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Terror risk lurks on U.S. farms
Reg Required so posted in full. Hattip the Agonist Tall buildings and outdoor cafes are tempting targets for terrorists. So may be the hamburger in your bun — or the bun itself. America's food supply is vulnerable to attacks that might not be as dramatic as a bomb but could have explosive consequences for the economy and public confidence, scientists and law enforcement officials agree.Many of them will convene this week in Kansas City for the first international symposium on "agroterrorism." They will talk about how easily diseases can be used as weapons against crops or livestock and how best to prevent an outbreak. Farms generally are wide-open places with minimal security. And feedlots concentrate thousands of animals together. That is a perfect opportunity for contagious disease. "It would be a catastrophe if someone happened to drop some foot-and-mouth or something out there," said Terry Handke, whose Atchison County, Kan., feedlot can fatten about 4,000 head of cattle. Posted by: phil_b 2005-05-02 |
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