Agricultural Bioterroism and Food Safety

1
Agricultural BioterroismandFood Safety

• Dr. I. Miley Gonzalez, Director/ Secretary
• New Mexico Department of Agriculture
• Tri-National Accord
• March 12, 2004

2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
Systems analysis and new technology solutions are
essential.
7
BACKGROUND and HISTORY

• Briefing on critical infrastructure at the White
  house and Pentagon understanding of the
  seriousness of the agenda.
• USDA team in place in 1998 which included
  ARS/DIA/APHIS/FSIS

8
BACKGROUND and HISTORY

• Plumb Island and Ames visits bio-level 3 and 4
  facilities.
• Look at events wheat scab, EU, US global
  events, Anthrax, BSE

9
BACKGROUND and HISTORY

• Discovered differences among the agencies we
  had worked in educating each other about
  programs, procedures, protocols, etc.
• Began discussion with staff at Sandia in 2001.
• Initiative of NMDA/CAHE and NM Tech.

10
Priorities for NMDA

• Work began on plan for preparedness.
• Discussions with internal partners at NMSU, PSL,
  CAHE.
• Discussions at the national level.
• Named Mr. Jeff Witte as the first Ag Bio-Safety
  Director for NMDA.

11
Priorities for NMDA

• Met with Infra-guard
• Research Community
• Producers and Processing Community.
• Importance of todays conference for the future
  in securing our Nations food supply and the
  productive infrastructure with all our partners.

12
Partnerships

• OHS
• DIA
• FBI
• VDS
• UNM
• PSL
• CAHE
• NMT

13
Playas, New Mexico
14
Projected NM Tech Training Programs at Playas, NM
Advanced First Responder Training Pipeline
Security Suicide Bomber Prevention Local
Government Official Training Food Supply
Security Protective Force Transportation
Security Battlefield Sensor Utilization
15
NMDA/CAHE Vision

• Ensuring the biological security of our nations
  agricultural and natural resource assets by
  planning and conducting research and developing
  complementary programming that will protect these
  assets from biological security breaches or
  threats

16
NMDA/CAHE Vision (Cont.)

• A strategically located research and training
  facility for applied biological research that
  provides an environment for examination of issues
  and development of policy and programs

17
NMDA/CAHE Vision (Cont.)

• Develop programs, technologies, and training
  modules, to monitor and manage animal and plant
  disease outbreaks
• BSE, foot and mouth, anthrax, newcastles, etc.
• Dengue, west nile virus, encephalitis, malaria
• Plant diseases and invasive species
• Development and testing of detection and
  monitoring techniques for the presence of
  introduced hazardous pests and pathogens

18
NMDAs Role

• Agriculture Biosecurity System for NM in place
  prior to December 23, 2003
• NMDA homeland security emergency response system
  completed in
• November 2003
• Label reviews and feed inspections conducted to
  ensure compliance by producers and feed
  manufacturers since 1997

19
NMDAs Role (cont.)

• Started discussion to include agriculture as part
  of the Homeland Security Initiative with General
  Annette Sobel
• Created the Agricultural and Biosecurity office
  in coordination with other NMSU entities. Jeff
  Witte named Biosecurity Director in November 2003
• Met with Border Governors agriculture committee
  representatives from the U.S. and Mexico to plan
  border biosecurity training for March 2004

20
NMDAs Role (cont.)

• NM Livestock Board members met with the Union
  Ganadera Regional de Chihuahua to evaluate
  computerized systems for tracking live cattle.
  Working with producers to implement system in
  2004
• AgriGard 2003 Protecting the Security of New
  Mexicos Agriculture and Food Infrastructure held
  in December 2003
• Associations with FBI and DIA

21
Activities after December 23, 2003

• Emergency Response Team in place
• NM Livestock Board
• State Veterinarian
• Homeland Security Office
• NMDA in contact with state health laboratory
• Correspondence
• APHIS, FDA, FSIS
• NM Cattle Growers, Beef Council, Dairy Producers
  of NM
• State and National Media

22
USDA Actions

• Ban on all downer animals
• Product holding
• Specified Risk Material
• Advanced Meat Recovery
• Air Injection Stunning
• Mechanically Separated Meat

23
Conclusion

• Security Plan in Place
• Food Supply is Safe
• Working toward Minimizing Negative Economic Impact

Sound Science continues to be our guide. USDA
Secretary Ann Veneman
24
Acronyms

• APHIS- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• BSE- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
• DIA- Defense Intelligence Agency
• FBI- Federal Bureau of Investigation
• FDA- Food and Drug Administration
• NMDA- New Mexico Department of Agriculture
• NMSU- New Mexico State University
• USDA- United States Department of Agriculture