Farmers in North Wales will soon benefit from a new disease testing center at Aberystwyth University, thanks to £265,000 of funding from the Welsh Government.
This investment will make the university the first high throughput testing centrein Wales for animal diseases, improving disease surveillance and response times.
The facility will also create skilled jobs and strengthen biosecurity in the UK.
The Deputy First Minister, Huw Iranca-Davies said: "I’m delighted to announce this funding which will begin building more resilience in our animal disease testing. The centre will strengthen long-term disease surveillance capacity within Wales, reducing response times during outbreaks and sharing surge outbreak capacity.
"Recent experience of the bluetongue outbreak and avian influenza has showed us that enhanced capacity is crucial as we tackle future disease threats. This is a very positive beginning, and I look forward to working with our colleagues at Aberystwyth University.
"Aberystwyth University is the only facility in Wales with the infrastructure and facilities to undertake this type of testing."
Professor Iain Barber, Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Sciences at Aberystwyth University, said: "We’re excited to begin this important scoping exercise, which marks the first step toward strengthening Wales’s capacity for rapid animal disease testing.
"While this is an early stage in the process, it lays the groundwork for a facility that could play a vital role in protecting livestock and supporting biosecurity in the future."
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells, said: "It is fantastic that Aberystwyth University will be home to Wales's first high throughput testing centre for animal diseases. This investment recognises the university's outstanding expertise and facilities in veterinary science, and I want to thank them for taking on this important responsibility.
"This centre will support and work closely with our farming communities, demonstrating how funding our universities delivers real benefits for Wales."
The designation process will enable the facility to deliver testing accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service and compliant with Specified Animal Pathogens Order standards.