<table> </table> With a project of the magnitude of the $451 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, there are bound to be questions about whether it&#8217;s safe to study animal diseases near people and animals.</p><p>Thanks to modern research methods and technology, this research &#8212; proposed for a site on the Kansas State University campus &#8212; is extremely safe. It is also urgently needed.</p><p>The facility will provide a secure research environment using the same safety standards that have kept tens of millions of people safe in places where labs are studying disease.</p><p>For instance, federal laboratories in the middle of Atlanta and Frederick, Md., have worked on the most dangerous human diseases for decades without a single outbreak. A laboratory in Winnipeg, Canada, just across the border from North Dakota, safely studies the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease virus, also without incident.</p><p>Modern bio-containment technology has eliminated the need for locating animal disease research on an island, as was done decades ago at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, just off the coast of New York.</p><p>Our nation needs to significantly upgrade its capacity to prevent disease outbreaks in animals. The half-century-old Plum Island facility is outdated and doesn&#8217;t have the research or diagnostic capabilities to address animal diseases that could be introduced into the United States.</p><p>Two years ago, the federal government asked communities with established animal research programs to step forward. In recognition of our state&#8217;s expertise, a site on K-State&#8217;s campus made the short list for this new $451 million research facility, along with five other locations.</p><p>At each site, questions have been raised about conducting animal disease research in areas near livestock.</p><p>The fact is that research at the facility will protect those animals. That&#8217;s the purpose: to develop vaccines and other measures to treat and prevent diseases that threaten animal health, the nation&#8217;s food supply and the health of the public.</p><p>Our country does not have sufficient facilities to conduct research on critical foreign animal diseases, some of which pose health risks to people. Thus required animal vaccines and solutions to potential human health threats cannot be developed in a timely fashion.</p><p>A decision to build the facility in an isolated location away from animals and people would significantly increase costs and continue to limit the availability of researchers willing to do this important work.</p><p>When you marry state-of-the-art bio-containment structures, technological know-how and proven safety protocols, research on animal and human diseases can be conducted safely anywhere.</p><p>Ultimately, making communities more safe and secure is the goal.