The term ‘homeland security’ conjures up many bad memories of the last decade, from color-coded alert charts to international extremist video messages. But while we were glued to CNN, waiting for the next fear-bomb to go off, no one suspected our next national security threat might come from down on the farm instead of over in the desert. Last week’s 550 million-egg salmonella recall signaled a weakness in American security that agricultural policy-makers have been warning of since 9/11. Beyond the threat of sickness and death due to food-borne illness, large-scale food recalls and a lack of agricultural oversight shows a security weakness that could leave the U.S. vulnerable to bioterrorism.
In the midst of one of the most massive food recalls in our nation’s history, Penn State has announced an addition to their new Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security: the Agricultural Biosecurity option. The degree program will focus on food defense plans and applications in the food industry to prevent intentional contamination.
“The events of 9/11 catalyzed a lot of activity looking at how we protect current food service infrastructure, which is a very good thing,” says Penn State associate professor of plant pathology Gretchen Kuldau. “The introduction of non-indigenous species or foreign pathogens that can affect plants or food animals is something that happens on an ongoing basis. But with the realization that there might also be a human threat from bad actors, it really got people interested in these issues.”
Kildau admits that there have been no recorded cases of proven bioterrorism through food contamination. But since 9/11, agricultural action groups and oversight committees have sprung up to protect the vulnerability of our food supply. This proactive response has given rise to a new breed of agricultural professional that Penn State hopes to train with their newest program. These students will be prepared to protect against threats both natural and intentional, to keep kitchens safe.
“We have a current student who is a veterinarian who will use this degree to help him advance his professional credentialing. We think there will be students who work for the USDA, particularly with APHIS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, food service inspectors,” says Kuldau, “so there are lots of opportunities within government and elsewhere where there is this need for expertise in agricultural biosecurity issues.”
Source: Gretchen Kuldau, Penn State University
Writer: John Steele
