U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs

DEC. 06 National Institute of Justice

Research for Policy

Agroterrorism—Why We’re Not Ready: A Look at the Role of Law Enforcement

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Alberto R. Gonzales Attorney General

Regina B. Schofield Assistant Attorney General

Glenn R. Schmitt Acting Director, National Institute of Justice

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NCJ 214752 AGROTERRORISM—WHY WE’RE NOT READY

Agroterrorism— Why We’re Not Ready: A Look at the Role of Law Enforcement

Terrorists seeking to strike a The introduction of FMD in blow at the U.S. economy the United States—with its need look no further than generally open and difficult- the Nation’s heartland for a to-protect farms, fields, and “soft” target. An agroterrorist feedlots—would require the attack could dramatically im­ mass slaughter of animals pact many aspects of Ameri­ and the disposal of potential­ can life, including local law ly millions of animal carcass­ enforcement, which— es. It could halt the domestic especially in rural areas—is and international sale of financially and strategically meat and meat products for unprepared to respond. months or even years. Based on the FMD outbreak in the Agricultural experts say that United Kingdom in 2001, re­ today they are most con­ searchers estimate that an cerned about the intentional attack against the American introduction of foot-and­ livestock industry could cost mouth disease (FMD) into taxpayers up to $60 billion.1 the food supply. Twenty times more infectious than smallpox, FMD causes pain­ Who Would Lead This Research for Policy is ful blisters on the tongues, the Response? based on “Defining Law hooves, and teats of cloven- Enforcement’s Role in hoofed animals (like cows, Many believe that public Protecting American pigs, goats, and deer), ren­ health officials would lead the Agriculture from Agroter­ dering them unable to walk, response to an agroterrorism rorism,” by Terry Knowles, be milked, eat, and drink. attack, but this might not be James Lane, Gary Bayens, Although people generally the case. The laws of most Nevil Speer, Jerry Jaax, cannot contract FMD, they States require that such an David Carter, and Andra can carry the virus in their event be handled as a crime Bannister, final report to lungs up to 48 hours and scene investigation, giving the National Institute of law enforcement primary Justice, December 2005, transmit it to animals. The responsibility. Ill-equipped NCJ 212280, available at animal-to-animal airborne- www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ transmission range of FMD to handle the magnitude of nij/grants/212280.pdf. is 50 miles. responsibilities that would

1 RESEARCH FOR POLICY / DEC. 06

follow an act of agroterror­ Evidence, including tissue ism, local police departments from infected animals, would would be pushed to the limit. have to be collected. All cloven-hoofed animals (both Research points to the first domestic and wild) within the priority of local law enforce­ affected area would have to ment after an agroterrorist be destroyed and disposed attack: establishing and en­ of. A full-scale criminal inves­ forcing a 6-mile radius quar­ tigation would have to be antine (113 square miles) launched, including the identi­ around the point of origin fication, apprehension, and to control the spread of the prosecution of suspects. virus. The second priority would be to set up state­ wide roadblocks to enforce Preventing an Attack stop-movement orders. Because terrorists rely on a Such a tremendous effort— lack of preparedness, law requiring that all vehicles enforcement agencies should coming into or going out start now to develop a plan of the impacted State be for preventing an agroterror­ stopped and inspected— This 21-month study was ism attack—and the interrup­ conducted through a part­ would require a coordinated tion of basic services, civil nership among the Kansas response by local, State, and emotional stress, and Bureau of Investigation, and Federal officials. the Ford County (Kansas) public health concerns that Sheriff’s Department, and the National Agriculture Biosecurity Center at In May 2006, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) held a regional Kansas State University; planning meeting on preventing and responding to a bioterrorism attack findings were based, in on the Nation’s agriculture industry. The meeting—which grew out of part, on field surveys and NIJ’s research on defining the role of law enforcement in protecting interviews with law American agriculture from bioterrorism—brought together key law enforcement, livestock enforcement, animal health, and homeland security officials from nine producers, meat packers, Midwestern States. truckers, feedlot managers, researchers, Officials rated their State’s preparedness in preventing an agroterrorism politicians, and animal attack and discussed ways to improve the response, should an attack health officials. The occur. One of the most vital topics concerned coordination among law research also included enforcement and veterinary and animal health authorities, within the two agroterrorist simula­ State and across State borders. tion exercises in Kansas.

