User Fees for Services at the NVSL
The 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act (Farm Bill) authorized APHIS to recover the costs for certain services provided by the agency to assist in relief of the Federal deficit. Diagnostic testing at the NVSL is one of the activities included in the bill.
Each diagnostic procedure provided by the NVSL has been cost-accounted based on the total expense of labor required to perform the test; multiplied by a factor representing the cost of supplies, reagents and overhead; and supplemented with a cost representing APHIS overhead.
The NVSL charges user fees for certain diagnostic services (for example, import and export testing, interstate testing, reference assistance testing) and diagnostic reagents. Testing for APHIS program diseases and foreign animal disease investigations is not subject to charge.
Payment Options
Payment may be made by:
- Check, money order, or bank draft (U.S. dollars)—make payable to USDA
- Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover)—include the credit card number and expiration date on the submission form
- Bill to USDA Account—write the account number in the designated area on the submission form
Payment for services must be made in advance unless the submitter has an account established with the USDA.
To establish an account with the USDA, contact APHIS Business Services in Minneapolis, MN, at 877-777-2128 or by email at abshelpline@usda.gov.
If you have questions about the NVSL's user fees, contact the User Fee Help Line at 515-337-6200 or by email at nvsl_concerns@usda.gov.
Notice to Customers Making Payment by Check
All check payments will be converted to an electronic funds transfer (EFT). The debit will usually occur within 24 hours and will be shown on your regular account statement. You will not receive your original check back. Our bank will destroy your original check, but will keep a copy of it. If the EFT cannot be processed for technical reasons, the bank will use the copy of your check in place of your original check. If the EFT cannot be completed because of insufficient funds, the bank will try to make the transfer up to two times, at which point your account will be subject to additional administrative charges.