Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns: Federal agencies review potential sites for new national bio and agro-defense facility

TSCRA Daily News Update, July 7, 2008

Federal agencies review potential sites for new national bio and agro-defense facility

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have released the proposed Environmental Impact Statement on creating a new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). The comment period on this draft impact statement is open until August 25.

In conjunction with this statement, DHS will be hosting a series of public meetings throughout July and August around the countryside to hear comments about building a new NBAF.

The new NBAF would replace the current Plum Island Animal Disease Center located on Plum Island, New York.

Six sites have been proposed to host this new site. These sites include:

The current location on Plum Island, New York
South Milledge Avenue Site, Athens, Georgia
Manhattan Campus Site, Manhattan, Kansas
Flora Industrial Park Site, Flora, Mississippi
Umstead Research Farm Site, Butner, North Carolina
Texas Research Park Site, San Antonio, Texas

NCBA policy supports updating and fully funding a safe and fully secure facility – whether it be a new NBAF location or renovating Plum Island.

However, our policy does not explicitly support one site over another. NCBA President-elect Gary Voogt recently testified before Congress on the issue. Find more on NCBA's testimony at these links:

http://www.beefusa.org/NEWSCattlemenvoicesupportfornewNationalBioandAgro-DefenseFacility35762.aspx

http://www.beefusa.org/NEWSMay222008NCBAPresident-electTestifiesonCapitolHillinFavorofNewNationalBioandAgro-DefenseFacilityVOOGT35774.aspx

At the Cattle Industry Summer Conference July 18, the Cattle Health and Well Being Committee will welcome representatives from USDA and DHS to discuss current activities and future plans for foreign animal diseases research in the United States, which includes a discussion of NBAF.