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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE UNVEILS NEW MOBILE LABORATORY
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) rolled out the crown jewel of its homeland security arsenal at Agriculture and Conservation Day at the Legislature January 22.
The day marked the official introduction of the WVDA’s new mobile laboratory to the public and provided an opportunity for state Homeland Security officials and the public to learn about the half-million dollar semi-trailer and its capabilities.
“To our knowledge, this is the only facility of its type in the country dedicated primarily to agricultural use,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “With this mobile laboratory, we can move our entire diagnostic capability wherever it is needed, which will result in quicker turnaround time on samples and increased biosecurity during a disease outbreak.”
The mobile laboratory will be permanently stationed at the Moorefield Regional Agricultural Complex, in the heart of West Virginia’s poultry industry. It will be used on a daily basis there to process samples from ongoing surveillance, including avian influenza and water quality monitoring programs.
It can also be readily used to perform testing for human diseases.
“About half of the animal diseases out there can also affect humans, and that’s certainly the fear when it comes to the Asian bird flu,” said WVDA’s State Veterinarian Joe Starcher. “This facility can test for human diseases, animal diseases, or both.”
The mobile laboratory also qualifies as a “Biosecurity Level 3” facility, meaning workers can safely handle even the most dangerous pathogens, according to Roger Hanshaw, WVDA’s laboratory technology expert.
“The fume hoods in this piece of equipment constantly pull fresh air in and exhaust potentially contaminated air through high-tech filters,” Hanshaw said. “There is also a shower facility so that workers can go through a decontamination protocol before exiting.”
The laboratory includes its own on-board water supply, along with generators to meet its electrical needs, making it a completely stand-alone facility.
The semi-trailer was purchased with $250,000 in Homeland Security funding. The approximately $290,000 in equipment housed in the mobile laboratory came from existing WVDA laboratories, much of which was also funded with Homeland Security dollars.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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