2 AGROTERRORISM—WHY WE’RE NOT READY

likely would follow. On the local created among local farmers, level, law enforcement agencies truckers, feedlot owners, and bear a responsibility for intelli­ other critical members of the gence gathering, including the food-supply chain. A working review of Federal reports on relationship between criminal bioterrorism threats. For exam­ investigators and veterinari­ ple, in an effort to minimize the ans and animal and plant potential of an epidemic, the health inspectors must be World Organization on Animal established. Health coordinates information on animal diseases (see www. oie.int). Local jurisdictions are A New Security also in the best position to con­ Paradigm duct vulnerability studies of area farms and feedlots. The paradigm for protecting the Nation’s food supply Specialized training for law changed after 9/11, focus­ enforcement is needed. ing attention on areas that Joint planning and opera­ require greater security mea­ tional exercises also must sures. Research funded by take place for agencies NIJ recommends that, to pro­ to be ready to respond to tect the Nation’s 2.1 million such a crime, if it occurs. farms, the U.S. Department Partnerships—the best way of Agriculture (USDA), the to prevent an agroterrorism U.S. Department of Home­ attack and the only way land Security (DHS), and to contain one—must be other intelligence-gathering

The Ford County Sheriff’s Department in Dodge City, Kansas, in collabo­ ration with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, developed a neighbor­ hood watch/community policing program called Agro-Guard. Law enforcement and livestock producers participate in the program in an effort to identify threats to agriculture before they become incidents. Agro-Guard participation involves reporting suspicious activity, posting warning signs, holding community meetings on law enforcement and animal health issues, creating a public-access Web site, and develop­ ing emergency response procedures.

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agencies work with local and government assisting state State law enforcement and and local governments in the livestock industry to preparing for a biological, develop a national plan to chemical, or nuclear attack? prevent, respond to, and Congressional field hearing, ultimately recover from an House Committee on Gov­ incident of agroterrorism. ernment Reform, Abilene, KS (http://frwebgate.access. Notes gpo.gov/cgi-bin/useftp. cgi?IPadress=162.140.64.88 1. See Economic Impact of &filename=88193.wais&direc a Foreign Animal Disease tory=/diskc/wais/data/107_ (FAD) Outbreak Across the house_hearings). United States, U.S. Depart­ ment of Agriculture, Wash­ RAND. (2003). Agroterrorism: ington, DC, 2004. What is the threat and what can be done about it? Santa Additional Reading Monica, CA: National Defense Research Institute. Chalk, P. (2004). Hitting America’s soft underbelly: Waters, A. (2005, May 3). The threat of deliberate Foot and mouth disease out­ biological attacks against break in Great Britain: A case the U.S. agriculture and study. Formal presentation, food industry. Santa Monica, International Symposium on CA: RAND. Agroterrorism, Kansas City, MO (www.fbi-isa.org/library/ Jaax, J. (2002, August 20). Waters_files/frame.htm). Sworn Testimony: How effectively is the federal

The researchers’ recommendations for strengthening America’s defense against agroterrorism include:

■ Development of a national law enforcement plan, including Federal funding of preventive measures to be developed by local law enforcement.

■ Intelligence-gathering by local law enforcement, including com­ munity policing in conjunction with the agriculture industry.

■ Training, at the regional level, of local law enforcement personnel to enforce stop-movement orders and quarantine areas in the event of an attack.

4 The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ’s mission is to advance scientific research, development, and evaluation to enhance the administration of justice and public safety.

Findings and conclusions of the research reported here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

This research was supported by the National Institute of Justice under grant number 2003–IJ–CX–1024.

NIJ is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

DEC. 06

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