Lab Layoffs

USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network is the foundation of the government response to animal diseases, like avian flu or foot and mouth disease. There 58 facilities that are part of this network. Politico is reporting the Trump administration is cutting the workforce at these labs by 25 percent. The American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians were told testing and the response to H5N1 will be slower because of the staff reductions.