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News
Release May 25, 2005 Contact:
Sara Lang Protecting Against Agro-Terrorism
Critical, Etheridge, N.C. Official Tell U.S. House Panel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington), a member of the Homeland Security and Agriculture committees, and a N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services official today advocated for stronger protection of the nation's agriculture and food supply before a House panel. Etheridge and N.C. Food Administrator Joe Reardon participated in a hearing of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee's Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee examining the threat of agro-terrorism. "Our state has been a leader in protecting our farms and food supply and in identifying the threats posed to agriculture," Etheridge said. "It is high time the federal government follows North Carolina's lead and dedicates more resources to agro-security. We know that terrorists want to attack our food supply, and a successful attack on agriculture could be crippling to North Carolina's economy, to our national economy and to our national security." North Carolina has been a leader on evaluating the threats posed by agro-terrorism and protecting the agriculture sector. The state has prepared for agro-terrorism by:
While North Carolina has taken important steps toward agro-security, Reardon testified that national leadership must take effective action to address agro-terrorism. "Homeland security funding has hardened critical infrastructures in America's population centers and this is consistent with the affinity of Al-Qaeda for high profile targets. However, as we harden highly visible, metropolitan infrastructures, greater pressures are placed on agriculture as a ripe target for an attack with high visibility and an economically potent impact," Reardon said. Agriculture is central to North Carolina's economy, contributing $59 billion each year to the economy and employing nearly 20 percent of the state's workforce. North Carolina is also a major producer of the nation's food supply. The state's swine and turkey industries rank second in the nation and the poultry industry ranks third. North Carolina supplies enough pork to feed one out of every four families in America. The Homeland Security Committee is expected to consider major agro-security legislation this year. |
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