It’s not often that I can relate to New Yorkers, but last week, the Associated Press moved a story that had citizens of the Empire State applauding President Obama placing a hold on the sale of Plum Island. It had me enjoining the celebration and should have livestock producers throughout the Midwest breathing a sigh of relief — at least temporarily. At issue is the moving of the country’s animal disease research center off the coast of Long Island, smack into the middle of cattle country, namely at Kansas State University. Plum Island is home of the most hideous livestock diseases in the world, some that have never been seen loose on this continent. Moving such a facility lock, stock and Petrie dishes to the heart of the Midwest, is simply lunacy. Five decades ago, Mexico had a hoof-and-mouth virus outbreak that took seven years to control, costing, back then, $250 million. Fast-forward to 2001, when England's FMD outbreak occurred. From virtually every hill, one could see multiple smoke plumes where livestock that had been destroyed were being burned — 4 million head were destroyed, costing $3.6 billion in cattle value, and another $8 billion in clean-up costs for the government and producers. And worse things than FMD would be transported into Kansas. Even though KSU officials say it would be totally safe to have the center on their campus, still the human element is too great not to expect something to escape the facility at some time in the future. Plum Island has had an FMD escape, several decades ago, but the center is on an island and the prevailing winds were blowing out to sea. New Yorkers are happy to save, for now anyway, 200 jobs. KSU is disappointed that a $650 million expansion will be delayed, if not built at all. For the government to “invest” $650 million at a time when the nation’s economy is still limping along, I’m grateful the president has put the sale of Plum Island on hold for now. The president is offering a sop to Kansas seeking $8 million for research there. That’s a lot cheaper than $650 mil. Finally, it seems the only rationalization for booting the disease center off the island, is that it’s aging and would be nice to have some more room. That’s not good enough for me. Let’s barge over some landfill material, as Manhatten was once extended, and expand Plum Island’s shore line then build the center a new wing. Let’s keep the diseases well-isolated and out of the heart of cattle country.