ARS - Former Soviet Union Scientific Cooperation Program

ARS has a ten plus year history of successful, mutually beneficial collaboration with research institutions in the former Soviet Union in support of the biological threat reduction program funded by Department of State (DOS) and in close coordination with Department of Defense  (DOD) programs.  Starting in 1998, ARS began receiving funds from the DOS Bio-Chem Redirect Program to engage former Soviet chemical and biological weapons (CBW) scientists to redirect their efforts to peaceful, agricultural research and help reduce the risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.   In FY10, funding for this program became part of the DOS Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP).  The ARS program has involved over 1300 former Soviet Union (FSU) scientists, half of which are former CBW scientists, in 98 approved research projects (39 on-going and 59 completed) in the areas of plant and animal health, food safety and natural resources.  In FY11, ARS began to receive funds from the DOD – Defense Threat Reduction Agency for research collaborations in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.