Fleets Work To Thwart Agro-Terrorism
While much of the effort to thwart terrorists has focused on hazardous materials, food and agriculture transporters have also been working on tighter security. Contamination of the livestock population with a foreign animal disease could occur in a matter of seconds. A tanker holding liquid products, such as milk, could also be contaminated in a matter of seconds. All that would be required in either case is for a terrorist to have the agent and access to the target.
"Before 9/11, if a seal was broken in transit, we were concerned about what was taken off,” says Randy Price, head of security at Prime Inc., a large refrigerated carrier that also a food grade tanker division. “After 9/11, we were concerned about what was put on.”
Agriculture Department Secretary Mike Johanns, speaking at the International Symposium on Agro-Terrorism in May, pointed out that “one of [the] agricultural sector’s greatest contributions to the quality of life is the fact that products flow quickly through interstate commerce. One of our greatest assets is also one of our greatest vulnerabilities.”
Last fall, the USDA released voluntary security guidance for truckers who transport agricultural and food products.
USDA developed the guidelines in partnership with the ATA and its Agricultural and Food Transporters’ Conference. As part of the effort, the AFTC surveyed 24,000 commercial food and agriculture transporters on their concerns regarding security, terrorism and where and how to get information.
The resulting voluntary security tools consist of two documents. The “Guide for Security Practices in Transporting Agricultural and Food Commodities” contains security measures to assist ag and food transporters and their drivers in protecting personnel, facilities and vehicles. The “AFTC Resources Directory for Security Practices in the Transportation of Agricultural and Food Commodities” provides methods and tools for assessing threat vulnerability and implementing security plans.
Copies are available both from USDA and AFTC. Visit www.truckline.com, www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity, or call the AFTC at (703) 838-7999.
Security Post 9/11 continued...
