The Ohio Department of Agriculture is touting its new Ohio Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as a major investment in protecting all Ohioans, with a focus on animal health, safeguarding the state’s food supply and strengthening Ohio’s economy.
In a post this week, the department said that by expanding the state’s ability to detect and respond to animal diseases, the facility will help protect farmers, consumers and communities across the state.
“Healthy animals. Safe food. A stronger Ohio,” the department said.
The new laboratory is under construction on the department’s Reynoldsburg campus and will replace the current facility, according to the department’s 2024-2025 annual report. The department said the current facility conducts more than 425,000 tests annually.
The laboratory will be housed in the Dr. Tony Forshey Animal Health Building, according to the department. At 70,000 square feet, the building will provide 40 percent more laboratory space than the current facility and updated biosecurity measures, the department said when it broke ground on the project on Nov. 16, 2023.
The project is funded with $72 million from the state capital budget signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, according to the department. Construction began in December 2023, with completion estimated in 2026.
Once the new laboratory is operational, the current laboratory’s name — the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory — will be retired, the department said.
More information about the department is available at agri.ohio.gov.
