APHIS Announces Availability of Funding to Control and Prevent Chronic Wasting Disease

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making available nearly $10 million for states and Tribal governments to control and prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild and farmed cervids (e.g., deer, elk).

State departments of agriculture, state animal health agencies, state departments of wildlife or natural resources, and Federally recognized Native American Tribal governments and organizations are eligible to submit funding proposals to control and prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD) in farmed and wild cervids through the development and/or implementation of CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response activities including the indemnification of farmed cervids. Funds may also be provided for the further research, development, and evaluation of techniques and strategies for controlling and preventing CWD and to support education and outreach activities to increase awareness about the disease and how it spreads. APHIS may give priority to states and Tribal governments that have already detected CWD or border CWD endemic areas; and have either implemented monitoring and surveillance programs or propose to do so.

Two funding opportunities – one for farmed cervids and one for wild cervids – are available beginning today. APHIS is also developing a separate funding opportunity, for Tribal governments’ activities to control or prevent CWD in wild cervid populations on Tribal lands, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

CWD is an infectious, degenerative disease of cervids that causes brain cells to die, ultimately leading to the death of the affected animal. The incubation period can be long depending on species and genetic factors. Infected animals look healthy until the end stages of the disease, making them difficult to distinguish from healthy animals. Animals infected with CWD can transmit the disease to other animals during the “silent” incubation period. The disease has spread widely and the limited number of tools, as well as their efficacy, impacts the ability to effectively control the disease.

An eligible applicant may submit multiple proposals for each funding opportunity, requesting up to the maximum amount for that funding opportunity in each proposal. Applications will be reviewed, and funding decisions will be announced prior to September 30, 2022.

Specifically, these cooperative agreement opportunities will allow for state departments of agriculture, state animal health agencies, state departments of wildlife or natural resources and Federally recognized Native American Tribal governments and organizations to further develop and implement CWD management and response activities in accordance with the following priorities:

• Improving CWD management of affected farmed herds and wild cervid populations;
• Improving CWD management of affected areas or premises;
• Conducting additional research on amplification assays and other new test methods;
• Conducting additional research on the application of whole genome predictive genetics; and,
• Developing and/or delivering educational outreach materials or programs.

Funding opportunity announcements are posted on ezFedGrants and Grants.gov and can be found by searching the title, catalog of federal domestic assistance number, or funding opportunity number (see below). Applications are due in June.

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