Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 12/18/19

The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced legislation guiding the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility at Kansas State University, which is on track to be fully operational by the end of 2022, writes Pro Ag's Catherine Boudreau.

The center will study infectious animal diseases like African swine fever, develop vaccines and research detection methods. Under the bipartisan bill from Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and ranking member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the facility will share data with the Department of Homeland Security and file reports to Congress every six months on its operations for the first two years.

Price tag: Congress has devoted tens of millions of dollars to the project, including more than $50 million in last year's appropriations package and another $13 million in the new House-passed fiscal 2020 spending package for purchasing equipment. 

The facility will takeover science operations from the Plum Island Animal Disease Center off the coast of Long Island, which officials say isn't equipped to meet the research needs for fighting new threats from foreign animal diseases.