On Sept. 6, members of our Sioux Falls team had the great honor of attending a ribbon-cutting for the SDSU Animal Disease Research & Diagnostic Laboratory in Brookings. At $58 million, it’s the single largest construction project ever to take place at a state facility in South Dakota. The new lab will expand services, reduce diagnostic turnaround times and improve safety, biosecurity and biocontainment in protecting the state’s $7.3 billion livestock industry.

West Plains Engineering provided mechanical and electrical engineering design for the project – partnering with Kansas City-based architect The Clark Enerson Partners, as well as ED2 International for planning services.

Several university, state, and industry leaders were in attendance to celebrate the opening, as well as members of the design and construction teams. The following dignitaries spoke at the ceremony:

Dr. John Killefer – SD Corn Endowed Dean, College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences

Dr. Dustin Oodekevon – State Veterinarian, South Dakota Animal Industry Board

Dr. Barry H. Dunn – President, South Dakota State University

Larry Rhoden – Lieutenant Governor

Dr. Jane Christopher-Hennings – SD ADRDL Head, Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences

For more information on the project, including photos, click here.