Research & Related Other Project Information Project Summary/Abstract Component: Microbiology Track 5 The Food & Drug Protection Division (FDPD) within the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) will support a nationally integrated and prevention-focused food and feed safety system by building and deploying new analytical capabilities that can be used to supply state and federal partners with critical data. In Year 1 of this cooperative agreement, FDPD will develop whole genome sequencing (WGS) capabilities through equipment purchase, training, and competency assessments. Following development of the WGS program at FDPD, all pathogens isolated from food, feed, and environmental samples will undergo WGS, and data will be shared with GenomeTrakr to facilitate detection and control of outbreaks of foodborne illness.