Ongoing operating budget shortfalls (nearly $500,000 in 2009) along with a long-term services evaluation has led the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to consolidate the state’s Animal Health field and laboratory services. The MDA began closing the College Park, Centreville, and Oakland Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories. During September, operations at these three facilities will be phased out, with the work and staff shifted to the laboratory facilities in Frederick and in Salisbury by October 1, 2009.

The Frederick facility will specialize in livestock diagnostics and the Salisbury facility will continue to focus on poultry work. Together, these two facilities will offer all of the livestock and poultry diagnostics previously available.

“While this transition has involved some very difficult decisions, we are certain that the result will be a laboratory system which is more robust and capable of providing world-class diagnostic services to our producers and their industries,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “At the same time, we will be in a better position to meet the regulatory, emergency response and animal health charges of the agency.”

The operating budget shortfall in the laboratory system was caused by decreased revenues from diagnostic services, decreased federal support, and the state budget deficit, along with steady increases in costs to operate the laboratories (fuel, maintenance, supplies, salaries, etc). These years of revenue decline have been accompanied by reductions in staffing and certain services. It has become clear that MDA can no longer continue to operate, maintain, and staff five laboratories in Maryland. This trend precedes the current State revenue shortfall