Plum Island, accessible only by ferry or helicopter and heavily guarded by armed military personnel, has officially been home to the Plum Island Animal Disease Center since 1954. This federal research facility is authorized to study highly contagious livestock diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and African Swine Fever (ASF), both of which could devastate the country’s food supply if they were to escape. The UK’s 2001 FMD outbreak, for instance, led to a nearly $10 billion loss and the slaughter of over 6 million animals. However, the official narrative of Plum Island contrasts sharply with persistent local rumors and…