Last week, President Donald Trump signed agro-terrorism legislation in efforts to defend the nation’s food systems against terrorism and other ‘high-consequence events’ that present a threat to homeland security.
The legislation was aimed at concerns that were raised by the devastating 2015 avian influenza outbreak, which wiped out millions of layer hens, turkeys and backyard flocks.
Rep. David Young (R-Iowa), the author of HR 1238, said the government response revealed concerns about preparedness, with federal authorities struggling to react quickly and keep those affected informed.
Response efforts revealed problematic preparedness concerns and breaks in the federal government’s ability to communicate with stakeholders and react quickly to large-scale animal disease outbreaks.
This disaster also raised concerns among farmers, ranchers and agricultural experts about whether our nation would be able to capably share information and respond to agro-terrorism threats and attacks.
“Agro-terrorism is a real threat and this legislation takes the necessary and critical steps to protect America from high-risk events with pose serious threats to our food,” Young said in a press release.
The bill helps clarify the role of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in collaborating with other federal agencies on issues related to agricultural terrorism.
“The legislation President Trump signed into law will better protect us from those who wish to attack our resources, including our food supply,” U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Chairman Dan Donovan said in a press release. “Threats to U.S. agriculture and livestock industries could devastate our food system, impacting millions of Americans, as well as our economy.”