Farm Groups Meet with Homeland's Ridge

July 3, 2002

Representatives from nearly 40 different agriculture groups met at the White House this week with Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and USDA officials to discuss the proposal to move one of USDA's agencies to a new Homeland Security Department.

The meeting was organized by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) in response to the recent proposal to move the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) from USDA to the proposed Department of Homeland Security. NCBA is leading a coalition of animal and plant agriculture groups in an effort to facilitate information-sharing on this vital issue of homeland security.

"We understand the significance of this issue, and it is a top priority for cattlemen," said Chandler Keys, NCBA vice president of public policy. "With nearly one million cattle farmers and ranchers, we represent the largest sector of American agriculture and should play a key role in monitoring the function of APHIS."

Ridge gave a brief overview of the proposed Homeland Security Department and explained the reasoning behind moving APHIS under the wing of this new department. He said President Bush recognizes the importance of the agriculture economy, the food supply and the role that APHIS has to protect that, noting that APHIS is integral to U.S. border protection.

Some of the major functions of APHIS that are crucial to cattle production are:

--The prevention of the introduction of foreign animal diseases and pests into the U.S.;

--The operation of surveillance, control and eradication programs for domestic cattle diseases, such as brucellosis and tuberculosis;

--The responsibility of conducting approvals of vaccines and biologics;

--And providing trade support the import and export of animals and animal products on sanitary/phytosanitary issues.

The coalition presented Ridge with a list of questions developed to better understand the proposal and the ramifications it could have on all of the APHIS functions. They are now waiting for answers to the questions.