In an agricultural context, bioterrorism is 
the use of existing or genetically modified 
plant and animal diseases to attack the food 
supply. APHIS currently has a system in 
place for tracking agricultural diseases and 
disease vectors. Through its Plant Protection 
and Quarantine (PPQ) and Veterinary 
Services programs, APHIS emergency 
response teams stand ready to travel to any 
part of the country and work to stop a dis- 
ease outbreak, natural or purposeful. In the 
event of a bioterrorist attack, APHIS will 
work with military and law enforcement 
agencies to contain, eradicate, and monitor 
the attack. 
The Race for Better Tools 
When APHIS needs to examine its existing 
capabilities, expand its intelligence base, or 
develop new methods or tools for work on 
biotechnology, invasive species, animal dis- 
eases, or animals in the wild, it calls upon 
one of its several laboratories, such as the 
National Veterinary Services Laboratories 
(NVSL) in Iowa and New York or the 
National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) 
in Colorado. 
NVSL activities are administered under 
APHIS’ Veterinary Services program. NVSL 
comprise three laboratories located in Ames, 
IA (Diagnostic Bacteriology Laboratory, 
Diagnostic Virology Laboratory, and 
Pathobiology Laboratory), and one located 
on Plum Island, NY (Foreign Animal Disease 
Diagnostic Laboratory). 
Specialists at NVSL, the only Federal facility 
in the United States dedicated to the diagno- 
sis of both domestic and foreign animal dis- 
eases, provide support for APHIS programs 
designed to protect the health of the Nation’s 
livestock and poultry. Those programs 
include brucellosis, tuberculosis, animal and 
bird quarantine, foreign animal products 
importation, Salmonella enteritidis, animal 
importation, scrapie, bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy surveillance, the National 
Animal Health Monitoring System, the 
National Poultry Improvement Plan, foreign 
animal disease diagnosticians’ training, and 
fraudulent blood testing. In addition to diag- 
nostic testing services, the NVSL disseminate 
scientific information, provide reagents to 
domestic clients, and offer training for 
APHIS employees. NVSL personnel work 
closely with APHIS’ International Services 
office to provide consultation, reagents, and 
training for foreign governments. 
Under the Wildlife Services program, the 
NWRC provides scientific information on 
wildlife, its habitat, and its relationship to 
agriculture and public safety. At NWRC and 
in the field, specialists conduct scientific 
inquiries into the problems of wildlife dam- 
age and look for solutions to these problems. 
NWEC seeks to protect wildlife from the 
adverse effects of human activities while also 
reducing the damage and hazards that 
wildlife cause to agriculture, forests, indus- 
try, public health and safety, and other areas 
of human involvement. The reconciliation of 
these two conflicting priorities is the chal- 
lenge that the NWRC faces today. 
NWRC’s objective is to increase the effective 
methods available for wildlife damage man- 
agement through (1) assessing damage and 
other problems caused by wildlife to agricul- 
ture, the environment, and human health 
and safety; (2) investigating the biology and 
behavior of problem animals; (3) evaluating 
the impact of wildlife management practices 
on wildlife and the environment; (4) develop- 
ing and improving technology to reduce 
wildlife problems; (5) supporting registration 
of chemicals and drugs used to manage 
wildlife; (6) providing scientific consultation 
and specialized technical training; (7) trans- 
ferring scientific and technical information; 
and (8) providing scientific guidelines on 
wildlife damage for use by regulatory 
agencies. 
APHIS is 
continuously 
improving 
techniques to 
prevent the 
accidental 
introduction of 
nonnative species 
into the United 
States while at the 
same time working 
to eradicate foreign 
species that have 
already established 
a foothold. 
Future Trends in Agncultural Trade 
