K-State biosecurity center secures grant to boost animal disease preparedness training
Kansas State University's National Agricultural Biosecurity Center is expanding its role on the front lines of animal disease preparedness with a new U.S. Department of Agriculture grant that will immerse extension professionals in realistic outbreak planning across the central U.S.
With $211,248 in new support from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, or NABC, will lead a project called Region 7 Tabletops and Functional Workbooks for Extension Professionals. The effort is part of the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, a Farm Bill initiative that is investing $15.3 million in 68 projects to strengthen animal health infrastructure, biosecurity, emergency planning, training and traceability nationwide.
From October 2025 through September 2027, NABC and its partners will design and deliver tabletop exercises — guided simulations that walk participants through potential foreign or emerging animal disease events — for extension professionals in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Extension agents, state officials and other stakeholders will work through evolving scenarios, practicing how to coordinate response actions, communicate risk and make time-sensitive decisions that protect livestock and the broader agricultural economy.
Hands-on tools for extension
Alongside the exercises, the project team will produce functional workbooks that extension professionals can carry back to their counties and communities. These workbooks will include adaptable templates, checklists and planning tools that help local leaders tailor outbreak response strategies to their state and county regulations, species of concern and industry partners.
By combining discussion-based training with practical materials, NABC aims to strengthen how extension systems anticipate, coordinate and respond when an animal disease threat emerges. The project places a particular emphasis on improving communication and decision-making during simulated emergencies, so when a real crisis occurs, responders are already familiar with their roles, information pathways and resource needs.
Building a stronger regional network
Marty Vanier, director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, said the project offers a chance to deepen relationships among extension professionals and response partners across state lines.
"Working together in shared exercises allows participants to identify gaps, compare approaches and build trust before an emergency, creating a more cohesive regional network when rapid, coordinated action is essential."
Over the coming months, NABC staff will collaborate with extension leaders in each Region 7 state to refine exercise objectives, recruit participants and pilot test the workbooks. Those partners are expected to include state departments of agriculture, land-grant university specialists, and emergency management agencies that bring additional expertise in surveillance, incident command and public communication.
Continuing a record of impact
The new project adds to a growing portfolio of National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program awards at K-State. In recent funding cycles, the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center has earned multiple grants for work ranging from livestock movement analysis to emergency planning and stakeholder outreach, with total awards now exceeding $900,000 to advance national and regional preparedness.
"The Region 7 tabletop project reflects K-State strengths as a next-generation land-grant institution leading collaborative solutions in biosecurity and animal health," said Hans Coetzee, vice president for research. "By partnering with producers, extension networks, and state and federal agencies, the university is helping to develop strategies that prevent and control infectious diseases while supporting the resilience of U.S. livestock industries."