Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
North Carolina’s veterinary diagnostic lab system recently received full accreditation for a five-year period by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The accreditation occurred after a review of all four labs was conducted in September. The lab system is composed of the Rollins Lab in Raleigh, as well as labs in Arden, Elkin and Monroe.
This accreditation is quite an accomplishment, because the standards are very rigorous. All four labs had to work hard to maintain the accreditation status.
The accreditation is is important for the state’s international trade status. North Carolina exports about 40 percent of its meat and poultry products. Much of this product gets tested through the lab system, and the testing must be valid or trade partners won’t accept it, Commissioner Troxler says. This accreditation affirms that the lab’s testing is accurate and reliable.
The state lab system was established in 1947 to assist veterinarians and farmers in diagnosing diseases of livestock and poultry. Regulatory testing is performed as required for the import, export and interstate movement of livestock and poultry. The Rollins Lab is one of the 12 original core laboratories that are part of USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Rollins has the ability to perform rapid molecular diagnostic tests for endemic animal diseases, as well as targeted testing for foreign animal diseases.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda discuss accreditation of the state’s veterinary lab system.
[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_12-3.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Dec. 3]
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