Plans include development of efficient field polymerase chain reaction tests primarily for swine.
Dec 23, 2020
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) C. E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory aims to strengthen animal health programs with assistance from a federal grant. The National Animal Health Laboratory Network awarded $250,000 in funding to Kord Lab through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
The grant is a second round of USDA Farm Bill funding, and TDA will use the funds to build on previous work. Plans include development of efficient field polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests primarily for swine. Specifically, TDA aims to streamline lengthy and expensive testing procedures for Senecavirus A and foot-and-mouth disease virus. Both viruses are highly contagious among livestock and can result in economic losses and delays in the food supply chain.