[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5332-S5333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE SECURITY OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

  Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, I rise today to discuss the threat of 
bioterrorist attacks on American agriculture.
  Agroterrorism is a real and continuing concern. When Homeland 
Security Secretary Tom Ridge last month raised the threat advisory 
level to high, he launched Operation Liberty Shield to increase 
security and readiness in the United States. One part of Operation 
Liberty Shield involved taking additional steps to guarantee our food 
security. The government started to inspect imported food more 
carefully. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, alerted the food 
and agricultural community to give greater care in monitoring feedlots, 
stockyards, processing plants, import and storage areas.
  An ongoing outbreak of avian influenza in the Netherlands is an 
example of the type of crisis we might face, and the coordination that 
may be needed, if a terrorist launched an attack on our agriculture. 
More than 9 million of the estimated 100 million chickens in the 
Netherlands were slaughtered to prevent the disease spreading since the 
outbreak began in late February. Some 800 farms in the eastern 
Netherlands were affected. Dutch exports of fowl and poultry products 
were stopped. The cost so far to farmers and the government is an 
estimated $108 million.
  The Dutch Government took a number of strong steps to contain the 
disease. The Dutch Army was called up to help. Some 100 troops joined 
more than 400 police and customs officers to enforce a quarantine 
around the epicenter of the outbreak and to keep the disease from 
spreading to nearby Germany and Belgium. A ban on movements of live 
chickens and eggs within the country was imposed in early April. This 
led to some inconvenience to consumers since the supply of eggs in 
grocery stores was limited.
  A coordinated attack by terrorists on some of our leading chicken 
producing states, for example, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama and North 
Carolina, with an impact equivalent to the natural outbreak in the 
Netherlands would have serious consequences.
  Egg and chicken production in the United States is a $20 billion plus 
a year industry. Another $10 billion is spent on processing and getting 
the chicken and eggs to market. We export more than a billion dollars 
of chicken products a year. Some 30,000 farm families are involved in 
raising chickens. Three hundred thousand people work in processing and 
transporting chickens for market.
  On any given day there are some 1.5 billion chickens sitting in 
chicken coops in the United States. Over a hundred million birds might 
have to be slaughtered. If there was a ban on shipment of chickens and 
eggs, not only would chicken producers suffer, so would related 
industries. The trucking industry, food processing industry, food 
retailers, and those involved in exporting chicken products abroad 
would all feel the impact. Billions of dollars in losses could result. 
The impact on farm families and employment could be substantial.
  Of course, my concern about agroterrorism is not limited to the 
poultry industry. Agriculture and related industries, such as food 
processing, manufacturing, and transportation, account for 
approximately 13 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and nearly 
17 percent of domestic employment. The deliberate and coordinated 
spread of livestock or crop diseases could have a devastating effect on 
our nation.
  USDA is the lead authority in responding to agricultural emergencies. 
It has taken several steps to improve our ability to counter a 
terrorist attack upon our nation's agriculture. USDA has created a 
homeland defense council and increased border inspection and research 
activities. USDA's overall activities, and actions in support of 
Operation Liberty, are commendable. But we need to do more to prepare 
ourselves.
  Responding to an agroterrorist attack will require coordinated 
efforts by

[[Page S5333]]

the USDA, and other federal agencies. The Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, the 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the Departments of Health and 
Human Services, HHS, Defense, Transportation, and Justice will all have 
a role to play. In addition, these agencies must coordinate with 
states, localities and farmers and ranchers.
  In February, I introduced the Agriculture Security Assistance Act, S. 
427, and the Agriculture Security Preparedness Act, S. 430. The purpose 
of this legislation is to encourage additional and improved 
coordination and preparedness on the federal, state, regional, and 
local level.
  The Agriculture Security Assistance Act, S. 427, will assist States 
and communities preparing for and responding to threats to the Nation's 
agriculture. My bill aims to improve our detection and response 
capabilities so they are rapid and swift enough to contain the spread 
of a disease. S. 427 directs USDA to work with each State to develop 
and implement response plans. The legislation establishes grant 
programs for communities and States to incorporate modeling and 
geographic information systems into planning and response activities. 
This funding also will help animal health professionals participate in 
community emergency planning activities and assist farmers and ranchers 
in strengthening the biosecurity measures on their own property.
  The Agriculture Security Preparedness Act, S. 430, will enhance 
agricultural biosecurity by strengthening interagency and international 
coordination. The Act will establish senior level liaisons in DHS and 
HHS to coordinate with USDA on agricultural disease emergency 
management and response. This bill will task DHS and USDA to work with 
the Department of Transportation to address one of the largest risk 
factors in controlling the spread of a plant or animal disease: the 
movement of animals, plants, and people between and around farms.
  Although our ability to respond to an agroterrorism attack is 
improving, there is still much more that could and should be done. The 
bills I have introduced will take the necessary steps to further 
enhance the actions already taken to improve agricultural security in 
the United States. I look forward to the Senate's support for these 
important bills.

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