Responding to the Threat of Agroterrorism: Specific Recommendations for the United States Department of Agriculture

• NCJ Number: 189701
• Author(s): Anne Kohnen
• Date Published: October 2000
• Length: 52 pages
• Corporate Author: Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness
• Sale Source: Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded August 10, 2001

Annotation

The document makes recommendations on what the Federal Government can do to protect against a terrorist attack on the Nation's agriculture.

Abstract

With agricultural cash receipts totaling $200 billion in 1996, an attack on agriculture could have enormous economic consequences. The foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Canada from 1951 to 1953 cost $2 million to destroy the animals, decreased livestock value by $650 million, and an embargo cost $2 billion. During World War II, several countries conducted biological weapons (BW) research, but they have rarely been used against agricultural targets. The diseases that pose the biggest threat to livestock are foreign animal diseases (FADs) because the animals have not built up immunity against them. FADs require quarantine and immediate eradication efforts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) should increase funding to develop rapid FAD diagnostic technologies. Table 1 summarizes information about diseases that could severely damage the U.S. agricultural market since they are recognized as grounds for export embargo. All but one are viruses and can be transmitted through the air, direct contact or by insect vectors. USDA should supply vaccines for the diseases. Crop diseases, which can be transmitted through wind, insects, or water, drastically reduce the quality and quantity of a plant's output. Table 2 lists the diseases of concern. Crops can become resistant to diseases through genetic selection and production of resistant strains. Livestock operations are getting larger, but farmers can reduce the risk to disease by participating in biosecurity training programs, which can apply to crop farming as well. USDA should increase funding for disease detection and surveillance technologies, such as databases and satellite tracking systems. The paper makes recommendations for emergency procedures for animal and plant disease outbreaks. USDA should accredit veterinarians in case of a catastrophic outbreak, prepare a contingency plan to restore/promote confidence in U.S. agricultural products if their sales are curtailed, and establish a contingency budget to fund disease eradication efforts.