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Dr. Tony Forshey Animal Health Building breaks ground

The Ohio Director of Agriculture says a new veterinary diagnostic laboratory will help the state better prepare for animal disease outbreaks.

Brian Baldridge tells Brownfield the current facility is only completing about 30 percent of the testing needed for Ohio’s food and ag industry.

“We provide just under half a million tests out of that lab currently,” he explains.  “As we look at the disease pressures, especially in our poultry and our swine—constantly, always worried about disease pressures and so forth.”

Baldridge says the almost $80 million building will increase lab space by more than 40 percent and is named after former state veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey.

An official groundbreaking took place last week and construction is expected to be completed in 2026.

Photo courtesy of ODA.