[Tauzero]

Why Thompson would way something so stupid is beyond my reckoning. It might have been stupid to say it, but it happens to be true. It would be very easy to sabotage food imports. On the bright side, his statments provide more excuses for increased government power.

[EternalVigilance]

Don't think that qualifies as 'the bright side', but unfortunately you are right otherwise. It does have the potential for greater governmental meddling and power.

Maybe it was the kneejerk utterance of an inveterate statist.

Or maybe the culture of the agency he headed made mush of his brain.

[The Westerner]

We had a poster here on FR years ago who worked in the agriculture inspection industry. He told us some areas of potential sabotage (chickens) but refused to get specific for reasons of security. Thompson said a correct and true thing. But he held up a big flag and said, "Terrorists, are we ever weak in this dept!"