The mandated mission of the Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Laboratory (ABADRL) is to conduct research on the diagnosis and control of diseases of domestic livestock that are transmitted by arthropods. Arthropods are a group of organisms that include insects, ticks and spiders. Arthropod-borne pathogens cause significant economic loss and pose a constant threat of epidemic disease to the U.S. livestock industry.

The ABADRL research provides information to: 1) protect U.S. livestock from arthropod-borne pathogens; 2) develop appropriate U.S. animal health regulations; and 3) make scientifically sound international trade regulations that will protect U.S. livestock from foreign pathogens. Investigations provide general information that is significant for protecting U.S. agriculture from other arthropod-borne animal pathogens, e.g. African Horse Sickness, Anaplasmosis, Heartwater Fever, Akabane and Vesicular Stomatitis. Epidemics caused by such diseases could seriously affect the food supply in the U.S. and cause significant changes in the price and availability of food to the American consumer. The ABADRL is a key USDA resource for research to protect U.S. livestock from foreign arthropod-borne pathogens.