Homeland security : challenges for the food and agriculture sector in responding to potential terrorist attacks and natural disasters : testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate / statement of Lisa Shames.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Shames, Lisa

Contributor:

United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia

United States. Government Accountability Office

Series:

Testimony ; GAO-11-946 T.

Testimony ; GAO-11-946T

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Department of Homeland Security--Rules and practice.

United States.

United States Department of Homeland Security.

United States Department of Agriculture.

United States. Department of Homeland Security.

Food supply--Security measures--United States.

Food supply.

Terrorism--United States--Prevention.

Terrorism.

National security--United States.

National security.

Food Contamination--legislation & jurisprudence.

Disaster Planning--legislation & jurisprudence.

Terrorism--prevention & control.

Terrorism--Prevention.

Medical Subjects:

United States Department of Homeland Security.

United States Department of Agriculture.

Food Contamination--legislation & jurisprudence.

Disaster Planning--legislation & jurisprudence.

Terrorism--prevention & control.

United States.

Genre:

Rules.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (9 pages).

Other Title:

Challenges for the food and agriculture sector in responding to potential terrorist attacks and natural disasters

Place of Publication:

[Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, [2011]

Summary:

This testimony examines issues related to food and agriculture emergencies. Agriculture is critical to public health and the nation's economy. It annually produces $300 billion worth of food and other farm products and is estimated to be responsible for 1 out of every 12 U.S. jobs. As a result, any natural or deliberate disruption of the agriculture or food production systems--including natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and food contamination--can present a serious threat to the national economy and human health and can halt or slow trade. The food and agriculture systems are also vulnerable to terrorist attacks, such as the intentional introduction of a foreign animal or plant disease or the intentional contamination of food products. Recognizing the vulnerability of the U.S. food and agriculture systems, the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) -9 in January 2004 to establish a national policy to defend these systems against terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. HSPD-9 assigns various emergency response planning and recovery responsibilities to federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Homeland Security (DHS), and also the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Separately, DHS's 2008 National Response Framework outlines how the nation will collectively respond to any emergency, regardless of its cause or size. The framework includes 15 emergency support functions (ESF) for the federal response to an emergency or for federal support to states during an emergency. DHS activates individual ESFs when a threat or emergency necessitates a specific type of coordinated federal response. ESF-11 specifically addresses the federal food and agriculture response during emergencies, and USDA is designated as coordinator. This testimony summarizes the findings in our report on response and recovery efforts for food and agriculture emergencies.

Notes:

Title from title caption (viewed Sept. 29, 2011).

"For release on ... September 13, 2011."

Includes bibliographical references.

OCLC:

755040682