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About NAHLN

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Originally composed of 12 laboratories when implemented in 2002, the National

Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) has grown to include 60 State and

university laboratories. These laboratories are distributed throughout the United

States and are capable of testing large numbers of samples for specific disease

agents.

The NAHLN supports U.S. animal agriculture by developing and increasing the

capabilities and capacities of a national veterinary diagnostic laboratory network to

support early detection, rapid response, and appropriate recovery from highconsequence animal diseases. It is a nationally coordinated network and partnership

of Federal, State, and university-associated animal health laboratories. NAHLN

veterinary diagnostic laboratories provide animal health diagnostic testing to detect

biological threats to the Nation’s food animals, thus protecting animal health, public

health, and the Nation's food supply. They provide the capability to diagnose both

endemic and foreign high-consequence livestock pathogens in animals and

environmental samples and are likely to be the first-line laboratories for recognition

of an intentionally or accidentally introduced agent in animals.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) continue to serve as the

Nation’s reference laboratories for both the NAHLN and USDA.

View All NAHLN Laboratories
Organization

How the NAHLN Program Is Organized and Administered 

Organizational Chart for the NAHLN Program Office 

Guiding Documents and Other Information

Mission and Vision Statements

Mission

The NAHLN is a nationally coordinated network and partnership of Federal, State,

and university-associated animal health laboratories. NAHLN laboratories provide

animal health diagnostic testing, methods research and development, and expertise

for education and extension to detect any local, regional, national, and global

biological threats to the Nation’s animal agriculture (poultry, livestock, and other

animal species that may interact with animals of agriculture), thus protecting animal

health, public health, and the Nation's food supply.

Vision

NAHLN: A network of animal disease diagnostic laboratories that works effectively as

a team, provides ongoing disease surveillance, responds quickly to disease events,

communicates diagnostic outcomes to decision makers in a timely manner, and has

the capability and capacity to meet diagnostic needs during animal disease

outbreaks

Strategic Plan

NAHLN Strategic Plan 

Concept Paper: A Proposal for a Revised Structure of the NAHLN

Concept Paper: A Proposal for a Revised Structure of the NAHLN 

Newsletter: The NAHLN Update

Issue Date

Vol 15, No. 1 March 2024

Vol 14, No. 2 November 2023

Vol 14, No. 1 June 2023
Issue Date

Vol 13, No. 3 December 2022

Vol 13, No. 2 July 2022

Vol 13, No. 1 March 2022

Vol 12, No. 1 July 2021

Vol 11, No. 2  December 2020

Vol 11, No. 1 June 2020

Vol 10, No. 1 June 2019

Guidance to Authors

NAHLN Background and History

The NAHLN is a cooperative effort between two USDA agencies—APHIS and the

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)—and the American Association of

Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. It is a multifaceted network composed of

laboratories that focus on different diseases, using common testing methods and

data standards to process diagnostic requests and share information.

Networking these resources provides an extensive infrastructure of facilities,

equipment, and personnel that are geographically accessible no matter where

disease strikes. The laboratories have the capability and capacity to conduct

nationwide surveillance testing for the early detection of an animal disease

outbreak. They are able to test large numbers of samples rapidly during an outbreak

and to demonstrate freedom from disease after eradication.

Defining the Need for the NAHLN

The Nation's public health and food supply is at constant risk from accidental or

malicious introduction of exotic animal diseases. The threats include conspicuous

agents like foot-and-mouth disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza, as well as

less familiar agents that affect animals and humans, such as influenza A in swine

and bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002,

Section 335 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to develop an agricultural early

warning surveillance system to counteract these growing risks. Congress has the

authority to appropriate funding for this effort.
Published in 2004, the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-9) on the

Defense of United States Agriculture and Food specifically directs the USDA to

develop a comprehensive and fully coordinated surveillance and monitoring system

for animal disease, as well as a nationwide laboratory network that integrates and

interconnects existing Federal and State laboratory resources and utilizes

standardized diagnostic protocols and procedures.

Establishing the Network

In response to these suggestions, the USDA Safeguarding Review identified the need

for a state-of-the-art National Animal Health Laboratory Network, which would

coordinate Federal laboratory capacity with the extensive infrastructure (facilities,

professional expertise, and support) of State-supported laboratories.

Special funds for Homeland Security were awarded by APHIS and Cooperative State

Research, Education & Extension System (CSREES*) through CSREES. Cooperative

agreements were awarded in May 2002 through APHIS and CSREES to 12

State/university diagnostic laboratory facilities for a 2-year period to develop

capacity and surveillance programs for 8 high-priority foreign animal diseases. The

network has grown rapidly since then, supported by APHIS and NIFA funding.

* CSREES was reorganized in 2009 and is now part of NIFA.

Historical Documents on the NAHLN

2022: NAHLN 20-Year Anniversary, 2002-2022

2018: NAHLN Founding Principles Slide Deck—available in Microsoft PowerPoint

format upon request

2012: NAHLN 10-Year Anniversary, 2002–2012

2005: AAVLD/NAHLN White Paper (54.35 KB)—progress and plans, need for full

implementation/increased funding

2002: AAVLD/NAHLN White Paper (271.99 KB)—background, benefits, risk,

what's needed