Roberts Plans Anti-Terrorism Farm Legislation

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KA) plans to introduce a bill designed to respond to threats of terrorism against U.S. farms and the nation's food supply. In a Friday press conference, Roberts outlined plans to introduce a far- reaching response to threats of terrorism against America's agriculture industry. The legislation calls for spending of about $1.1 billion next year and about $271,000 million in each of the next 10 years in what Roberts terms "a crash program."

"Our nation's crops and livestock are now at very high risk," Roberts told a meeting of farm groups. "We must move quickly to prevent attacks on grain and livestock production and we must begin a massive research effort to develop vaccines and antidotes to halt diseases that could damage our food supply in the future."

He said he believes the United States "has the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. Consumers can continue to count on a safe food supply. However, we must ensure that crop and livestock diseases do not find their way to our fields and feedlots, either accidently or as a result of terrorism."

The bill would update and modernize USDA facilities at The Plum Island Animal Disease Laboratory in New York, the National Animal Disease Center in Iowa, the Southwest Poultry Research Laboratory in Georgia, and the Animal Disease Research Laboratory in Wyoming.

It also would implement stiff security procedures at those USDA research facilities as well as the Foreign Disease Laboratory, Ft. Detrick, MD; fund training and implement a rapid response strategy through a consortium of top universities, the USDA and agriculture industry groups; fund grants to top agriculture universities and researchers across the nation to develop vaccines, antidotes and plant varieties that can resist such diseases as foot and mouth disease, karnal bunt or avian flu, as well as other diseases that have been cultivated for use in bio-warfare.

Roberts, a member of Senate Committees on Agriculture, Intelligence and Armed Services, told the farm group representatives, "Frankly, I am very worried. At least one of the terrorists on the FBI's most wanted list has agriculture training. Scientists in several countries, including the former Soviet Union, produced mass quantities of pathogens targeted at the North American food supply. The loss of markets resulting from the introduction of these pathogens would be devastating to our nation's economy. Markets would collapse. Our ability to deliver the nation's food supplies would be at grave risk. I am suggesting that we make an investment in the future of American agriculture that may well prevent this nightmare scenario."

The legislation is based partly on the premise that the potential and risk of agroterrorism being committed by terrorists introducing a highly contagious animal or plant health disease is high. Unclassified intelligence reports confirm that the former Soviet Union and several other countries have worked to produce mass quantities of biowarfare agents that were to be targeted at the North American food supply. Russia has what are described as "tons" of these agents simply sitting in facilities throughout the country. These supplies are highly susceptible to falling into the hands of rogue states and terrorist groups, according to Roberts.

He adds that the risk to the U.S. food supply and overall economy is real. Agriculture and Agribusiness related industries accounted for approximately 22 million jobs and 16.4% of GDP in 1999. Overall contribution to the nation's GDP in 1999 was $1.5 trillion. Also, the cheap U.S. food supply kept total portion of individual income spent on food to 10.4% or 10 cents of every dollar on food in 1999. This is the lowest percent of income spent on food of any country in the world.

Earlier this month, the American Farm Bureau Federation urged President Bush to appoint a specialist within the new Office of Homeland Security to help safeguard agriculture and the nation's food supply from terrorism. In a letter to Bush, AFBF President Bob Stallman requested that a special high-level staff position focusing on the prevention of agroterrorism be appointed to serve under Gov. Tom Ridge, head of the new Office of Homeland Security.

"As the nation and the world prepare to embark on a war against terrorism there are concerns and speculation regarding how agriculture and other sectors of the economy will be affected," Stallman stated. "An attack aimed at the safety of our food supply and agricultural infrastructure could cause widespread and long-term damage. We must continue to increase surveillance and ensure that adequate USDA resources are available to combat any posed biological threat or mobilize against any occurrence."

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association said Roberts "recognizes the very real threat posed by actions against agriculture. NCBA commends Senator Roberts for his actions to support agriculture and also his efforts to gain input from the industry."