SEN. TALENT DISCUSSES ECONOMIC IMPACT OF AGROTERRORISM AT SENATE HEARING

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) U.S. Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) today testified before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on the economic benefit in having a safe and secure food supply.  

"With the holiday season upon us, it's important we reassure Americans that our nation's food supply in not only the most abundant and affordable in the world, but it's the safest," said Talent.  "This was true before September 11th and it remains true today.  I am confident in our government's ability to work with the agriculture industry and our research institutions to protect the commodities produced by our farmers and ranchers.  Which is why it is so important for us to raise the visibility of issues like food security at hearings like this one."

Sen. Talent serves as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Marketing, Inspection and Product Promotion.  The subcommittee oversees the inspection and certification of agriculture products.  Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-ME) invited Sen. Talent to address the committee and discuss the relationship between a healthy agriculture industry and the nation's economy.  

Sen. Talent pointed out that recent international disease and contamination epidemics illustrate the need for America to strengthen protections against agroterrorism to protect the security of our people as well as jobs and our economy.  "It was just two years ago that an outbreak of foot and mouth disease devastated the European Union's livestock industry resulting in nearly $10 billion in damage its economy, a number that continues to rise," Talent said.

The agriculture sector is vital to jobs and growth in the United States with sales accounting for 13 percent of our Gross National Product (GNP) and nearly one-sixth of all jobs in the United States.  This amount is even greater in states like Missouri and the surrounding Midwest region.  Talent pointed out that in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, the value of livestock and poultry products alone is more than $20 billion dollars. 

"Since September 11, there is a need for heightened vigilance to prevent foreign agricultural pests and diseases from entering the United States," Talent said.  "The idea of terrorists deciding to create food-related threats is something new that we must address and I appreciate the opportunity to address the committee today."

Sen. Talent also commended the University of Missouri system for its cutting edge research efforts that are leading the nation in agroterrorism preparedness.  The University has formed the Midwest alliance, which is developing an innovative framework to respond to threats while pursuing research for the development of disease resistant products that are immune to threats.  The alliance serves as a national research source to help sustain the Midwest agricultural base and respond to threats of agroterrorism.