Episode #64: Safeguarding Food & Farm - Inside NBAF

SwineTime with PIPESTONE

In this episode of the SwineTime podcast, hosted by Dr. Spencer Wayne of Pipestone Veterinary Services, listeners are treated to a fascinating discussion with Dr. Maggie Behnke, Director of the Animal Resources Unit and attending veterinarian at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. Dr. Karyn Havas, PIPESTONE’s Director of Foreign Animal Disease also joins the conversation.

Dr. Behnke provides an in-depth look at NBAF, an advanced research facility dedicated to studying and combating the world's most dangerous animal diseases. The facility, which will replace the aging Plum Island Animal Disease Center, is designed to protect the U.S. from transboundary, emerging, and zoonotic diseases that threaten the food supply, agricultural economy, and public health. With stringent safety protocols, NBAF features biosafety level-2, -3 and -4 containment laboratories. It’s BSL-4 containment spaces have the highest level of safety protocols and are capable of housing large livestock — a first for the United States. NBAF’s capabilities allow USDA to expand its research and diagnostic mission with foot-and-mouth disease to also include diseases like Japanese encephalitis and Nipah virus.

The conversation highlights NBAF's crucial role in rapid diagnostics, research on disease transmission, and vaccine development. Dr. Wayne and his guests discuss the strategic location of NBAF in Manhattan, Kansas and emphasize the facility's transparency and public engagement efforts, ensuring community trust and safety. This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the cutting-edge work at NBAF and its significant impact on the pork industry and beyond.