The UK's animal disease capabilities will be bolstered with a £200m investment from the government as farmers see increases in bird flu and bluetongue cases.
The investment will be pumped into the UK’s main research and laboratory testing facility, located in Weybridge, Surrey.
The Animal Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) laboratories protect the country against the increasing threats of animal and plant diseases.
Work there includes leading the current response to the impacts of avian influenza and bluetongue virus (BTV-3), diseases which are currently spreading and impacting farming businesses across the UK.
The threat from zoonotic diseases is also increasing globally, with nearly two-thirds of infectious diseases in humans originating in animals such as bird flu and bovine tuberculosis.
But the Labour government said it inherited the laboratories in 'poor condition', posing a 'significant risk to Britain’s farmers and human health'.
Its £200m funding will see APHA replace and upgrade the biosecurity facilities providing increased capability to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
The new hub will provide additional capacity to meet both current and future requirements, including enhancing its ability to handle concurrent major disease outbreaks.
Defra Secretary Steve Reed said animal disease represented a 'significant risk' to Britain’s farmers, global trade and human health.
“We inherited laboratories at Weybridge in poor condition, reducing our ability to respond to animal disease outbreaks," he said.
“Recognising the importance of protecting our farming and food sector in order to deliver growth across the UK, we are bolstering our national biosecurity and safeguarding the county from these diseases.”
APHA's chief executive, Jenny Stewart welcomed the new investment, as the research work done at the lab was 'world-leading'.
She said: “APHA is at the forefront of tackling animal and plant disease outbreaks, with our experts working around the clock to manage threats to the UK’s biosecurity.
“This funding is hugely welcomed to support crucial upgrades that will allow us to continue delivering the disease surveillance, detection and research work which protects against new and existing threats."
