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Midwestern Governors’ Conference Agroterrorism Summit

Keynote Address
USDA Deputy Secretary Jim Moseley

July 29, 2002

Omaha, Nebraska

 

(As prepared)

 

 

Governor Mike Johanns, thank you very much.

 

“It is good to be in Nebraska and I am especially honored to join the Midwestern Governors today to discuss the very important issue of homeland security. 

 

“First of all, I want to applaud Chairman Johanns and Vice Chair Holden for recognizing the critical importance of this issue and the need to effectively prepare for the threat of agroterrorism.  

 

“This past year has been one filled with challenges for all Americans, but particularly those of us in public service. 

 

“Probably no group of people better understands the dramatic shift in public policy we have experienced over the last year than our nation’s governors. 

 

“Just a year ago, the phrase “homeland security” was nowhere to be found in the political vernacular, but today it is our top priority.  If you had asked someone on the street what “terrorism” means, you probably would get a variety of answers, none too accurate.

 

‘From airline travel to border security to the safety of American agriculture, we have had to reassess our preparation level, refocus priorities, and realign resources to meet the critical need of ensuring the safety of our people. 

 

“If you would have asked me a year ago, when I was sworn in as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, if I thought a majority of my time would be spent working on homeland security issues and planning for intentional attacks on our food and agriculture systems, I would have given you a mystified look. 

 

“But that just goes to show you how September 11th has transformed the priorities of our government and the work that we do.

 

“This is certainly not limited to the federal government.

 

“In each of your states, you have had to take action to ensure your readiness and prepare for what had previously been unthinkable.

 

“One person who has truly risen to this challenge is a former colleague of yours – and my boss – President Bush.  From the very first moments after those attacks, he set forth with a quiet determination to do what needs to be done to protect our freedoms and quality of life. 

 

“The President called on another colleague of yours, Governor Tom Ridge, to head our new homeland security effort.  Secretary Veneman and I have been working closely with Governor Ridge and it is very clear that he understands and appreciates the risk of agroterrorism and shares our commitment to protecting the nation’s food and agricultural system. 

 

“The centerpiece of this new homeland security strategy is the largest reorganization of the federal government since 1947, when Harry Truman sought to prepare our defense infrastructure for the challenges of the post-war world.  That structure worked well, with minor changes, for more than a half century throughout the Cold War. 

 

“But if September 11th showed us anything, it is the need for a more focused approach to protecting our people from the threat of terrorism.  It’s a different kind of war and requires a different defense structure.

 

“USDA has been actively involved in the plans for the new Department of Homeland Security, which will, among other things, coordinate all of the many border security functions. 

 

“As you know, we play a crucial role at the borders and ports in keeping everything from foot-and-mouth disease to fruit flies out of our country and away from the farms, ranches and food supply of the United States. 

 

“In recent weeks, the Bush Administration has been working with the House Agriculture Committee to refine the plan to move USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service into the new Department of Homeland Security.  The result has been an amendment that will move the specialized border inspection and enforcement functions of APHIS as well as the Plum Island Disease Facility into the new department, but keep the other functions at USDA. 

 

“Two weeks ago, Secretary Veneman joined Governor Ridge in testifying before Congress to express the Administration’s support for this approach. 

 

“Once the bill is signed into law, USDA will very actively work with the new department to provide training, to coordinate resources and research, and to continue to play a strong supporting role in protecting our borders.  

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“Agroterrorism is an issue that hits home here in the Midwest, where any threat to our crops and livestock is a threat to our livelihood. 

 

“Not far from here are some of the largest stockyards in the country, some of the most productive corn, wheat and soybean-producing farmland in the world, and huge processing plants that provide food to literally millions of people around the world. 

 

“From their paychecks to the safety of the food they eat, millions of Americans rely on our agricultural economy. 

 

“Earlier this year in Kansas, we saw how even just a single rumor of a case of foot-and-mouth disease can impact the markets. 

 

“Our food supply system provides Americans with choice, abundance and safety by relying on a global economy and unparalleled international interconnectedness. 

 

“Steaks produced here in Nebraska can be in Japan for dinner tomorrow night. 

 

“Almost every fruit and vegetable in our grocery produce aisle is “in season” year-round because we can find it – and ship it – from places far away. 

 

“But it is that same interconnectedness that is American agriculture’s greatest vulnerability as diseases, pests and contaminants do not respect international borders.  At the Department of Agriculture, we have a long history – and a solid record – of preventing and effectively responding to devastating disease and pests that threaten crops and livestock. 

 

“But the threats for which we had prepared were unintentional outbreaks, not agricultural weapons of mass destruction that could severely impair an industry, economically devastate a region, or put the safety of our entire food supply into question.  

 

“Soon after September 11th, Secretary Veneman asked me to head USDA’s homeland security mobilization and formed a Homeland Security Council, organized around two primary goals: protection of the food supply and agricultural production and protecting USDA facilities, infrastructure and staff.

 

“Being here in the heart of Cornhusker land, I’d be missing an opportunity to not use an old football line.  I’m sure you’ve all heard it before:  “the best offense is a good defense.” 

 

“This is the approach we have taken at USDA, realizing that the best way to fight terrorists who would target our food supply is to simply take their options off the table, by having an effective response plan in place. 

 

“The first challenge we faced was taking a good, hard look at the threats that are out there and honestly assessing them. 

 

“A great deal of research went into the thousands of plant and animal diseases and pests, looking at them in a new way. 

 

“We needed to determine which have the greatest potential to be used effectively as a weapon, both as a threat to citizens and also to undermine confidence in our food supply. 

 

“From foot and mouth disease to soy rust to high path avian influenza, we identified those biggest threats and are expanding control measures significantly. 

