09/11/07 Agroterrorism

Sept 11 stripped us of our sense of security yet I don't believe the average American understands the full impact this attack had on agriculture. At a symposium in May held by the FBI and the Heart of America Joint Terrorism Task Force, the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Pat Roberts explained the huge economic impact that would occur if crops or farm animals become targets. The venerability of our livestock was revealed through the use of a simple handkerchief. A cloth contaminated with Foot and Mouth can slip into the US in a zip lock bag and be easily deposited in a feedlot. Crops are more resistant yet it was disclosed that Iraq had developed anti-crop agents for wheat. When caves in Afghanistan were raided pages of agricultural targets in the US were cited along with the diseases that would be employed. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to devastate American agriculture, in fact six of the 19 terrorists involved with 9-11 had training in agroterrorism .