Increasing the Capability and Capacity of Microbiological and Chemical Testing to Support an Integrated Food Defense and Food Safety System Microbiology Discipline, Whole Genome Sequencing Analytical Track Project Summary / Abstract This Project proposal is part of a Multi Project Application from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) in response to Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) # PAR-20-105 from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). This proposal from ODA’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) addresses the key project areas as described in Microbiology Analytical Track 4 (Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)) of the FOA. The ADDL is prepared to achieve the ‘High’ Sample Load of at least 400 isolates sequenced in 1 year. The ADDL utilizes the Illumina MiSeq and iSeq platforms, ensuring the lab has the ability to sequence human or animal food, and environmental isolates for Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Importantly, in 2019 the ADDL achieved ISO 17025 accreditation of its WGS method for gram-negative and gram- positive bacteria isolates. We are confident that we can meet the objectives of this project and look forward to the opportunity to work with the FDA.