In late August, National Veterinary Services Laboratory sent an Email to the CSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CSU-VDL) indicating that the 2004 Agriculture Appropriations Bill from Congress had the following wording - "The conference agreement provides an increase for veterinary diagnostics of which $650,000 is to update equipment needed to test certain animals samples in Colorado." USDA was unsure what this vague language meant, but quickly assumed it must mean that the equipment was for CSU-VDL. Upon receipt of this Email and since there had been no Congressional contact between Congress and CSU-VDL, we were sure that this was a mistake. We asked the Dean if he knew anything about it and he did not. We asked the Vice-President for Research if he knew anything about it and he did not. They checked with the University Lobbyists and they knew nothing of it either. We tried as hard as we could to assure USDA that this money couldn't be for us but they could find no other indication of where this money was to go, and so, we were asked to spend it.

Unfortunately, we had only two-weeks in which to purchase equipment. Furthermore, the equipment had to purchased off a certain government list. While we were uncertain whether we could come up with this amount of equipment expenditure in such a short period of time, regardless, the faculty and staff of CSU-VDL valiantly searched the government list and came up with $950,000 worth of equipment needs! After juggling the needs as quickly as we could, the equipment was ordered and is already beginning to arrive.

A specific interest to the MIP Department is that part of the equipment will include a modular unit for the Histology Laboratory allowing the Histology Laboratory currently housed in the Pathology Building to be moved into a larger modular unit on South Campus, therefore, freeing up space in the Pathology Building. We also purchased a number of new microscopes, a lot of new computers, high-volume PCR equipment, freezers, and other laboratory equipment as needed. In addition, we purchased equipment for our branch laboratories in Rocky Ford and Grand Junction. We are still quite confused as to why we were awarded this money, but we're sure putting it to very good use.