The objective of this Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (Vet-LRN) Cooperative Agreement Program is to provide increased sample analysis capabilities for the FDA through partnership with Vet-LRN laboratories in the event of animal food or drug related illness or other large scale animal food/feed emergency events requiring surge capacity testing of implicated diagnostic or animal food samples. Testing will include microbiological and chemical analysis of samples such as animal food/feed/drugs, environmental samples related to animal food/feed/drug production, and/or animal diagnostic necropsy or clinical samples. In the event of a large-scale biological or chemical contamination affecting animal food or drug products, the UKVDL will perform selected analyses of diagnostic samples collected and supplied to the laboratory by FDA or other government agencies. Federal or State surveillance assignments will also be a source of samples for analyses. The overall goal of the cooperative agreement is to complement, develop, improve and use university, state, and federal veterinary diagnostic laboratory testing capabilities. The program will also be used to implement standardized analysis through the usage of standardized methods, equipment, analytical worksheets, and electronic reporting. Training and proficiency testing will be provided for each method, and Quality management systems will be enhanced. Small scale method development and method validation projects will be performed, as directed by the Vet-LRN Program Office. Funding will be used for supplies, equipment maintenance, and personnel time.
This FDA Vet-LRN Cooperative Agreement Program will strengthen the overall food safety system by developing increased capacity and capabilities to detect adulteration which could affect animals raised for human consumption or companion animals consuming ingredients used in both animal and human food products.
