Plum Island, New York…Ever “herd” of it?
If you haven’t you may be shocked to realize what takes place there.
Located off the coast of Long Island in New York State, Plum Island is host to the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC). Riddled with rumors and urban legend even the name itself instills an element of curiosity. Animal Disease Center? What does that even mean???
Ever heard of Foot and Mouth Disease? (Not to be confused with foot-in-mouth disease that I’m sure many of us have experienced in our professional careers). Foot and mouth disease is a viral disease that has the propensity to decimate livestock populations. The highly contagious virus affects split hoof livestock and makes them unable to be processed for commercial products. Well guess what? PIADC researches that!
Designated as the only laboratory in the nation that is allowed to work with live cultures of the disease, PIADC also researches 40 other animal-based diseases in its research centers. Started in 1954 to research animal’s diseases, the Plum Island facility was transitioned to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 (from the Department of Agriculture) based on concerns arising from the potential threat of weaponizing animal viruses for terrorist uses. Not solely focused on intentional introduction of disease, PIADC also focuses on the prevention of accidental releases. For example, DHS’ PIADC website discusses the potential impact of a U.S. outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease as having detrimental economic impact to;
• “22 million U.S. jobs
• 2.2 million farms
• 970,000 restaurant food service locations
• 210,000 traditional food stores
• 34,000 food and beverage manufacturing facilities
• 1,800 slaughtering and processing facilities”
While the benefits of this type of research are obvious, Plum Island is not without controversy. Fear of the presence of hazardous materials, including live viruses, on the island, cause neighboring areas to have concern about the proximity of the facility. Accidental outbreaks have occurred in the past despite the high level of security the facility employs.
Well at least the facility is on an island, on the east coast and far from the massive livestock conflagrations of the Midwest. Except, as the New York Times reports, plans are in place to move the facility to Kansas. So there goes that idea!
As we all know, especially when it comes to homeland security, there are constant trade-offs. This is no different when it comes to the PIADC. Prevention of widespread livestock outbreaks is critical to our economic security. Prevention of the weaponizing of animal viruses for use on humans is also critical to our homeland security. Give and take.
Who knows?? Maybe it will turn into another Trump golf course?? (As of the New York Times article in September 2016, then presidential “candidate” Trump’s organization was interested in the land).
