An overview of the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Laboratory for Genetic Resource

The National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation’s mission, as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, is to support U.S. agriculture in producing high-quality food, feed, and fiber.  The plant and animal units within the national laboratory provide food security by acquiring, evaluating, preserving, and distributing critical genetic resources including plant, animal, insect, and microbial germplasm for the agricultural industries (e.g. farmers, ranchers, corporate producers) and the research community (e.g. state, federal, academic laboratories).  These actions, in conjunction with research that supports and develops these activities, has resulted in the creation of the world’s largest and most genetically diverse gene bank.