Implementation Update: Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research

Print

The purpose of this notice is to inform the agricultural research community of the following actions USDA is taking in response to the May 5, 2025 Executive Order (E.O.) 14292 on Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research.

  • Policies, actions, and definitions specified in E.O. 14292 supersede USDA implementation of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) May 2024 U.S. Government Policy for the Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (DURC/PEPP Policy).
  • USDA will not accept competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for due dates after June 20, 2025, and/or research and development (R&D) contract proposals submitted to solicitations issued after June 20, 2025, for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of E.O. 14292.
  • USDA will suspend ongoing funding in accordance with guidance developed under Section 3(b) of E.O. 14292. All USDA awardees should review active or ongoing research activities to proactively identify potential dangerous gain-of-function research by using the definition provided in E.O 14292 Section [8] and identify safe actions to halt such research and to effectively comply with guidance once established.

For the purposes of this notice, and as defined in the E.O., dangerous gain-of-function research means scientific research on a biological agent or toxin with the potential to cause disease by enhancing pathogenicity or increasing transmissibility. Covered research activities on agents or toxins include one or more of the following goals or outcomes:

  1. Enhancing the harmful consequences of the agent or toxin
  2. Disrupting beneficial immunological response or the effectiveness of an immunization against the agent or toxin
  3. Conferring to the agent or toxin resistance to clinically or agriculturally useful prophylactic or therapeutic interventions against the agent or toxin or facilitating their ability to evade detection methodologies
  4. Increasing stability, transmissibility, or the ability to disseminate the agent or toxin
  5. Altering the host range or tropism of the agent or toxin
  6. Enhancing the susceptibility of a human host population to the agent or toxin
  7. Generating or reconstituting an eradicated or extinct agent or toxin

Within 120 days of the date of this E.O. (which was released on May 5, 2025), OSTP shall revise or replace U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (DURC/PEPP Policy). Any project or work that fits the scope of dangerous gain-of-function research will be paused until the implementation of the new or revised policy. 

Using the accompanying Excel template (109.65 KB), please self-identify any USDA-funded projects, inclusive of all source(s) or type(s) of funding, including in-kind support, that is believed to meet or has the potential to meet the dangerous gain-of-function definition.  

If you receive funding from multiple USDA agencies, you may receive multiple copies of this notice. Please provide a single, consolidated submission.

As indicated in the Excel template (109.65 KB), USDA requests the following information for each project: 

  • Column A: Link
    • Provide a link to publicly available information on the project, including grants.gov.
  • Column B: Project Title
    • Provide the full title of the project receiving USDA resources.
  • Column C: Project Number
    • Provide project ID or number.
  • Column D: Funding USDA Agency
    • Identify funding agency using the dropdown list.
  • Column E: Funding Recipients
    • Identify entities or individuals receiving USDA resources.
  • Column F: Sub-Funding Recipients
    • If applicable, provide additional sub-funded recipients.
  • Column G: Supervisor or Program Lead
    • Provide the full name of the supervisor or program lead.  
  • Column H: Email
    • Provide the email address of the supervisor or program lead.
  • Column I: Purpose
    • Provide 2–3 sentences that address the objectives of the research and include why the research is being conducted and the problems or challenges it aims to address.
  • Column J: Location
    • Provide the full address where the research is being conducted. The address must include the State and country.
  • Column K: Start Date
    • Identify the start date of the project.
  • Column L: End Date
    • Identify the end date of the project. This can also be a projected end-date.
  • Column M: Justification
    • Provide 2–3 sentences to address the following questions: "Why does this research matter in the context of agriculture?"; "How is this research valuable to U.S. agriculture?"; and "How does this research meet the mission of the Agency and the Department?"
  • Column N: Amount
    • Amount of funds distributed

By June 27, 2025, please submit a single, consolidated Excel file for your organization via email to NSD@usda.gov. Ensure your organization’s submission accurately captures the requested information and verify that the file is correctly labeled [Date_Organization Name_GoF Reporting].  

USDA will continue to provide updates regarding implementation of E.O. 14292 in alignment with the Administration’s guidance, including information on research termination or suspension. USDA encourages all life sciences researchers to assess their portfolios to safeguard the conduct of agricultural research supporting U.S. producers and U.S. agriculture.

If you have questions, please email your APHIS Program Contact, Katrina Rudyj, at katrina.e.rudyj@usda.gov.