Randall L. Levings, DVM, was recently selected as the director of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), according to a USDA announcement made in late February.

“Randall brings a wealth of scientific and leadership expertise to this very crucial position in our organization,” said Bobby R. Acord, APHIS administrator.  “He has worked closely with the other Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) directors and NVSL leadership to promote and enhance the APHIS veterinary biologics program.”

In this position, Levings will serve as the lead manager for the laboratory and its supporting units. NVSL consists of four testing laboratories, three located in Ames, Iowa, and the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, which is located on Plum Island, N.Y.

NVSL performs animal disease testing for veterinary services and are the only laboratories in APHIS dedicated to testing for domestic and foreign animal diseases