The terrorists who struck New York City and Washington D.C., on Sept.
11, 2001, changed the way America defines security. And while most of us
have probably given little thought to terrorism happening in rural
America, scientists and law enforcement officials view America's food
supply at risk.
"There is vulnerability on the farm, and farmers have a role in
identifying the weak points," says John Hoffman of the Department of
Homeland Security.
That vulnerability was highlighted last fall by former Secretary of
Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson. As he announced his
resignation from the president's cabinet, he expressed surprise that
terrorists hadn't attacked the nation's food supply "because it's so
easy to do." Thompson added he worried about the possibility "every
single night."
Likewise, the Congressional Research Service in a report to the U.S.
Congress has stated that, "The potential of terrorist attacks against
agricultural targets is increasingly recognized."
Experts worry the deliberate introduction of animal and plant diseases
could disrupt the nation's food supply and wreak havoc on a $1
trillion-per-year industry.
They say agroterrorism on field crops is less likely, because it would
depend on variable factors such as wind currents. But livestock is
particularly vulnerable, because some disease agents can spread quickly
in large feedlots or confinement buildings.
Although there is no terrorism link to the recent mad cow disease in the
beef industry, Hoffman uses it to make a point: "Here we have an
incident where a single case of a serious disease shut down U.S. and
Canadian beef trade," he notes.
Other diseases that raise concerns include foot-and-mouth disease, swine
fever, brucellosis and anthrax.
Department of Homeland Security officials are working with other
agencies to help states protect agriculture by developing emergency
response plans.
Meanwhile, in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, or HSPD9, the
departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture, Health and Human Services
and the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency are all
held responsible for "expanding current monitoring and surveillance
programs." The directive is entitled "Defense of United States
Agriculture and Food."
USDA and Homeland Security personnel insist they are following HSPD9 by
stepping up surveillance and monitoring systems for introduced diseases
that would impact farm animals, plants, wildlife, food and water.
A General Accountability Office report in March found government
agencies had made progress to improve the protection of the nation's
food supply against agroterrorism since the Sept. 11 attacks. But the
GAO noted complex challenges ahead:
USDA would be unable to deploy animal vaccines within 24 hours of
an outbreak as required in a presidential directive.
While imports continue to grow, there were fewer inspections of
agricultural products at the nation's ports of entry in 2004 than in
2002.
Many veterinarians fail to recognize foreign animal disease due to
lack of training.
Management problems inhibit the effectiveness of agencies' efforts
to protect against agroterrorism.