Agriculture & Food Defense Archives

Gene Drives – An Emerging Terrorist Threat

Richard Schoeberl December 19, 2018

Conventional acts of terrorism will likely never fade away, and advancements in technology will continually raise concerns for governments and global security practitioners. The increasing threat and possibility of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) use is evolving. Terrorist groups are actively seeking materials and the expertise to manufacture

Environmental Health – Profoundly Local & Profoundly Useful

David T. Dyjack December 12, 2018

Nutrition, community resilience, and poverty are just a few factors that are of great importance to public health professionals, which include representatives for maternal and child health, preparedness, nutrition, epidemiology, and land use planning, among others. However, the second largest segment of the public health workforce – the environmental health

Combating Pandemic Threats – Global Health Security Agenda

Gary Flory December 5, 2018

On 6-8 November 2018, global health leaders from around the globe met in Bali, Indonesia, for the 5th Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) Ministerial Meeting. At the meeting, the GHSA launched a five-year plan to address health security issues called GHSA 2024 and U.S. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary

Food Safety Alert: Recurring E. Coli Outbreaks

Gagandeep Gill and Lindsay Fahnestock November 28, 2018

Food is essential to life. Its production, distribution, and consumption present unique – and increasingly urgent – economic and public health challenges. Roughly 50% of the world’s assets, 50% of global employment, and 50% of consumer expenditures are related to the food system. Closer to home, the second and third

Planning for Animals in an Emergency Management Strategy

Heather Kitchen October 31, 2018

Throughout history, animals and pets have held varying degrees of importance to the people who care for them. They have been worshipped, raised for food, served as co-workers on farms, or just loved as companions. Regardless of their “worth,” when something disrupts the ability to care for those animals, outside

FEMA Challenges & Responses, 2017-2018

Kay C. Goss September 26, 2018

The overall goal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), emergency management programs, and the profession of emergency management is to have the disaster system be federally supported, state managed, and locally executed. FEMA maintains a delicate and fragile balance between leading and nurturing this enormous system and this exciting

Planning Needed – Climate Change Impact on Animals

Johanna Rahkonen and Richard Green August 1, 2018

Animal populations will be uniquely impacted by the increasing, changing, and compounding disasters attributed to the rapidly advancing effects of climate change. Companion animals will face displacement, livestock will suffer from physiological stressors, and wildlife may face localized extinctions. Animals from all sectors may experience increased instances of negative health

Five Steps Toward Enhancing Climate Resilience

Emily Wasley April 4, 2018

People, communities, businesses, and governments around the world are already experiencing the devastating human, economic, and environmental consequences of a changing climate. Many have been impacted by “acute climate shocks” such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, heatwaves, and severe winter storms – resulting in the loss of lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

Animal Relocation After Disaster – Four Cases in 2017

Richard Green January 31, 2018

Between late August and the end of 2017, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) deployed to six states and the U.S. Virgin Islands in response to four disasters: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and the wildfires in Northern California. In all, the ASPCA assisted nearly

Biothreats – Advocating Action Through Transition

Robert C. Hutchinson November 29, 2017

On 15 November 2016, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a letter report to the president on “Action Needed to Protect Against Biological Attack.” PCAST urged the president for immediate action to ensure that the nation has the ability to meet these challenges with near-,

Critical Infrastructure Partnerships – Prioritizing Assets

Christopher Ryan November 15, 2017

A key early step for critical infrastructure protection (CIP) programs is to identify and prioritize the most important facilities and assets for maintaining community safety, normalcy, and quality of life. Within single jurisdictions, CIP program managers typically choose prioritization criteria to determine the most critical assets. However, developing customized prioritization

Prioritizing Life Safety While Addressing Classroom Security

Lori Greene October 25, 2017

As school districts across the country provide an effective level of security within budgetary constraints, dozens of new retrofit security devices are being marketed to enhance the safety and security of students and teachers. Although the price tag for some of these security methods may be attractive, there are also

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