Posted on 11/10/2004 9:28:12 PM PST by Calpernia
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO - The terrorism attacks of September 11, 2001, bring images of burning skyscrapers and cities in chaos. But rural leaders say the threat is real in agricultural areas, too.
Agri-terrorism could be a disease or a contaminant introduced by terrorists to a plant or animal that can spread to other plants or livestock.
Southeast Missouri State University professor John Kraemer helps run the university's Center for Environmental Analysis.
Kraemer says the first step to preventing agri-terrorism is to monitor the situation abroad, then monitor borders and ports.
He also cites a need to improve methods of inspection and detection, and closer monitoring of places such as processing plants, silos, even farms, sale barns and stockyards.
ping
Interesting. My old Alma Mater. I have a cousin who works there. Hmmmmm.
I can hardly believe that suicide-bombing, airplane-crashing, kidnap-and-beheading, A-rab sheetheads are cooking up a genetic "bug" to screw up our crops.
Well, I have noticed that other 3rd world countries are actively trying to outsource their corps and cattle.
I sit back and say hmmm.
Ok... but are you guys paying for this? One part of my business is exporting Mexican fruit. We don't even bother with the U.S. market because our growers don't want to deal with the U.S. requirements ... and frankly, can't afford to. If they -- or we -- did, we'd have to charge twice as much.
My feeling, and that of the Mexican growers, is that the agri-terrorist is simply another protectionist measure for corporate agriculture -- not good for U.S farmers, not good for Mexican farmers (who are going broke, and see emigrating north as the only means of survival... but that's another few dozen threads) -- and not good for the U.S. consumer.
C'mon... terrorist tomatos and guavas? Give me a break!
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