Facility will help identify diseases
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
A new, multi-million dollar facility aimed at identifying and responding to foreign animal diseases recently opened in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The $3.9 million Foreign Animal Laboratory Complex incorporates many different labs including, molecular diagnostics, rabies, necropsy laboratories and an incinerator. The facility will enhance testing procedures for such diseases as rabies and avian influenza.
The Federal Government provided $1 million of the funding with the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agriculture AgriFlexibility Agreement providing the other $2.9 million.
"Our government is committed to investments in projects like this that provide frontline protection to the agriculture industry and consumers, by increasing our ability to detect, monitor and control the spread of foreign animal diseases,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a release. “We are proud to partner with Newfoundland and Labrador in research and development that strengthens and increases the competitiveness of the agriculture industry.”
Agriculture in Newfoundland provides nearly 6,500 people with employment and when paired with the agrifood industry is worth about $500 million to the province’s economy.
"This new modern facility will benefit producers, farmers, livestock owners and residents from all over the province,” said John Dinn, Member of the House of Assembly for Kilbride. “As the MHA for a district with a large agriculture presence, I can speak first-hand to the value of the industry and I am pleased this new facility will be here to serve this growing sector for many years to come.”
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