The United States biological weapons program officially began in spring 1943 on orders from U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. Research continued following World War II as the U.S. built up a large stockpile of biological agents and weapons. Over the course of its 27-year history, the program weaponized and stockpiled the following seven bio-agents (and pursued basic research on many more):

• Bacillus anthracis (anthrax)
• Francisella tularensis (tularemia)
• Brucella spp (brucellosis)
• Coxiella burnetii (Q-fever)
• Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE)
• Botulinum toxin (botulism)
• Staphylococcal enterotoxin B