The Department of Agriculture is planning a $440 million project to replace the aging animal disease facilities in Ames.

USDA representatives Joe Jen, undersecretary of agriculture for research, education and economics, and Bill Hawks, undersecretary of agriculture for marketing and regulatory programs, toured the federal government’s animal disease facilities last week and said they need updating.

“They’re the only facilities in the U.S., but they’re in real need of modernization,” said James Roth, assistant dean for international programs in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The USDA has only three national facilities, all of which are located in Ames, Roth said.

One facility is for research, the second for diagnosing animals and diseases and the third is for the evaluation and approval of veterinary vaccines, Roth said.

“We’re hoping Congress will appoint $40 million [for the facilities] this year, with the rest coming in the next several years,” Roth said.

He said the oldest Ames USDA facilities were opened in the early `60s, with some additions since then.

“The requirements for animal housing and care and lab safety has changed a lot,” Roth said. “[The new facilities] are needed in order to adequately protect animal agriculture because animal agriculture is very vulnerable to diseases. These facilities are needed to help protect animals in the U.S. from diseases.”

Roth said the improvements will improve the ability of the scientists to conduct state-of-the-art research and to do the diagnostic work they need to do in order to protect the animals’ health.

Gary Osweiler, director of the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic laboratory, was part of a planning committee that brought information to USDA officials. He said he thinks the USDA is in need of updated facilities.

“There’s a great need for biosecurity,” Osweiler said. “Those things aren’t possible without a facility that meets today’s standards.”

Iowa State and the USDA often work together to test diseases, Osweiler said.

Iowa State submits samples to the federal lab, which runs checks, he said.

“Our lab sends samples to them, and it’s nice because they’re right in town,” Osweiler said. “We have seminars at both the USDA facilities and at Iowa State. There’s a lot of interaction.”

He said Iowa State also makes suggestions to the USDA about creating tests for diseases that Iowa State feels would be helpful to both the state and federal laboratories.

“The national lab makes a tremendous contribution [to Iowa State] because they do so many things that are also of interest to us,” Osweiler said. “They have a lot of employees that do things with Iowa State.”