As a federally trained veterinarian in foreign animal diseases, you can send the samples directly to the USDA lab.  A private practitioner who suspects a foreign animal disease would call the local, federal or state veterinarian for help with collection and submission of samples.

Any  foreign animal disease investigation samples are sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories.  Depending on the species of origin and disease suspected, these samples either go to the main laboratory in Ames, Iowa, or to the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) at Plum Island.

FADDL at Plum Island
Plum Island is really an island, about 800 acres in size and located 2 miles off the easternmost end of Long Island and 9 miles across Long Island Sound from Connecticut.  The entire island is owned by the USDA and is dedicated to the study of foreign animal diseases, with both a research component (Agricultural Research Service) and a diagnostic/regulatory component (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service).
Map of Plum Island area
Your package was sent by Federal Express to a station on Long Island, where Barry Latney, FADDL's shipping specialist, picked it up and brought it over to the island by boat.
Barry Latney, FADDL's shipping specialist
Boat to Plum Island
What testing was done and what were the results of the tests?
FAD Menu