With a $32.5 billion animal ag industry, livestock production is key to the beating heart of Iowa agriculture. The Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine has a long history of providing state-of-the-art diagnostic services in support of Iowa’s animal industry, and that was reaffirmed with the recent dedication of the first phase of the university’s new Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) and the groundbreaking for the second phase of the construction project. Rodger Main, director of the VDL, said the lab- which is located in Ames, right off of Highway 30 and University Avenue- receives a lot of diagnostic materials that contribute to their top-of-the-nation research.
Main said the core of the mission at the VDL is to protect and enhance the health of animals in Iowa and across the country.
The first phase started construction in 2021, and the new facility became operational last month when client services, receiving/accessioning, sample processing, pathology, histopathology, bacteriology, and other sections moved into the new building. Construction for phase two is set to begin this spring and is expected to be completed in 2026. The $141.4 million project was made possible through funding from the State of Iowa, federal resources, donors, and Iowa State University.
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