Manhattan’s emerging role in safeguarding America’s food system was on full display Wednesday as USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran toured the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and Kansas State University’s Biosecurity Research Institute.

Vaden’s first trip to Manhattan comes as NBAF, a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory designed to study and combat animal diseases, nears completion.

“Our goal here is to make certain that NBAF is ready for that work, and to make sure it happens as smoothly as possible and to make sure that it happens on time,” Moran said.

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By Megan Moser

Sen. Roger Marshall on Tuesday said he doesn’t expect to see more federal funding cuts like the ones that affected the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in February. However, he said the process of getting the lab fully operational has taken too long.

As part of sweeping Department of Agriculture cuts, the White House and its Department of Governmental Efficiency in February fired and subsequently rehired dozens of employees at the Manhattan-based NBAF, a federal lab studying high-risk animal diseases.

Marshall said he’s certain that leaders know how crucial NBAF is.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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By Megan Moser

Sen. Roger Marshall on Tuesday said he doesn’t expect to see more federal funding cuts like the ones that affected the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in February. However, he said the process of getting the lab fully operational has taken too long.

As part of sweeping Department of Agriculture cuts, the White House and its Department of Governmental Efficiency in February fired and subsequently rehired dozens of employees at the Manhattan-based NBAF, a federal lab studying high-risk animal diseases.

Marshall said he’s certain that leaders know how crucial NBAF is.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

Click here for more local news.

The post Sen. Roger Marshall says NBAF transition has taken ‘exceedingly long’ appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

By Megan Moser

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Wednesday acknowledged that the firing and rehiring of federal workers at NBAF in February was “an imperfect process.”

Rollins was responding to questions from U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat representing Kansas’ 3rd District, during Rollins’ testimony to the House Agriculture Committee.

The National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan conducts research on dangerous animal and zoonotic diseases.

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According to reporting from The Topeka Capital-Journal, the contract between the consulting firm and Manhattan’s National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility worth $355,236 was among the contracts on the chopping block for the Trump administration’s efficiency initiative.

The contract, with Berney Associates out of Maryland, is for “NBAF leadership development, coaching, team-building and strategy services,” according to government records.

A DOGE link to federal procurement data shows the contract was terminated “for convenience” after all the funding had been obligated.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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By Megan Moser

Among those fired this week at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is a high-level official working on the bird flu response, sources said Monday.

As avian fluenza has continued to spread across the United States, sources confirmed that one of the 28 people terminated at NBAF since Friday was an official working to combat the virus.

The sources, who have direct knowledge of the situation, asked not to be identified.

As reported by The Mercury Monday, at least 28 people at NBAF have been terminated since Friday as part of the Trump administration’s cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Some of those included people whose jobs relate to safety practices at NBAF and researchers for dangerous animal diseases.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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On today’s episode of Within Reason with Mike Matson, Mike splits his time with Megan Moser, executive editor of The Manhattan Mercury, and Brandon Keazer, director of Manhattan Regional Airport.

Mike and Megan dive into drastic employee cuts at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, a result of reduced federal funding for the government workforce.

Brandon Keazer joins in the second segment to discuss another record-setting year at the Manhattan Regional Airport. American Airlines flights to Chicago and Dallas out of MRA attracted more passengers than ever in 2024, an accolade that bodes well for the future of the airport. Brandon reveals improvements that are on the way.

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