Food Safety Cooperative Agreements

The Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is funding cooperative agreements to strengthen laboratory testing capacity and capability within the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) for meat, poultry, and egg product safety and food defense, with the most recent award to Illinois Institute of Technology in October 2024 (CFDA 10.479).

The program exclusively funds cooperative agreements—all 215 awards in the portfolio are structured as cooperative agreements rather than project or formula grants. This reflects FSIS's requirement for active federal participation throughout project execution to ensure funded work directly supports national food safety priorities and emergency response. The program has sustained steady activity: 12–19 awards per year from 2020 through 2023, though only 1 award appears in the 2024 calendar year to date. Combined federal dollars obligated total $36 million across the portfolio.

Awarded projects concentrate heavily on Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) laboratory enhancement, particularly expanding microbiological and chemical threat agent testing capacity in state and academic facilities. Recent awards show a clear pattern: the State of Virginia, State of New York, State of Pennsylvania, University of Iowa, State of Michigan, State of Minnesota, State of Ohio, State of Missouri, State of Florida, and Illinois Institute of Technology each received $140,000 to $275,000 annually for FERN laboratory testing capability and capacity work. A notable outlier was the University of Maryland award of $590,000 in October 2021 for developing Salmonella risk assessment models in chicken and turkey. Typical single-year awards range from $130,000 to $300,000, with project periods generally running October through September.

Eligibility encompasses state, local, and tribal government agencies; academic institutions; and nonprofit organizations. Funding is available for projects up to one year, though multi-year projects may be considered subject to annual renewal and FSIS budget availability. Renewals or extensions are available under extraordinary circumstances if approved prior to the initial closing date.

The most recent posted opportunity (FSIS-03142024, due April 22, 2024) solicited cooperative agreements to continue FERN laboratory capacity, testing, method proficiency training, equipment purchases, and personnel reimbursement across a 5-year cycle with annual competitive awards contingent on agency funding and past performance review. An earlier 2023 opportunity (FSIS-FERN-04072023) funded a secure online portal and information system to manage FERN network capability and capacity data. A 2022 opportunity (FSIS-02152022, due May 16, 2022) awarded a single cooperative agreement for Salmonella risk assessment in chicken and turkey, demonstrating the program's capacity to fund specialized research supporting regulatory decision-making. No grant opportunities currently appear to be open.