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By Category: Policy & Initiatives

McCarthy joint venture receives $80 million DHS contract

(StLouisBusinessJournal) The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded the joint venture team of McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. and Mortenson Construction an $80 million contract to build the Central Utility Plant for the future National Bio and Agro-Defense facility (NBAF). The 87,000-square-foot plant to be built at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., Read More »

March 13, 2013
| Filed under North America, Biosafety, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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Obama Signs Pandemics and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2013

(GlobalBiodefense) The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (PAHPRA) of 2013 was signed into law yesterday by President Barack Obama. The legislation reauthorizes provisions of the Project Bioshield Act of 2004 and the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) of 2006 for an additional five years.

March 13, 2013
| Filed under North America and Policy & Initiatives
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Sharad Pawar introduces Agricultural Biosecurity Bill in Lok Sabha

(IndiaTimes) Agriculture Minister SharadPawar today introduced a bill in the LokSabha for establishment of an authority that will ensure biosecureglobal trade in farm items. The bill assumes importance as it intends to put in place a better regime of quarantining and controlling pests and even “exotic species” that are finding their way into India.

March 12, 2013
| Filed under South Asia and Policy & Initiatives
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India Completes First Biodefense Level 4 Lab

(GlobalBiodefense) Officials from the Indian Council of Medical Research last week announced completion of the nation’s first Bio-Safety Level 4 (BSL 4) high containment laboratory. The new biodefense lab is located on the main campus of the Microbial Containment Complex at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The complex had already been operating Read More »

March 12, 2013
| Filed under South Asia, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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Rep. Markey Introduces SAFE Seafood Act to Combat Fish Fraud

(FoodSafetyNews) U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA.) on Wednesday re-introduced a new, bipartisan version of a previously-introduced bill to combat widespread seafood fraud “that cheats fishermen and consumers, while posing health risks to pregnant mothers and others,” according to Markey. The bill comes on the heels of recent studies that found, on average, 33 percent of Read More »