As the nation celebrates the ribbon-cutting of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, it’s worth noting the strong collaborative efforts of the team of local leaders who persisted in getting NBAF built in Manhattan. Beginning with U.S. congressional testimony by the late Kansas State University President Jon Wefald in 1999 about growing threats to America’s food supply, K-State, Manhattan and regional partners have positioned Kansas as the new nexus of biodefense research and response.
From proposing in 2006 that a location on the K-State campus be selected as the NBAF site to lobbying for the project’s full $1.25 billion appropriation (finally achieved in 2015), local stakeholders have collaborated with state and national elected officials (most notably former Sen. Pat Roberts), as well as with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Homeland Security, to get the project over the finish line.
As dignitaries arrived in Manhattan for the ribbon-cutting ceremony May 24, we asked a group of these regional leaders — some now retired — to reflect on the multi-decade process and what it means to them to see NBAF built and soon to be conducting crucial research. The group includes:
Ron Trewyn: As the vice president for research at K-State, my associate vice president of research, Jim Guikema, and I were involved from the time the original RFP hit in January 2006. K-State, the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute (now BioNexus KC), and Midwest Research Institute (now MRIGlobal) partnered to assemble the Heartland BioAgro Consortium and submitted two proposals in March of 2006: one for Manhattan and one for Leavenworth. Both were submitted through the research office at K-State under President Wefald's signature. Jim and I helped advocate for "NBAF in Kansas" through the three-year selection process.
Editor’s Note: Guikema and Trewyn co-wrote a publication in 1999 that led to K-State prioritizing its research on food safety and security. Guikema, who spent 37 years at K-State in many faculty and administrative positions, died in 2018. K-State President Jon Wefald, who served in his role for 23 years, died in 2022.
Sue Peterson: After Dr. Jim Guikema collaborated with Bill Duncan and his staff at KC Life Sciences to put together the original proposal in 2006, my role was to serve in a government-relations function at the city, state and federal levels, plus liaise with all the agencies.
Beth Montelone: I was interim Biosecurity Research Institute director and we spent a great deal of time talking about and showing off the BRI and emphasizing how its construction and systems made it safe. We did a lot of tours through the containment areas for visiting groups, government officials and various organizations.
Lyle Butler: K-State reached out to the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce team very early so we could understand what this could mean for our community. Dr. Wefald led the charge many, many years ago. The chamber played a key role in helping the business community understand the significance of the project and making sure factual information got out to the public. Some other communities vying for the site didn’t work together to stop inaccurate information from getting out. Those communities ended up bowing out because they didn’t have the community support.
Ron Fehr: Primarily, my role was to facilitate the city government’s support for NBAF. This resulted in a $5 million commitment of economic development funds toward the project, as well as other infrastructure improvements, including:
Relocating the main transmission water line that went through the site serving the western half of Manhattan and adding a connection for NBAF;
In addition to all of these infrastructure projects, we maintained governing body support for NBAF through several commissions. Over the years, there have been a lot of City staff that have worked diligently on these projects, and they deserve a lot of accolades.
Mark Hatesohl: In addition to being the mayor today, I also served as mayor in 2008-2009, when the location for the facility was announced. The City wanted to be supportive of the effort, and the commission as a whole was on board. My efforts were to answer peoples' questions, stay as positive as possible and endorse committing up to $5 million in eco devo funds to show community support to the selection committee.
Linda Weis: As board chair-elect of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce in 2008, my responsibility was to garner positive community support for the recruitment of NBAF and to provide guidance in overcoming misconceptions about potential dangers to our community. Along with chamber President and CEO Lyle Butler, I traveled to Washington, D.C., many times at my own expense. I sent thousands of personal emails, letters and phone calls to local citizens, community leaders and distinguished scientists motivating them to take action.
Montelone: The biggest obstacle at the beginning was Texas. They had deeper pockets and the sitting president was a Texan.
Trewyn: Initially, proximity to an international airport was a key selection parameter and we were concerned Manhattan might not be close enough to the Kansas City International Airport — thus, the Leavenworth proposal. There were 29 proposals submitted for roughly 34 sites. Manhattan and Leavenworth both made the site visit list of 17 options, and afterward, Leavenworth was ranked #2 and Manhattan was tied for #3. Only one finalist site per state was allowed and the feds decided Manhattan wasn't too far from Kansas City. Moreover, proximity to the Biosecurity Research Institute in Pat Roberts Hall and the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine were deemed to be highly relevant. The BRI, in particular, was key, since it would allow NBAF research to be jump-started here long before NBAF would be operational.
