National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

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The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), under the Department of Homeland Security, will be a government-run research facility. The 520,000 sf. facility is scheduled to begin construction in 2010, become operational by 2014, and employ up to 300 people. The site for this facility should be selected in early 2009. The facility will research "high-consequence biological threats involving human, zoonotic (i.e., transmitted from animals to humans), and foreign animal diseases."^{[citation needed]}

Out of the original 29 sites proposed, only the following 5 sites remain prospective:

• • Flora Industrial Park, Madison County, Mississippi
  • Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
  • Texas Research Park, San Antonio, Texas
  • Umstead Research Farm, Granville County, North Carolina
  • University of Georgia/South Milledge Ave., Athens, Georgia

The research lab will study diseases such as Foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, African swine fever, and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.

This facility will replace the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York.

[edit] Criticism

By Congressional mandate that foot and mouth disease not be studied on the US mainland, Plum Island is the only facility currently studying foot and mouth disease. However, the NBAF will be located on the mainland, prompting concern from Congressional Democrats.^[1]

Groups have formed in Athens, Georgia and Butner, North Carolina to oppose the laboratory's proposed location in those cities.^[1]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Athens FAQ, a non-profit organization opposed to NBAF in Athens, Georgia
• NoBio.org, group opposing the NBAF