Agricultural Experiment Station expands lab capacity; researchers highlight ticks, mosquitoes and PFAS testing

Leaders of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station told lawmakers the station’s new greenhouse in New Haven has opened and that the Valley Laboratory project in Windsor is going out to bid, adding lab and field capacity for plant, vector and environmental testing.

Why it matters: The station conducts surveillance and lab testing that inform public-health responses to vector-borne disease and environmental contaminants. Lawmakers asked specifically about ticks, mosquitoes and PFAS testing on farm soils.

Vice Director Lindsey Triplett and CFO Michael Lass said the station’s new analytical chemistry capacity will support PFAS testing; the department confirmed the lab is working to procure PFAS‑free supplies and the specialized analytical reps needed to measure ‘‘forever chemicals.’’

On vectors, station officials described expanded tick and mosquito surveillance programs and noted the detection of additional tick species in recent years; officials also said the laboratory provides testing services for submitted ticks and mosquito pools so public-health and environmental managers can assess disease risk. The station’s work includes collaborations with Department of Public Health and local partners, and the researchers emphasized the importance of continued federal and state support for surveillance and testing pipelines.

Ending: The station will provide members with contact points and outreach materials and said it will continue to publish surveillance and PFAS testing results as the new lab capacity comes online.