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The Animal Plant Health Agency’s laboratories at Weybridge, which protect the country against the increasing threats of animal and plant diseases, will now be safeguarded and enhanced – ensuring we maintain our world-leading scientific and veterinary capability.
The move will help deliver on the government’s Plan for Change mission to deliver growth by helping to protect profits for farmers and other food producers.
The Government inherited the laboratories in poor condition with their long-term future in doubt - posing a significant risk to Britain’s farmers and human health.
Weybridge is the UK’s primary capability for managing the threats posed by the spread of diseases carried by animals, many of which pose a significant threat to public health, the food and farming sector, the wider economy, and the environment. It is critical national infrastructure and a global centre of expertise in a wide range of animal diseases, providing ‘end to end’ capability from research to outbreak response.
The threat from zoonotic diseases is increasing globally, with nearly two-thirds of infectious diseases in humans originating in animals such as Avian Influenza and bovine tuberculosis.
The funding will enable the APHA to replace and upgrade the biosecurity facilities providing increased capability to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks. This new science hub will provide additional capacity to meet both current and future requirements, including enhancing its ability to handle concurrent major disease outbreaks.
The development is essential in safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities, who face significant impacts in an animal disease outbreak such as movement restrictions and loss of livestock. The export of livestock, meat and meat products, dairy and animal by-products is worth £16 billion per year to the UK economy. These exports are safeguarded by the services that APHA provides.
December 9, 2024/ UK Government/ United Kingdom.
https://www.gov.uk
