Most people know the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility as NBAF, and it’s all I’ve heard about since I stepped on campus last fall. I truly believe that it will be great for our university. Former K-State President Jon Wefald has said countless times that K-State is a major research institution, and I think it’s about time our school has a large enough facility to meet the needs of our university. It’s too bad that so many others disagree.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Congressional investigators said Department of Homeland Security might have relied on a flawed study to justify its decision to bring NBAF to K-State. According to the Government Accountability Office, it isn’t “scientifically defensible” to safely handle dangerous animal diseases in Kansas or any area in the mainland U.S.

I find this utterly bogus. NBAF will be coming to Kansas. Our state has a great deal to offer as one of the agricultural centers of the world. However, it is by no means the center of the universe, which makes it the perfect place for serious research to be conducted. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control are located in Atlanta, one of the most heavily populated areas in the nation, and they deal with things worse than mad cow disease on a daily basis.

You don’t hear people openly protesting about the location of the CDC, so people should not be unhappy about the location of NBAF. It makes no sense to me, especially when I’ve seen our fire and rescue crews in action in Riley County. Those men and women have the training and equipment to handle a plethora of disasters, and I feel confident in their abilities to allow such a facility to be built and still know I’m safe.

This isn’t the first time that the idea of NBAF coming to K-State has been threatened. According to an article from the Kansas City Business Journal Monday, officials in Texas have raised various arguments ranging from political favoritism to the threat of tornadoes. However, K-State was selected to host NBAF while a Texan, George W. Bush, was president. Texas is also the No. 1 state for tornadoes per year and the No. 2 state for hurricanes.

At this point, I think it would be too damaging to Kansas for DHS officials to change their mind now. They have already declared Kansas as the site, and they should stand by their decision, especially in these difficult economic times. The Kansas City Business Journal said NBAF is expected to have a $3.5 billion effect on the Kansas economy. The proposed project will create as many as 500 federal jobs and bring in many additional jobs to support the needs of the growing Manhattan community. We cannot afford to let such a giving tree be removed. The consequences could lead to an even greater economic crunch.

I’ve heard people talking about what NBAF will do to the local school system, and officials have already begun efforts to make roads to Manhattan more accessible. I would like to think that the city hasn’t wasted any money on NBAF preparations, only to see NBAF go to the Lone Star State.

It’s time for our government to stand by its decisions and help those they already promised to help. Write your Congresspersons and tell them you support NBAF at K-State. Every voice can make a difference.

6 comments

Your name

Sat Oct 3 2009 19:02

the people of manhattan kansas are being used by the bio-defense industry.

Your name

Mon Aug 24 2009 19:57

and by the way, if you don't want manhattan to grow, fine. just get out of the way because progress is the name of the game. not some stone-age fantasy where nothing happens and nobody cares to discover and create. besides, even the best stone-age humans wanted to make things better and easier to live. of course, they had to get past people that wanted to slow them down and hinder their innovation. but once those deadbeats realized the benefits of progress they warmed up to those conveniences real quick. building on your knowledge base, building on your environment and improving conditions: that's the beauty of humanity, not an untouched wilderness.

Your name

Mon Aug 24 2009 19:51

You have to ask yourself, are you the type of person that determines your course of action by avoiding the things you fear, or by pursuing the things you want. I want safe, healthy, and productive food sources now and in the future. If this research facility is going to contribute to those ends, bring it on. the technology is available and proven to work with regard to safe handling. if it weren't, you couldn't find a single rational person to work in this career field - which obviously isnt the case. don't let your fears cloud your judgement.

J

Mon Aug 24 2009 01:10

So the town of Manhattan will grow, and have some good jobs.. so what? Why is that so much better??? Do we want to be like Topeka? or Kansas City? Los Angeles? I personally like Manhattan just the way it is, a warm place full of nice people. If the town grows, the cost of living will grow as well, and I personally absolutely love the town as it is!

jim

Sat Aug 22 2009 22:38

yes, we do need it! they are building an extremely safe facility, that's why they have chosen to build it on the mainland. NBAF- come on down!

Your name

Mon Aug 3 2009 10:27

No! We do not need it. We do not want it. You do not want this in the heartland! It's not the money. it's not the jobs. It's location safety. National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility needs to stay where it is.

Foot-and-mouth disease, one of the most highly contagious livestock viruses -- it infects virtually every cloven-hooved animal that's exposed to it -- has been studied at the Plum Island facility for years.

Testing and research on contagious diseases like Foot And Mouth Disease in livestock are best conducted in an isolated location like the Plum Island research facility. A natural barrier like water which circled the facility off the New York coast was a stronghold against an outbreak on the mainland and worked for 50 years.

The people of Kansas are smart enough to improve their own economy without this.

Add comment


I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.

Enter the characters in the image above:

log out