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SECURITY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY 2202. Steven C Seideman Extension Food Processing Specialist Cooperative Extension Service University of Arkansas. Photo courtesy of USDA. Photo courtesy of USDA. SECURITY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY. The security of our food supply is of paramount importance.
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SECURITY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY2202 Steven C Seideman Extension Food Processing Specialist Cooperative Extension Service University of Arkansas
SECURITY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY • The security of our food supply is of paramount importance. • This instructional series deals with tampering or other malicious, criminal or terrorists actions to our food supply. • For the purpose of brevity, let’s consider these as acts of terrorism and that terrorism refers to acts by persons or organizations of either national or international origins.
Demographics of Food • Prior to and during the great depression, 95% of Americans lived on farms and could raise their own food. • Now, less than 1% of the population lives on farms. This means that 99% of Americans depend on agriculture and food manufacturers and distributors for their food supply
Trust • Not only do Americans depend on rural agriculture, food manufacturers and distributors for their food supply but they trust that it will be safe, nutritious, abundant and an economical value. • Since the vast majority of Americans are dependent of our food supply, it makes our food supply an excellent target for certain groups to promote their agenda by terrorism.
Terrorism • Defined as “The use of terror, violence and intimidation to achieve an end”. • There are certain groups both domestic and international who believe so strongly in their cause that they use unscrupulous methods to instill fear in their opponents making them more agreeable to their way of thinking.
Why Bioterrorism? • The use of biological agents on humans, livestock and plants to instill terror in their opponents is not new. • Most discussions on terrorism to date have centered on humans but using livestock and plants and the food produced from them is not only possible but has been used in the past. • Bioterrorism has been referred to as “the poor man’s nuclear arsenal”.
HISTORY OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE • Ancient Scythians dipped arrows in manure. • Assyrians used ergot of rye in enemy wells. • In 1346, (Siege of Kaffa) the Tartar army hurled corpses of soldiers who died of plaque into the city. • In the 15th century, Pizzaro used Vaiola contaminated clothing to kill South American Indians. • During the French and Indian War, smallpox -contaminated blankets were given to the Indians by the English.
Recent Bioterrorism • During WW I, German secret agents introduced glanders to horse populations in New York and Virginia. They also attempted to introduce anthrax to horses and mules in Maryland. In addition, they used a combination of glanders and anthrax on horses, mules, cattle, sheep and reindeer in Norway, Romania, France, Spain and Argentina.
Recent Bioterrorism • During WW II, the Germans continued to develop biological agents for use against livestock as well as humans. • The British made anthrax cakes to drop on German cattle. • The US and Canada developed feather bombs laced with hog cholera and Newcastle virus for poultry for use on German livestock.
Recent Bioterrorism • In 1992, a year after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia admitted to a program code-named “Ecology” that produced biological agents aimed specifically at livestock, poultry and plants that employed tens of thousands of people in at least 8 separate production plants. • Animal weapons included foot and mouth disease, rinderpest, classical swine fever (hog cholera), African swine fever and sheep and goat pox viruses.
Recent Bioterrorism • After the fall of the Soviet Union, some scientists went to the United States, Great Britain and other European countries. • But others ended up in Iraq and other decidedly “unfriendly” countries.
American Life Changes Forever • With the bombings at Kenya, Tanzania, and other terrorists acts ultimately leading up to the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks of September 11, 2001, the free life style we enjoy came to an end. • Although we cannot allow terrorism to totally control our lives, we must become vigilant of the possibilities that exist.
A Real Bioterrorist Attack • What would happen if there was a real bioterrorist attack on our food supply?; 1)The export market would collapse. 2)Food processing plants would close. 3)Growers wouldn’t be able to sell their produce. 4)Food companies would institute massive layoffs 5)Numerous retail grocery stores would close 6)Stocks would fall
Terrorist’s Attack • Those things could “theoretically” happen but if we proactively think and plan for the possibility that it will, the effects will be minimized. • Remember that the goal of terrorism is to instill fear. The actual effects of a terrorists’ act are usually far less than the paralyzing effects of fear itself.
Why Bioterrorism • Poor man’s nuclear arsenal • Used against living organisms • Plants • Animals • Discussions have been primarily centered around humans • Why not against livestock
Agricultural Producers • The producers of all livestock, poultry and crops should be aware of what to do if a disease breaks out whether it be a natural case or one initiated by an act of terrorism. The key words of action are; *PREVENT *RESPOND *MINIMIZE THE ADVERSE EFFECTS
PREVENT • Always do what you can to prevent a natural disease from occurring and note any suspicious activity in your area by unknown people. • In the past, agricultural producers have been extremely good at this.
RESPOND TO • If a disease breaks out, respond to it quickly and methodically. • The faster a producer responds to a crisis, the lesser the effects will be. • Contact your local Cooperative Extension agent. They have a list of veterinarians and crop specialists who can diagnose the problem and can mobilize all the necessary agencies necessary to contain the spread.
MINIMIZE THE ADVERSE EFFECTS • Once the disease has been diagnosed, the Cooperative Extension Service agent should let you know what to do to prevent the spread of the disease. • We have all recently seen diseases such as mad-cow in Great Britain, various forms of poultry diseases and hoof and mouth in other countries and how they contained/eliminated the disease to minimize the spread.
Our Food Supply Chain • Up to this point, we have covered the importance of guarding our food supply chain, the history of bioterrorism and what the agricultural producer community can to to respond to a biological crisis, either instigated by nature or bioterrorists. • We will now go to the next step of protecting our food supply chain from the food processor to the consumer..
FDA GUIDELINES • The FDA has recently issued guidelines for various elements of the food supply chain. • These guidelines are available on line at the following websites.
Food Processors • Food Producers, Processors and Transporters; Food Security Preventative Measures Guidance; • www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/secguid6.html.
Food Importers • Importers and Filers: Food Security Preventative Measures Guidance. • www.cfsan.fda.goc/~dma/secguid7.html
Retail Food Stores & Restaurants • Retail Food Stores and Food Service Establishments; Food Security Preventative Measures Guidance; • www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/secguid5.html
FDA GUIDANCE • Depending on your business, we suggest that someone from every company have one designated person obtain a copy of the appropriate guidance document, study it and make recommendations to implement the suggestions that are pertinent to their business. • The FDA only published these as “guidelines” to help the food industry. They are only for guidance and are not legally binding.
GUIDANCE • The guidance in the next few pages identifies the kinds of preventative measures operators of food processing establishments may take to minimize the risk that food under their control will not be subject to tampering or other malicious, criminal, or terrorist action. It is relevant to all sectors of the food system.
Guidance • The FDA encourages operators of food processing establishments to review their current procedures and controls in light of the potential for tampering or other malicious, criminal or terrorist actions and make appropriate improvements.
Guidance • The FDA recommends that operators consider the goal of each preventative measure, assess whether the goal is relevant to their operation and , if it is , design an approach that is both efficient and effective to accomplish the goal under the operator’s conditions of operation.
Trade Associations • It may be relevant for food processors to look to their respective trade associations for further guidance. Some trade associations have already developed food security guidance that is appropriately focused for that specific industry. For example, The International Dairy Food Association has developed a food security guidance document as an aid to the dairy industry.
