I need a 500-word essay on Thread: Can Infectious Animal Diseases Be Studied Safely in Kansas? Top of Form Bruce Knight argues that although the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research facility at Plum Island, New York, has served well since it was built over half a century ago, modern technology is capable of ensuring safety at a mainland facility, which would also be cheaper to operate, more easily accessible, and more responsive to potential disease threats. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Island_Animal_Disease_Center Plum Island Animal Disease Center of New York ( PIADCNY ) is a United States federal research facility dedicated to the study of animal diseases . It is part of the DHS Directorate for Science and Technology . Location and description The center is located on Plum Island near the northeast coast of Long Island in New York state. Any wild mammal seen on the island is killed to prevent the possible outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [1] Replacement facility On September 11, 2005, DHS announced that the Plum Island Animal Disease Research Center will be replaced by a new federal facility. The location of the new high-security animal disease lab, to be called the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), has been recommended to be built in Manhattan, Kansas . [11] However, this plan has been called into question by a 2009 Government Accountability Office study, which states that claims by DHS that the work on foot and mouth disease performed on Plum Island can be performed "as safely on the mainland" is "not supported" by evidence. [12] In 2012, DHS completed a risk assessment of the Kansas site that called the proposed facility "safe and secure". [13] However, a 2012 review of the risk assessment by the National Research Council called it "seriously flawed". [14] References 1. "Bioterrorism Fears Revive Waning Interest In Agricultural Disease Lab on Plum Island" . The Wall Street Journal. 2002-01-08. Retrieved 2008-05-17. 11. "DHS: DHS Issues Record of Decision on Proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility" . Dhs.gov. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 12. "Study spurs request to not phase out Plum Island" . Newsday.com. 2009-07-31. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 13. "DHS Issues Updated Site-Specific Risk Assessment For Proposed National Bio And Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF)" . dhs.gov. 14. "Officials press feds for NBAF" . LJWorld.com. External links • Official website (Wikipedia® February 18) https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/plum-island-animal-disease-center Department of Homeland Security Plum Island Animal Disease Center Location: Orient Point, NY Since 1954, the DHS S&T Office of National Laboratories (ONL) Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) has served as the nation’s premier defense against accidental or intentional introduction of transboundary animal diseases (a.k.a. foreign animal diseases) including foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). PIADC is the only labor.