SECTION I. GENERAL LAB INFORMATION

Who responded

The 2024 NPDN Lab Capacity and Impact evaluation received 73 responses from 53 states and territories. Respondents are from Land Grant Universities (89%), State Departments of Ag (10%) or private (1%). Each response represents a lab. This report may use the term lab or response interchangeably.

NPDN encourages all partner labs to answer the survey, but the survey is required only for NPDN-funded labs. In 2024, 66 (89%) were from NPDN funded labs.

SECTION II. DIAGNOSTIC CAPACITY OF THE LAB

Diagnostic capacity refers to the size of the lab and its capacity for processing diagnostic samples.

How many diagnosticians work in your lab?

“Diagnostician” refers to someone who is responsible for and authorized to make final diagnoses for a sample.

CA CDFA is outside of the figure scale with 19 diagnosticians.

Enter the FTE (or an estimate) of all staff members who worked in your lab during this reporting period.

FTE = Full Time Equivalents are the fraction of full time lab personnel. For example, if you have one student halftime (FTE = 0.5) and another three quarter time (FTE = 0.76), then the total student FTE is 1.25.

CA CDFA is is outside of this figure with 52.5 staff FTE

Laboratory sample load per year. Please enter the number of samples processed by your lab during this reporting period.

In 2024 labs that answered the survey jointly processed 389,621 samples.

CA CDFA is outside of this figure with 250,000 samples.

Did you upload data to the NPDN National Data Repository this reporting period?

All labs funded by the NPDN must submit diagnostic data to the NPDN National Data Repository (NDR).

In 2024, 65 respondents uploaded diagnostic data to the NDR.

SECTION III. DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITY OF THE LAB

Diagnostic capability refers to the skills of a lab such as the types of diagnostic methods they can use and the disciplines you cover.

Which of the following services or disciplines are currently available in your lab or to your lab?

These include diagnostic services provided directly by the staff in your lab. Include only diagnostic services that you report directly to your client and to the National Data Repository. Do not include diagnostics that involve sample referrals to labs outside your institution. You may include disciplines that you have access to through faculty or collaborators in your institution that are not part of your lab but occasionally assist with diagnosis.

Which of the following diagnostic methods and capabilities are currently available at your lab?

This includes the required equipment and trained personnel. This list of diagnostic capabilities is based on the lab method dictionary. You can find detailed method definitions here.

Is your lab accredited?

This question focuses on quality management accreditation such as Star-D or Core. Please do not include NPPLAP certifications – those will be covered in the next question.

Does your lab have staff with current APHIS NPPLAP/PPDCP certifications?

SECTION IV. LAB EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

This section intends to describe the lab equipment and infrastructure. Please include only equipment or infrastructure that is available or easily accessible to you at any time and that is properly maintained and in working condition. This information may help NPDN prioritize equipment investment if funds are available.

What is the availability of the following data management, communications and sample security capabilities in your lab?

Which of the following laboratory infrastructure is available at your lab?

Infrastructure refers to built-in spaces or hooked-up facilities available to you and that you use as part of your diagnostic work. Other equipment (not built-in) will be covered in the next question. Please include only infrastructure that is available and easily accessible to you at any time and that is properly maintained and in working condition.

What laboratory equipment is available at your lab?

Please include only infrastructure that is available and easily accessible to you at any time, and that is properly maintained and in working condition.

SECTION V. LAB CONTRIBUTIONS TO NPDN OR REGULATORY PARTNERS

Choose the option below that best describes the frequency of your communication with your regulatory partners during this reporting period.

Some NPDN labs in Land Grant Universities (LGUs) regularly receive samples from their state department of agriculture. Check below if this applies to your lab

Does your lab have a permit that allows you to receive diagnostic samples from out of state?

This usually refers to a PPQ526 permit, but it could be other permits (e.g., international samples, soils or reference materials).

Can your lab provide surge support or process survey samples for regulatory partner organizations or other NPDN labs for the organisms listed below?

This refers to receiving samples for screening from out-of-state or regulatory partners for certain organisms of concern. Assume that you would receive payment to cover the testing costs, but consider your capacity to process additional samples using your current staff and in your current facilities. Also, consider if you have the permits for receiving samples from out of state. You can find APHIS listed organisms of concern here.

Can your lab support referral samples from regulatory partners or other NPDN labs out of state?

This refers to referral samples for individual identification or confirmatory analysis received from other labs. It does not include samples received from individuals or clients out of state. You may receive referral samples if your lab specializes in particular organisms or diseases, or if you have an agreement to support labs that do not have access to comprehensive diagnostics. Assume that you will receive sample fees, but consider your capacity to process additional samples using your current staff and in your current facilities. Also, consider if you have the permits for receiving samples from out of state.

Has your lab contributed to professional development for NPDN during this reporting period?

Has your lab contributed to diagnostic protocol development during this reporting period?

Did your lab disseminate the protocol developments above to NPDN during this reporting period?

How many diagnosticians in your lab participated in NPDN committees or working groups during this reporting period?

This is on a per person/committee basis. Two people on one committee counts as two, and one person on two committees also counts as two.