The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a new funding initiative aimed at combating highly pathogenic avian influenza and addressing its impact on poultry production and egg prices. The move follows U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins\u2019 recent declaration of emergency funding to curb the spread of the virus and stabilize the egg market.<\/p>\n
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration, the USDA has earmarked up to $100 million for research, prevention, and potential vaccine development efforts. This initiative seeks to provide direct support to farmers and ranchers while fostering innovative solutions to manage HPAI outbreaks effectively<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00bbRelated:\u00a0RFK Jr. proposes letting bird flu spread in poultry \u2014 to better ID any immunities<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The funding, available through a competitive application process, is open to for-profit organizations, including manufacturers of vaccines, biologics, and therapeutics, as well as state agencies, universities, and livestock producer organizations. The USDA has outlined key priorities for proposals, including:<\/p>\n The USDA says it will evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions to prevent and treat infected flocks while working with HHS to develop prevention strategies that safeguard agricultural and human health.<\/p>\n The official funding opportunity announcement, including application guidelines, is available on the APHIS website. Interested applicants can also access details via ezFedGrants and Grants.gov<\/a> by searching USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-25-0015. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 19, 2025.<\/p>\n Organizations planning to apply must be registered with the U.S. Government System for Award Management. To assist applicants, the USDA will host a webinar on April 1, 2025<\/a>, at 12 p.m. ET, providing guidance on the funding process and application submission.<\/p>\n While the USDA is investigating the feasibility of poultry vaccination against HPAI, no vaccines have been authorized yet. Before making a determination, the agency will seek feedback from governors, state agriculture departments, veterinarians, farmers, public health officials, and the general public.<\/p>\n The USDA is specifically looking for vaccine candidates that meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n This initiative is intended to be part of Rollins\u2019 broader five-prong strategy to mitigate HPAI\u2019s impact on the poultry industry, support farmers, and ensure consumers continue to have access to safe and affordable food.<\/p>\n![\"Avian](\"https:\/\/www.agdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Avian-Flu.jpg\")
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