Agroterrorism: A Guide for First Responders

1. Terrorism in the Barnyard

1 terrorism in the barnyard I t is a warm summer’s day; by all accounts, it is perfect. It is the height of the barbecue season—the Fourth of July is right around the corner. You turn on the network national news and the anchor is explaining that a mysterious outbreak of a disease is affecting cattle, swine, and sheep in several midwestern states. The anchor is saying that Department of Homeland Security officials are concerned that this is not a natural outbreak . . . Some people may find it unbelievable that an individual terrorist or a group of terrorists would want to attack the peaceful farms of the United States. After all, these farms supply the country and a large portion of the world with food and clothing, but they do not possess any “real power.” Why would a terrorist travel to Harrodsburg, Kentucky, to Garden City, Kansas, or to Cuzco, Indiana, when cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., are the acknowledged seats of financial and political power in the nation? The answer lies in the nature of terrorism itself. The U.S. government defines terrorism as something that “(A) involves an act that: (i) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and (ii) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United StatesorofanyStateorothersubdivisionoftheUnitedStates;and(B)appears to be intended—(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination , or kidnapping.”1 Agroterrorism can be waged in many different ways, including infecting animals or crops as a means to the end of shaking the economic base of the country and causing overwhelming fear and panic. Harrodsburg, Garden City, and a host of other small towns across the country are integral parts of one of the largest and most important industries in the nation. what is the purpose of terrorism? Many people want to understand why terrorists do what they do. Terrorists are motivated by various ideologies. Religious ideologies, such as Agroterrorism can include infecting animals or crops with the intent of causing panic and undermining the economy. Photo by Scott Bauer, courtesy USDA. the ones held by groups like al Qaeda and their leader, Osama bin Laden, are often the most dangerous because of the fervor and singlemindedness with which they are embraced. Additionally, a terrorist may be motivated by politics, or a deep distrust of or anger toward the government , as in the case of Timothy McVeigh, who bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. The terrorist may be motivated by racial hatred or issues such as genetic engineering, animal rights, or the environment. An example of the latter is the radical group called the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), which is blamed for arson causing millions of dollars’ worth in damage at a Vail ski lodge.2 The agriculture industry is a target for all these reasons and more. It is an appealing target due to its importance to the U.S. economy. The agriculture industry is one of the largest consumers of biotechnology. The industry has been accused, often by groups like the Animal Liberation Front and ELF, of animal cruelty and damaging the environment. Furthermore, the agriculture industry may be a viable target for individuals and organizations wanting to show their willingness to kill but fearful of the retribution for killing human beings. is agricultural terrorism possible? People often ask if an agricultural attack is really feasible. The answer is a simple yes. Not only is it possible, but it has been used multiple times in recent history. Germany, Japan, the former Soviet Union, and a host of other nations have used agricultural terrorism to meet their objectives. Terrorist organizations have used it as well. For example, in 1970 the Ku Klux Klan supposedly poisoned a herd of cattle on an Alabama farm owned by a group of black Muslims.3 However, the more pertinent question is this: Is an agricultural attack probable? The very nature of how the modern farm operates, combined with the lack of adequate biosecurity measures and surveillance at agriculture facilities , inadequate training for veterinarians in foreign animal disease diagnosis , and the effects of large scale animal husbandry create serious challenges for the protection of the...