Crops, livestock in U.S. vulnerable to terrorists :: War on Terror

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May 2, 2005

Crops, livestock in U.S. vulnerable to terrorists

From the tone in this article, it doesn't look like we've gone very far toward protecting the U.S. from agroterrorism:

Tall buildings and outdoor cafes are tempting targets for terrorists. So may be the hamburger in your bun - or the bun itself.

America's food supply is vulnerable to attacks that might not be as dramatic as a bomb but could have explosive consequences for the economy and public confidence, scientists and law enforcement officials agree.

Many of them will convene this week in Kansas City, Mo., for the first international symposium on "agroterrorism." They will talk about how easily diseases can be used as weapons against crops or livestock and how best to prevent an outbreak.

Farms generally are wide-open places with minimal security. And feedlots concentrate thousands of animals together. That is a perfect opportunity for contagious disease.

"It would be a catastrophe if someone happened to drop some foot-and-mouth or something out there," said Terry Handke, whose Atchison County, Kan., feedlot can fatten about 4,000 head of cattle.

Representatives from Russia, Australia, Canada, Mexico and Israel are expected to make presentations at the symposium. FBI Director Robert Mueller and David Franz, chief biological scientist for Kansas City-based Midwest Research Institute, also will speak.

"It's very important," said Craig Watz, an FBI special agent in Kansas City. "We realized there was a lack of understanding regarding the role of law enforcement in agroterrorism. ... There needed to be an opportunity to bring together influential policymakers in many disciplines that would be involved in the response to any type of threat or actual incident."

The symposium runs Tuesday through Thursday at the Westin Crown Center hotel.