Peterson: The hardest parts were securing the decision to build the facility, and then getting the funding. That’s where the Kansas Congressional Delegation really stepped up; they were the leaders, as well as Governor (Kathleen) Sebelius and Governor (Mark) Parkinson. There were concerns about the safety and security of the facility, which led to multiple studies done by national academies and others on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security to assure people NBAF would be built to the very highest standards. Once that happened, we had to go to Congress to get a lot of money appropriated. That’s where our six congressional members for Kansas came in. It was a really tough process, but at the end of the day, the meetings we held here to demonstrate state, community and partner support really showed Manhattan in a great light.
Fehr: The proposal review team was concerned about our location away from a major metro area with significant air service. Thus, our motivation to recruit and obtain jet service with American Airlines to DFW and later to Chicago. Once the selection team came here and viewed and toured the BRI, they wanted to see more of the community. I led a tour of some residential areas and explained our downtown redevelopment plans, which were in progress.
Hatesohl: The biggest obstacle was competing against Texas and their perceived clout and stature. The concern was they would overwhelm the selection committee with their lobbying power. Also, the committee watched for negative letters to the editor from within the competing communities. We were told (such letters) would be a red flag for selection. There was a small amount of opposition locally, and the City hoped to contain that by providing correct information to the public.
Weis: No, I never doubted this day would come; not for one moment did I doubt it. My job was to support the efforts of the chamber to create a positive community mindset about the facility and its work.
Butler: Our team never gave up or got discouraged. Governor Sebelius put together a state team that did the final lobbying. I was on it with then-City Commissioner Tom Phillips to represent the community. The feedback we heard was that one of the reasons Manhattan was selected was that everyone was on the same page. No other competitor did that. We knew what the university was going to say, the university knew what the chamber was going to say, we’d all worked together for years and years. The word “partnership” is so crucial. In my opinion, that’s how we won. We were a true partnership.
Hatesohl: The process of finishing the design of the building as they were digging out the foundation was a bit concerning, and the fact that all the money required for construction took several years to get allocated made the waiting a little nerve-racking. It is very satisfying that "we" were able to get selected, get it constructed and get it dedicated without any significant issues arising.
Montelone: It seemed that the whole thing was going to fall through multiple times from 2012 to 2015, when funding would get diverted and the price estimate kept rising. It’s so cool to see it finally become a reality. It will take a bit longer before they do full-blown research, but that day is in sight.
Peterson: I never doubted it. The government just takes time to get things done, and this is the kind of facility you don’t cut corners on or rush. It’s just phenomenal that Manhattan, Kansas, is home to two national USDA laboratories: the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research and NBAF. It’s a big feather in our cap.
Peterson: I’ve been in Kansas state government since 1977, and I can’t think of very many times that I have seen the state pull together with a full-court press to go after a facility like this. Everybody worked together with a single purpose, and there weren’t any partisan politics to speak of. This project brought in other stakeholders too, from the cities to the ag groups to the health groups — everybody got involved to help us succeed.
Fehr: We have a tradition of working together well locally, but this collaboration was HUGE! It was truly a nonpartisan effort with the legislature and the governor’s staff, as well as the congressional delegation. Ron Trewyn, Sue Peterson and their teams were phenomenal! K-State also had ties with universities in other states that supported Manhattan’s selection. The $2 million air-service grant needed to lure American Airlines here went through both the State house and senate in one day and the governor signed it. Amazing!
Butler: The day the announcement was made, economic development directors from around the country whom I had never met called me to ask how a small community in the middle of the country landed a $1.25 billion project. I gave them all the same answer: We had a great partnership. We’re all in sync. That’s how we did it. And if a project like NBAF lands in Manhattan, Kansas, it makes people ask, “Why shouldn’t we be looking at Manhattan for our next project or expansion?”
Montelone: The collaboration was the key – the way the community, local governments, state government, federal delegation and K-State all pulled together. It’s also why we won the Scorpius bid last year and just received our National Science Foundation Engines Development Award to build up the biosecurity, biodefense and biomanufacturing economic base in the region.
Peterson: The state of Kansas paid 25% of the total costs for NBAF. Name another federal facility in any city or state that was paid for at that level by a state. The State of Kansas cared that much about this project and about what the impact would be. We also had great leadership from the federal delegation all the way down to the city commission. When I reflect on this project, what’s really remarkable is the spirit of the entire community and the state joining forces to get this done.
Butler: I reflect on the fact that this was Dr. Jon Wefald’s original vision and that he isn’t with us to see this day. In 20 to 25 years, we’re going to look back and see that many other bioscience research companies landed in our community, and it all started with the efforts of Dr. Wefald, K-State, the chamber and the city to bring a project of this size and scope to fruition. Sometimes what it takes is that first giant step. Now we know how to do this kind of work, and we will just keep doing it.
Trewyn: The bipartisan collaboration at all levels was amazing to watch and participate in. Without those, it's unlikely we would have been successful.
Weis: I am very, very grateful for the presence of this federal facility that will protect our food supply, deter bioterrorism and lead the world to better health for animals and people!
