UNIVERSITY Park, Pa. — Leaders from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences joined University, state and local officials to mark the official opening of the Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center (KADC) at Penn State Beaver in Monaca.
The center will serve as the western Pennsylvania hub for the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS), expanding the commonwealth’s capacity to detect, diagnose, respond to and control animal diseases that threaten agriculture, public health and the food supply.
It complements the three existing laboratories in PADLS: the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg, Penn State’s Animal Diagnostic Laboratory at University Park, and the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Kennett Square, all of which are members of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.
At the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding explained that the lab, funded by a $6 million investment in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2024–25 budget, expands the commonwealth’s capacity to respond to animal disease outbreaks — accelerating diagnoses for western Pennsylvania farmers, reducing costs and helping protect their animals and livelihoods. Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget proposes an additional $2 million investment to support the new lab’s ongoing operations.
“This is a historic moment for Pennsylvania agriculture,” Redding said. “Adding a fourth PADLS lab on a campus that is part of our top-notch land-grant university continues a tradition of excellence, strengthens our crisis response capacity and supports current regional growth in animal agriculture in western Pennsylvania. This expansion is more proof that investments by the Shapiro Administration are feeding Pennsylvania's economic future and protecting our rich agricultural heritage.”
Ernest Hovingh, clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences and director of the University Park laboratory, explained that the center enables livestock and poultry owners and veterinarians in that part of the commonwealth to have greater access to diagnostic services. This will ensure better animal health, reduce travel time and improve convenience for the region’s agricultural community.
The center offers critical diagnostic services, including tests for avian influenza, ruminant pregnancy, equine infectious anemia and foreign animal diseases, such as African Swine Fever. It also makes a significant investment to bring necropsy services — expected to be available by the fall of 2027 — much closer to home for veterinarians and producers in western Pennsylvania. In addition, the facility will play a key role in disease surveillance, monitoring threats such as avian influenza in both poultry and dairy cattle.
Hovingh noted that the KADC, while an independent member of PADLS, will benefit from collaboration with the Animal Diagnostic Lab at University Park and Penn State Extension, adding that this partnership will enhance animal health and support the agricultural community in western Pennsylvania.
“Accessible, accurate and reliable laboratory diagnostic services are essential to safeguarding animal health, ensuring food safety and maintaining Pennsylvania’s competitiveness in the agricultural sector,” he said. “This collaboration aligns with Penn State’s land-grant mission and the expertise of Penn State Extension, which has long been committed to providing science-based outreach that supports the vitality of the agricultural industries and local communities.”
In addition to diagnostic testing, the lab’s faculty, in concert with extension veterinarians and faculty from the Animal Diagnostic Lab at University Park, are planning to be a resource for veterinarians and producers in western Pennsylvania, including the delivery of continuing education programs and workshops.
Troy Ott, Peter and Ann Tombros Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, thanked the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Shapiro, state and local officials, and industry representatives for their support in establishing the center.
“This facility is about service — to farmers, veterinarians and communities across the commonwealth — while also reflecting the power of collaboration and innovation at Penn State,” he said. “It enhances our ability to deliver timely, accurate diagnostics, better address emerging animal health challenges, and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding animal health and supporting those who depend on it.”
Regional Chancellor Carey McDougall, who leads Penn State Beaver, said the campus is pleased to host the new center, which will provide significant benefits to the agricultural community while creating opportunities for students.
“The collaboration among the Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center, Penn State Beaver and Penn State Extension is an example of how we, as a state, can improve the lives of Pennsylvania farmers through providing them with timely scientific solutions,” McDougall said. “Additionally, we are engaging our students in animal diagnostics to pave more agricultural career pathways, thus improving the lives of us all. The campus is grateful to Governor Shapiro, Secretary Redding, Senator Elder Vogel, Representative Robert Matzie and Director Hovingh for bringing this partnership to fruition. We are so excited to serve our farmers and our students in this way.”