March 26, 2008

Bush's proposed federal budget detrimental to poultry research

The 2009 fiscal year federal budget proposed by US president George W. Bush would lead to the dissolving of two USDA labs that performs a key role in poultry research and providing services to the poultry industry.

The Poultry Science Association said the labs' closures would have a major impact on poultry and biomedical research.

The affected labs are the Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory (ADOL) in East Lansing, Michigan, and the Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory (ABBL) in Beltsville, Maryland.

The proposed budget, which would take effect on October 1, 2008 onwards, would cut US$84 million from USDA's Agricultural Research Service. That would effectively terminate the annual budgets of the two labs which adds up to US$11.8 million, forcing the labs to close and the research programs would not be relocated.

ADOL researchers are working on developing chicken lines with genetic resistance to Marek's Disease Virus that costs the global poultry industry more than US$1 billion per year. They are also working on the Avian Leukosis Virus, which is another highly contagious poultry disease.

ADOL is the World Animal Health Organisation reference laboratory for Marek's Disease, and the lab also develops and maintains specialised poultry lines for disease studies and is the main poultry genomics facility within the USDA, according to the PSA.

ABBL scientists study mechanisms for improving feed utilisation in poultry while also researching on methods to improve gamete storage for poultry. Improving feed efficiency is essential in keeping the product affordable due to rising feed costs.

"We urge everyone involved in the poultry and related industries, and in poultry and related areas of research, to write to your representatives in Congress, both House and Senate, about the terrible damage the closures of ADOL and ABBL would cause," said Dr. John B. Carrey, president of PSA.