House advances agro-terrorism preparedness bill

The U.S. House of Representatives advanced last week U.S.
Rep. David Young’s (R-IA) Securing our Agriculture and Food Act (H.R. 1238), which aims to prevent acts of agro-terrorism from affecting the nation’s food supply.

The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance the preparedness capabilities of the nation’s food, agriculture, and veterinary systems against high-risk events like disease and terrorism. The bill also authorities the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to collaborate with other agencies to ensure the food, agriculture, and animal sectors are integrated into DHS’s domestic preparedness policy initiatives.

“The House has taken an important step towards protecting America and consumers from agro-terrorism, and other high-risk events, that pose serious threats to our food, agriculture, and livestock industries across the United States and Iowa,” Young said. “This important effort has been a bipartisan concern by members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate who are working with me on this issue which is critical to our national security and food safety, for our children and families in Iowa and across the nation.”

Young’s act is one of nine bills sponsored by the Homeland Security Committee to recently pass the House. The bill stems from the aftermath of a 2015 avian influenza outbreak, which killed millions of layer hens, turkeys, and backyard flocks. The subsequent response efforts revealed many weaknesses in the federal government’s ability to react to large-scale animal disease outbreaks.

The outbreak also raised serious concerns from industry stakeholders about the government’s ability to collect information and respond to acts of agro-terrorism.

The bill now awaits a vote in the Senate.