Federal Cooperative Agreement Award Summary

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Industries received a $225,000 Cooperative Agreement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Food and Drug Administration Research program (CFDA 93.103), awarded September 20, 2025, with performance through June 30, 2028. This award funds the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards Maintenance Project, which delivers comprehensive animal feed safety oversight and regulatory enforcement in Tennessee. The program maintains a staffing complement of nine positions (eight trained animal food inspectors and one statewide supervisor) to conduct systematic inspections, achieve audit compliance targets of at least 50% annual inspection audit completion by Year 3, and execute risk-based enforcement actions including re-inspections, warning letters, stop sales orders, and permit revocations.

The primary service deliverable is the establishment and maintenance of a robust feed safety infrastructure that prevents contaminated or adulterated animal feed from entering the human food chain through meat, dairy, and egg products. The program coordinates closely with the FDA through scheduled technical assistance visits, participation in Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) meetings, and collaborative oversight to ensure consistent application of federal standards at the state level. Expected outcomes include sustained Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards compliance, improved inspection audit performance, strengthened enforcement capacity, and protection of both animal and human health while supporting Tennessee's agricultural economy and the national animal food safety network.