On October 4th, the USDA-Agriculture Research Service held a ceremony to mark opening of the extension to the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory. Established in 1962, the facility has been expanded with installation of state-of-the-art equipment to investigate emerging diseases of poultry. The facility will become the U.S. National Poultry Research Center.  Immediate challenges include viral infections including HPAI uppermost with a need to develop molecular diagnostic tests and eventually effective vaccines for existing and emerging avian diseases.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, the Undersecretary of the USDA for Research, Education and Economics, the Acting Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, Dr. Simon Liu, the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, Gary Black, members of Congress and county officials.