August 27, 2002

Producers Asked for Biosecurity Opinions in Web Survey

Do agricultural producers think their water, livestock, crops and the U.S. food supply are secure? How might they prepare for or respond to an agroterrorism incident? Starting Sept. 1, a Web-based survey will ask producers across the country for their opinions on such biosecurity and agroterrorism topics.

 The national Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) will provide homeland security education for farm and non-farm audiences with U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. The producer survey results will help extension specialists determine what types of educational programs should be offered on agricultural biosecurity.

 To complete the survey, producers may visit the EDEN Web site at http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/eden and click on “Homeland Security Surveys,” then click on “Survey of Ag and Horticultural Producers.” The survey is anonymous and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. It can be completed anywhere producers have access to the Web, including libraries and extension offices.

 “Agricultural terrorism may not look dramatic, but the economic impact would be devastating,” said Becky Koch, North Dakota State University Extension Service representative to EDEN. “It’s hard to imagine the consequences of intentional contamination of our water or food supply, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, or the spread of scab, for example. Even if we think the chances of agroterrorism are remote in North Dakota, this is a opportunity for producers to express their concerns so extension can provide educational programs on the most important topics.”

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Editor: Becky Koch, 701 231-7875, bkoch@ndsuext.nodak.edu