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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 08, 2004

TERRORISM FUNDS WILL HELP AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT RESPOND TO BIOTERRORISM ATTACK
$430,000 federal/state funds earmarked to upgrade laboratory capabilities

SPRINGFIELD, IL—The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) today announced it will use more than $400,000 in state and federal funds to upgrade equipment at its laboratories in Galesburg, Centralia and Springfield in an effort to more effectively respond and assist in the event of a bioterrorism attack in Illinois.

"Homeland security experts have become increasingly concerned about the risks posed to the nation’s agricultural assets in the event of a bioterrorism attack," according to Illinois Department of Agriculture Director, Chuck Hartke. "This has placed agriculture departments throughout the country squarely on the frontlines of defense if such an incident occurs. These funds will help IDOA more rapidly respond and more effectively assist in case Illinois is targeted for such an attack."

Because agriculture is Illinois’ number one industry with both small and large ventures throughout the state--everything from trucking companies to implement dealerships to direct production farms to ethanol plants--there are serious security concerns associated with the state’s ability to respond quickly in the event of a bioterrorism attack, according to Division Manager for Food Safety and Animal Protection, Dr. Colleen O’Keefe.

"We’re developing some cutting edge mapping software to help identify all of these different at-risk agriculture assets," O’Keefe said, referring to an internet-based agriculture asset tracking system announced by Governor Rod Blagojevich in December of 2003. "These additional funds, in particular, will assist us in making sure our laboratory testing capabilities can identify a variety of chemical/biological risks that have developed over the years and continue to be developed today by groups hostile to America."

As an example, O’Keefe cited widely published reports suggesting that the regime of former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, was researching the use of a variety of chemical and biological agents, including mycotoxins—a substance IDOA laboratories would be better able to identify with the help of these grant monies—for intentional contamination of the nation’s grain supply.

Federal Homeland Security grants issued through the Illinois Terrorism Task Force total $230,000 with additional funds coming from IDOA resources. Between state and federal dollars, the monies will provide:

$250,000 to upgrade the Bureau of Environmental Programs Pesticide Lab

IDOA has been designated by the U.S. EPA to assist in the enforcement of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). To meet that mandate, the department investigates potential pesticide misuse complaints and incidents. These investigations often include obtaining samples of potentially contaminated articles for laboratory analysis.

Because of the potential risk for intentional pesticide contamination of water, food, food products, livestock feed, and many other substances the Department has sought the capability to quickly and accurately identify contaminants that may be present.

In addition, new versions of pesticide products have entered the marketplace over the past several years, many of them much easier to conceal and transport due to the difficulty of analyzing them using current methods such as a Gas Chromatograph (GC) or High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC). Grant funds will be used to purchase a Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) detector.

The LC-MS/MS detector is required to analyze many of the newer agricultural pesticides. Currently, the bureau’s pesticide laboratory does not have access to such instrumentation.

According to Warren Goetsch, who heads the IDOA’s Bureau of Environmental Programs, the laboratory is the only pesticide laboratory among the six states comprising U.S. EPA Region 5 that does not have access to an LC-MS/MS. Acquiring the equipment will allow the IDOA to more expeditiously analyze potentially pesticide-contaminated samples with greater sensitivity. Quicker analysis could translate into a more rapid response to a potential disaster, he noted.

$65,000 to supplement the Department Chemistry Lab

The Department will be purchasing a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) to assist in identifying contaminants in the feed and grain sources in Illinois, particularly Myxotoxins, which have been identified as a major threat to the grain supply in the event of an agroterrorism attack. The HPLC can be used to check corn and wheat for the very low levels of contamination. Also, the HPLC is used to find drug contamination in feeds. Very low levels of certain medications, such as Monensin, which is commonly used, can easily be used to cause severe illness and death in animals. A widespread animal kill would be devastating to the state’s economy and would be much easier to accomplish than a lethal human attack.

The HPLC makes screening for this type of contamination possible on a scale that would allow for the protection of the animal feed supply as well as the state’s grain supply.

$48,000 to enable the Galesburg Animal Disease Laboratory to conduct real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis

Real-time PCR is a method for amplifying DNA and RNA and uses kinetics to speed the process of identification of pathogenic organisms. O’Keefe note that the Lawrence-Livermore laboratory is working on multiplex PCR techniques for rapid identification of such agents as Clostridium botulinum, smallpox virus, Brucella and other bacterial and viral pathogens that can and have been weaponized.

$54,000 to add a Gas Chromatograph at the Centralia Animal Disease Lab

The Gas Chromatograph (GC) would be used for testing chemical agents and mycotoxins in livestock feed and meat products. It would also test for certain pesticides and herbicides.

$13,000 to purchase Biosafety Cabinets at the Galesburg Animal Disease Lab

Biosafety cabinets provide small "islands" where infectious and toxic substances can be safely handled by technicians. They are used during the set up of cultures and isolation of various bacterial and viral pathogens to provide safety against potential contamination of the workers and facilities. When "unknown" agents are received, it is important to work with them in biosafety cabinets, O’Keefe said.

In addition to the agriculture asset tracking software and the upgrading of laboratory capabilities, the Department has also establish an Illinois Animal Terrorism Information Hotline, one of the most comprehensive and thorough animal surveillance hotlines in the country, which is now available 24 hours a day.

Veterinarians, livestock producers and government or health officials can call in with questions and concerns related to illnesses in their animals that are unusual or may be related to agroterrorism. The number is 1-888-426-4767. An early warning of suspicious activity would allow the state to move rapidly to lessen the possible impact on human and animal health.

According to O’Keefe, Illinois is home to nearly two million cows, more than four million hogs, 120,000 dairy cattle and 74,000 sheep and goats. Illinois generates nearly $7.5 billion annually in farm income, with the livestock industry generating $1.4 billion in cash receipts.

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