ~ 680 virus isolation (VI) and ~14 PCR environmental sample tests) • 4 poultry distributors with 3 crate washers in NY will be inspected per quarter 48 PCR tests (~396 birds tested/year) and 24 VI EN vironmental samples/year • ~13 necropsies of sick birds/year • ~30 PCR tests/year for sick birds calls at production facilities/backyard flocks. Nysda will employ animal health inspectors (AHT) and veterinarians to perform testing and inspections at live bird markets (LBM): • 4 AHT1S are expected to perform 1,131 hours of activities • 1 AHT2 is expected to perform 30 hours of activities • 1 veterinarian will perform 40 hours of activities avian program testing and response activities will require field supplies, which will be purchased in bulk, when possible, to minimize cost. Supplies include disposable coveralls, disposable boot covers, N95 particulate respirators, swabs, virkon s, barcode labels and other disposable goods as needed to protect inspector health and safety and maintain biosecurity. In FY26, two laboratory technicians will attend npip laboratory technician training. The FY26 nysda cattle program grant will focus on supplies, and training of personnel to support cattle program disease surveillance and response preparedness. Nysda veterinarians are actively involved in tuberculosis testing of cattle and deer. Replacement tuberculosis test supplies needed will be clippers, batteries, coveralls, and boot covers. Travel funds will be used for 2 state veterinarians to attend program disease field skills class which includes training to become an approved comparative cervical tuberculin (CCT) tester, and 3 new state veterinarians will attend stand alone CCT training. In addition, for cattle disease response preparedness, nysda estimates that 1 captive bolt unit will require maintenance. Lastly, travel funds will be used for 1 state veterinarian to attend foreign animal disease diagnostician training. Deliverables and expected outcomes: completion of goals and objectives as outlined in the workplans for each commodity in the NY umbrella agreement. Evidence required of goals being met will be based on the quarterly performance reports that are reviewed by the program manager and the final performance report that will be reviewed to ensure that the goals have been meet for the performance period of the agreement. The goal for the avian program is to support poultry health through surveillance testing, inspection, and training of personnel. DEL iverables include ~ 1,569 national poultry improvement plan tests (~6,702 birds tested), ~3,092 live bird markets tests (~30,920 birds tested), ~ 720 environmental tests of live bird markets, ~ 30 backyard tests (~ 300 birds tested) and~13 gross necropsy tests. The expected outcome is reduction of avian influenza cases through surveillance testing and inspections of avian facilities. The goal for the cattle program is to conduct tuberculosis surveillance with needed supplies and trained personnel; and to support response preparedness by maintaining equipment and assuring personnel are trained to respond to program diseases. Deliverables include the USDA monthly cattle health reports detailing tuberculosis and brucellosis testing in new york. The expected outcome is improved surveillance for cattle program intended beneficiary(IES): aphis and national agriculture industry to maintain domestic food supply and international trade to include both private and public entities to include stake holders, trading partners, with in and out of the state of NY, and interstate commerce of food goods and services and the health and welfare of the public as well as animal health. The state of new york agriculture represents approximately 200 commercial poultry premises, 500 backyard poultry premises, 90 live bird markets, 6,000 beef herds, 3,000 dairies (4TH largest dairy state in the united states), 150 farmed cervid herds (deer, ELK, other), 1,000 sheep flocks, 2,000 goat herds, 2,000 breeding animals on 713 swine premises. Nysda disease surveillance and response activities indirectly benefit ~20M residents in the state of new york through food safety, and public health protections.