House votes to restore funding to food safety labs
The U.S. House of Representatives, by unanimous voice vote, passed an amendment intended to restore funding to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), which protects the nation's food supply from foreign animal diseases. The amendment, offered by freshman Rep. Corey Gardner (R-CO), was supported by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD), and other organizations concerned with health and food safety.
Rep. Gardner introduced the amendment after the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee proposed eliminating $4.4 million – representing all of NAHLN's funding – from the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative for fiscal year 2012. The elimination of NAHLN funding alarmed the AAVMC, AVMA, AAVLD and other agriculture and food industry experts, who warned that cutting funding to the 59-member NAHLN laboratory network could put the nation's health at risk.