Agricultural Bioterroismand

Food Safety

Dr. I. Miley Gonzalez, Director/ SecretaryNew Mexico Department of Agriculture

Tri-National AccordMarch 12, 2004

Pest/pathogen def’n

Pre-Event Post-EventEvent

Systems analysis and new technology solutions are essential.

Ag Risk Systems Model

Risk Assessment

Ag Intelligence Analysis

Disease Tracking

Decontamination

Traceability: Ensuring Point of Origin, Handling Conditions, and Shipment Security

Carcass Disposal

Ag Security Curriculum and Education

Real-Time Pest/Pathogen Detection and Surveillance

Eradication

High-Security Barriers to Entry

Infectious Disease Research

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

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

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.

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.

Priorities for NMDA Met with Infra-guard Research Community Producers and Processing

Community. Importance of today’s conference –

for the future in securing our Nation’s food supply and the productive infrastructure with all our partners.

Partnerships OHS DIA FBI VDS UNM PSL CAHE NMT

Playas, New Mexico

Projected NM Tech Projected NM Tech Training Programs at Training Programs at

Playas, NMPlayas, NM

Advanced First Responder Advanced First Responder

TrainingTraining

Pipeline SecurityPipeline Security

Suicide Bomber PreventionSuicide Bomber Prevention

Local Government Official Local Government Official

TrainingTraining

Food Supply SecurityFood Supply Security

Protective ForceProtective Force

Transportation SecurityTransportation Security

Battlefield Sensor UtilizationBattlefield Sensor Utilization

NMDA/CAHE Vision Ensuring the biological security of

our nation’s 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

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

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

NMDA’s Role Agriculture Biosecurity System for NM in

place prior to December 23, 2003 NMDA homeland security emergency

response system completed inNovember 2003

Label reviews and feed inspections conducted to ensure compliance by producers and feed manufacturers since 1997

NMDA’s 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

NMDA’s 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 Mexico’s Agriculture and Food Infrastructure held in December 2003 Associations with FBI and DIA

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

USDA Actions Ban on all downer

animals Product holding Specified Risk

Material Advanced Meat

Recovery Air Injection Stunning Mechanically

Separated Meat

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

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