 

“Unlike our airports, borders or seaports, American agriculture covers an enormous range of land, with hundreds of thousands of farms, ranches, and processing plants.  That means we need a similarly widespread capability to detect, diagnose and respond to intentional or accidental threats. 

 

“APHIS or USDA or the new Department of Homeland Security can’t do that alone.  

 

“One of our greatest challenges is educating and enabling states, universities and producers themselves to help detect, respond and even prevent an outbreak. 

 

“As part of the emergency supplemental funding USDA received for the war on terrorism, we allocated $43 million solely for the purpose of preparing states, universities, and tribal nations in the fight against agricultural-focused bioterrorism. 

 

“Secretary Veneman and I announced those grants last month. 

 

“We also have allocated another $17 million for research to improve the tools available to diagnose, detect and respond.  Beefing up our research capability – and its capacity – is another important part of our plan. 

 

“When we first sat down to look at how the department would respond to a widespread agroterrorist outbreak, one of the weaknesses that became apparent was our capacity to process large numbers of samples quickly.  Our facility at Plum Island does a wonderful job and is critical in this effort, but what if Plum Island is not available for some reason? 

 

“One of USDA’s most significant accomplishments thus far in the war on terrorism is putting in place a stronger rapid detection and response network that provides redundancy and additional capacity.  This network is a consortium of USDA, university and private sector partners that instantly puts cutting edge research capabilities at our fingertips nationwide.  Some of our partners in the Midwest include Iowa State University, the University of Wisconsin, Kansas State University, Purdue University, and Michigan State University.  

 

“More than $20 million was allocated to USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service to establish this unified network with labs connected by two-way, secure communications with others in their region including diagnostic labs at state departments of agriculture. 

 

“CSREES will provide educational programs and coordinate the ground surveillance component that will link reports from the field with research capabilities.  

 

“We’ve also taken action to prepare and educate first-responders and veterinarians who are literally our first line of defense in a future attack.

 

“APHIS, in cooperation with Auburn University has developed an interactive CD-ROM to educate private practice veterinarians on homeland security issues to enhance our ability to respond quickly. 

 

“There are also logistical issues for which we’ve had to plan such as getting samples to labs quickly. 

 

“On September 11th, all non-military air traffic was grounded.  So we’ve worked with the military to use their aircraft for this critical function should the need arise.  This military link is important in many ways.

 

“Recently, Secretary Veneman and Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld kicked off an exercise at the National Defense University called “Silent Prairie”. 

 

“Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and I conducted the exercise, which was designed to simulate an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and how we respond.  Fourteen Members of Congress were in attendance, and it was an excellent way to uncover our vulnerabilities.

 

“We are doing a similar, in-depth exercise in September.

 

“We are also strengthening our response capabilities by exploring the use of a universal incident management system, similar to the Forest Service’s National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS). 

 

“Similar to how we deal with the massive wildfires out west this system would enable us to smoothly move across USDA agencies and other federal departments to respond more effectively and quickly. 

 

“Experience has taught us that it is much easier to move within the federal bureaucracy when a plan and pre-existing agreements are in place.

 

“These are just a couple of examples of how we’ve been working to put in place a precise and effective plan.  New pieces to this plan are completed nearly every day and we are well on our way to having it fully in place. 

 

“Ultimately, the response of USDA or the new Department of Homeland Security is just one part of the equation. 

 

“We must provide the coordination, communication, capability, and capacity to deal with any agroterrorist crisis. 

 

“But the real action takes place on the farms, in the communities, in the processing plants, in your state departments of agriculture, and all across America.

 

 “Therein lies the greatest challenge we have before us – the challenge of communication. 

 

“Greater information sharing, improved education, and tying in so many players in so many places is an immense task and one we are committed to improving upon. 

 

“USDA is a large department, with staff in every county in America, but effective preparation for this kind of threat involves bringing in state agriculture departments and emergency management agencies, law enforcement, farmers, grain elevator operators, plant managers, research scientists, grocery store workers, and the list goes on and on. 

 

“This is a huge task and involves changing the mindset of many people to understand that these threats are real.   USDA has already developed educational materials and checklists designed to reach producers, processors and others, to make them aware that they have a role to play in homeland security. 

 

“Producers and processors, in particular, need to also understand that these homeland security measures are good business. 

 

“The potential of a devastating outbreak far outweighs the cost of basic biosecurity protocols. 

 

“As a pork producer myself, I can tell you how much of an inconvenience these things seem like at times.  But compared to the potentially devastating loss of a herd, crops or even lives, commonsense biosecurity measures are a much needed risk management step.  

 

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“The task before us is a significant one. 

 

“You all represent farm states.  You understand the farming way of life. 

 

“It’s not a community that changes overnight or changes just for change sake.  Many farmhouses don’t even have locks on the doors. 

 

“Security from intentional attack is not an issue most in agriculture have really worried about. 

 

“Located in the heartland of America, we have never been the biggest targets for our foreign enemies whether they are military super powers or the terrorists of today. 

 

“But I can tell you that this is one farmer whose viewpoint was changed in just a few minutes on September 11th. 

 

“Our enemy is looking for vulnerabilities and they are looking to hit us where it hurts the most.  That’s why we have to be vigilant in defining agroterrorism as the very real and possible threat it is and be prepared to do whatever it takes to stand in its way. 

 

“USDA is committed to doing just that. 

 

“We are committed to answering the challenge President Bush laid out just days after those events that literally transformed the way Americans look at their government. 

 

“History,” the President said, “has called our nation into action.  History has placed a great challenge before us.  Will America, with our unique position in power, blink in the face of terror, or will we lead to a freer, more civilized world?”

 

“The American people have collectively responded to that question with unqualified support for freedom, security and standing up to those who wish to do us harm.

 

“Thank you very much.”

 

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