Partnerships and team efforts were a common theme at Wednesday’s groundbreaking for the future National Bio and Agro Defense Facility to be located off Denison Avenue near Kansas State University and the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Dignitaries from the national, state, and local level participated in the ceremony–including Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, who said there will be place like this in the world once the project is finished. He said Kansas will be at the top, the pinnacle of animal health, research, and zoonotic reserch in the world.
Under Secretary with the U-S Department of Homeland Security Dr. Reginald Brothers also talked about the importance of the new facility, adding agriculture is a trillion dollar industry that is critical to our economy and critical to our ability to feed the world.
Manhattan Mayor Karen McCulloh had an interesting perspective on the time it’s taken to get the NBAF facility secured in this area, saying with efforts beginning in 1999 it was actually centuries of effort. Mayor McCulloh went on to say Manhattan was very pleased to welcome everyone to the ceremony, adding the city has spent millions of dollars in infrastructure, utilities, and transportation toward making this exciting day happen.Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz agreed it has been a long time coming, saying the road to NBAF has been long with lots of starts and stops.
Others described the facility as a vital asset and an opportunity not only for Kansas and the Manhattan area, but for young people seeking a future in the agriculture and research industry. And some described excitement, and said it was an awesome day–but all seemed to agree it was an important day for Manhattan and the agriculture world at a local, national, and international level
U-S Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, who spoke with KMAN earlier in the day about the 16 years of effort in getting the research laboratory to Manhattan and Kansas State University, told the large crowd gathered Wednesday it’s more than just a building or a lab or critical research. He said it’s an opportunity, and our opportunity. He said this lab is for Kansas, adding “we fought for it, we earned it, on the merits.” Roberts also serves as the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
U-S Senator Jerry Moran of Manhattan has also been active in the efforts to get NBAF to Manhattan and Kansas and described the day as an historic moment and an important one.U-S Congressman Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, whose First District includes the NBAF location, also talked about the importance of NBAF while adding there’s still a long way to go before the facility is completed.
Other Congressional Representatives were Lynn Jenkins and Kevin Yoder.
U-S Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was another dignitary present for the festivities, describing it as an important day at several levels. And Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who earlier in the day delivered the Landon Lecture at Kansas State University, also made a few remarks at the groundbreaking.O
