The President’s FY 2019 budget request calls for transitioning ownership and responsibility for operating the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Late last month the NBAF Community Liaison Group (CLG) invited representatives from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the USDA Agricultural Research Service to discuss the proposed transition and present their mission and envisioned role within NBAF.
In NBAF the USDA scientists will have a new facility at their disposal that enhances their ability to provide diagnostic testing needs for diseases that impact livestock and humans. That capability is crucial in the event of an incident or outbreak.
Read more at The Mercury