On Mar. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in consultation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced initial plans for a funding opportunity to explore prevention, therapeutics, research, and potential vaccine candidates.

The USDA will invest up to $100 million in these projects, which will identify and foster innovative solutions to fight highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and directly support America’s farmers and ranchers.

Funding is available, through a competitive process, to for-profit organizations, including manufacturers of vaccines, biologics, and therapeutics, States, universities, livestock producer organizations, and other eligible entities.

USDA will test the efficacy of therapeutic interventions to prevent bird flu and treat infected flocks. USDA, in consultation with HHS, will also explore prevention strategies to promote biosecurity in agriculture and in humans, to ensure limited impact on American farmers.