As of late, APHIS just announced it seeking feedback on list of animal and plant pest and disease threats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking feedback on its proposed list of pests and diseases of concern that are likely to pose a high risk to U.S. agricultural and natural resources.
Section 12203 of the 2018 Farm Bill requires pest- and disease-planning activities that mirror the extensive planning efforts APHIS already performs. Specifically, it requires APHIS to develop a uniform list of pests and diseases that represent the gravest threat to the United States and to develop comprehensive response plans to ensure Federal and State governments are prepared to respond to them. WEBPRO has already reached out once more in an effort to contribute as we did 16 years ago. See below.
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The original article below.
5/27/2004 - Charlotte North Carolina, USA
Homeland Security Project
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced the release of an informational compact disc (CD) for federal and state agriculture first responders to intentional and unintentional introductions of animal diseases into the nation’s food production pathway.
The CD, "Food Security: The Threat to American Livestock," was developed with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in conjunction with RTI International, Auburn University, and Webpro International. This CD is part of an extensive program to enhance the United States’ readiness to detect, deter, and respond to terrorist events involving plant or animal pathogens. State and federal officials who have a role to fulfill in the event of an intentional or unintentional threat to U.S. livestock will also have access to this data bank.
"This new tool provides federal, state, and private veterinarians immediate access to resources and relevant information to help them more effectively identify, respond to, control, and facilitate recovery from a foreign animal disease outbreak," Veneman said.
WEBPRO International was carefully selected from over 500 IT and web development firms throughout the southeast.
WEBPRO was contracted by Research Triangle Institute of Raleigh North Carolina to create a web-based secure CD for Homeland Security. This is a phase 1 project that concerns bio-terrorism in the cattle industry for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Animal and Plant Health inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities.
The APHIS mission is an integral part of U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) efforts to provide the Nation with safe and affordable food.
The collection of information started 2 years prior to WEBPRO'S involvement. After the USDA defined the categories, WEBPRO then designed a special web-based CD in a 4 week time period.
WEBPRO wishes to thank and acknowledge the following key players that brought this project to fruition.
Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Georgia
The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta
ARS
University of Wyoming
Cornell University-College of Veterinary Medicine
Research Triangle Institute
Auburn University Office of Information Technology
ABC News
MSNBC