Farm Security: Protecting Your Farm Against Terrorism

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Farm Security Protecting Your Farm Against
Terrorism

• Joyce Latimer
• Virginia Tech
• Blacksburg

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Homeland Security

• Defined as Being prepared to prevent or reduce
  impact of a terrorist attack on domestic natural
  resources, the economic sector, or the American
  people
• Farm Security is defined as Being prepared to
  prevent or reduce impact of a terrorist attack on
  the farm

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Agroterrorism

• Using biological or chemical agents as weapons
  against
• Ag industry
• Food supply
• Using ag chemicals or machinery against the public

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http//www.agctr.lsu.edu/eden/
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Survey of Extension Field Staff

• 86 there will be an ag, food or water
  bioterrorist attack in the U.S.
• 79 it wont happen in my county
• 73 Extension should be providing security
  information to producers

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EDEN Homeland Security

• Urgent? Yes No
• Drinking water security 78 4
• Food security 64 9
• Animal biosecurity 50 12
• Personal security 48 13
• Farm security 45 12
• Financial security 42 15
• Plant/crop biosecurity 37 16

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EDEN Survey of Producers

• 51 agroterrorism in U.S. likely
• 47 not on my farm
• Primary risks
• Contamination of water, feed, or product
• Loss of livestock
• Loss of income due to markets

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Potential Cost Risks Animal

• FMD in Great Britain 25B to 30B
• Dioxin in feeds in Belgium 1B
• Avian flu in Shenandoah Valley 130M

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Potential Cost Risks Plant

• U.S. leaf blight destroyed 1B in corn (1970)
• U.S. Karnal bunt disease halted Durham wheat
  exports (1990s)
• Citrus canker
• 200M

USDA
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Potential Impacts

• U.S. 140B in ag exports annually
• Agriculture is VAs top export industry
• Loss of product
• Loss of confidence in food safety
• Drop in commodity prices

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Experts Agree

• The cost of an agroterrorism event will be
  directly proportional to the time required to
  diagnose problem

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FDA Guidance for Industry

• Food producers, processors, transporters and
  retailers
• Operations
• Physical facility
• Employees
• Computer systems
• Raw materials and packaging
• Finished product

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International Fresh Cut Produce Assn (IFPA)

• Monitor ingredients and suppliers
• Implement proper processing standards
• Monitor distribution standards
• Use appropriate measures
• Additional product washing
• Tamper resistant packaging
• Employee checks
• Enhance employee training (food security)
• Control access to hazardous materials

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Local Training Programs

• GAPs Training
• Consider intentional contamination in your
  security planning

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What Can You Do?

• You are the first line of defense against
  agroterrorism
• Pay attention to what you are doing and what is
  going on around you
• Report anything suspicious to your local law
  enforcement agency

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Increase Farm Security

• Limit and lock entrances/exits
• Controlled gate access
• Security lights, detectors, alarms
• Maintain a visitors log
• Maintain good fences
• Keep current inventory list

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Lock It Up!!

• Secure pesticides, fertilizers and other
  chemicals
• Secure fuel
• Secure equipment and vehicles

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Increase Awareness

• Be more aware
• Be careful who you hire
• Keep better employee info
• Train employees and encourage them to report
  suspicious activity or behavior

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Know Who to Call

• Animal disease
• Your regular veterinarian
• Regional vet diagnostic lab
• Office of the Virginia State Veterinarian

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Know Who to Call

• Plant disease
• Local VCE agent
• Chemical contamination
• VDACS Pesticide Investigator
• Unauthorized activity
• Local law enforcement

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Resources

• VCE publications
• Farm Security Treat it Seriously
• Available online
• http//www.ext.vt.edu
• Available in local VCE office
• EDEN website

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Report Any Unusual Activity!!

• Err on the Side of Caution
• Call the Police!!

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A Few Extra Slides
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Bioterrorism

• Introducing disease causing agents to an animal,
  plant or human population
• Threatening food and water resources as well as
  life

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Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)

• National network
• Extension educators
• Compilation of resources
• Surveys to determine
• Concerns
• Educational needs

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