Swine Depopulation Training for USDA Veterinary Services | USDA GRANTS 110916 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA GRANTS 110916 001

The Swine Depopulation Training for USDA Veterinary Services grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA GRANTS 110916 001) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), under CFDA 10.025. The goal is for USDA Veterinary Services (VS) to partner with a qualified academic institution or a state government entity to design and deliver practical, incident-ready training on humane swine depopulation for a targeted group of VS personnel who may be deployed during animal health emergencies.

The trainees are primarily veterinarians and animal health technicians who serve as Depopulation Group Supervisors within the Incident Command Structure (ICS). In real outbreak responses, these supervisors are responsible for managing depopulation operations on one or more affected premises and for providing scientifically grounded recommendations about which depopulation strategies make sense under specific on-the-ground conditions. The training is therefore meant to strengthen both operational oversight skills and technical decision-making so that depopulation can be carried out effectively, consistently, and in line with animal welfare expectations during high-pressure emergency events.

The project requires delivery of two separate training sessions, each lasting three days and accommodating up to 22 participants per session. The curriculum is intended to blend classroom-style instruction (seminars and guided discussions) with hands-on demonstrations, reflecting the reality that depopulation leadership requires not only knowledge of methods and policy, but also familiarity with equipment, animal handling, and field constraints. A notable requirement is that the selected cooperator must provide live animals for the hands-on components, and those animals would be sacrificed using the depopulation methods covered during the training. Timing is also defined: both trainings must occur within a specific window, no earlier than June 1, 2017 and no later than September 15, 2017.

USDA outlines several training priorities that shape what the sessions should cover. First, the program emphasizes preparing VS employees to use the depopulation methods most likely to be needed during a large-scale emergency involving swine. In addition to method-specific instruction, the training should provide broader context on the U.S. swine landscape, including how commercial swine production differs from backyard swine farming and how those differences vary by region. Another content area focuses on feral hogs, specifically the role feral populations could play in the spread, persistence, or management challenges of a swine disease event.

The opportunity also stresses the practical connection between depopulation and disposal, since disposal options can strongly influence which depopulation approaches are feasible, humane, timely, and safe in a given incident. Applicants are expected to help develop decision-making tools that supervisors can use to choose among depopulation and disposal options based on situational factors, and to address the likely challenges and limitations associated with each depopulation method. Finally, the training must demonstrate depopulation methods in accordance with acceptable animal welfare practices, including appropriate handling and management of animals prior to depopulation, reflecting the expectation that humane considerations remain central even during emergency response operations.

Eligibility is aimed at institutions and entities with the facilities, expertise, and legal/ethical capacity to conduct this type of training. Funding is intended for a Land-Grant University, a Non Land-Grant College of Agriculture, a College of Veterinary Medicine, or an appropriate state entity capable of fulfilling the work. The opportunity was created on November 9, 2016, with an original application closing date of January 1, 2017. USDA anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $70,000, to support development and delivery of the two-session training program.

• The Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Swine Depopulation Training for USDA Veterinary Services" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.025.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 09, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 01, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $70,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA GRANTS 110916 001

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