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Direct losses due to containment measures, such as stop-movement orders (SMOs) or quarantines of suspected stock, would represent the first loss that the United States would experience in an agroterrorism attack. Disease-ridden livestock would have to be culled and destroyed. After this, farmers would require compensation for the destruction of agricultural commodities, and industries directly and indirectly related to the agriculture industry would suffer economic losses as well.

International costs would also arise as a result of protective trade embargoes enforced by countries concerned for the public health and safety of their own people. International trade provides an important market for crop production and a growing share of meat production as well. In 2013, the United States exported $144 billion in agricultural products, or almost ten percent of all exports. American agriculture industries rely more heavily on export markets than any other sector of the nation’s industry. An agroterrorism event that instigated fear or even uncertainty in our international customers could be financially devastating to the nation’s agricultural interests.

These consequences would only exacerbate those that are present with any form of terrorism. A successful biological assault against the agricultural sector could also undermine the public’s confidence in the government. Dealing with an attack could generate public criticism, especially when animal welfare is concerned with the slaughter of livestock. Such attacks could also create fear and anxiety from the public.

The scope of an agroterrorist attack and its consequences can be widened even further when the following vulnerabilities are faced:

Breeding and raising livestock in highly crowded conditions would make an outbreak of a contagious disease very difficult to contain. All exposed livestock would most likely have to be destroyed. Modern husbandry practices have made livestock more susceptible to disease. These include sterilization programs, dehorning, branding, hormone injections, and the overuse of antibiotics. Farms typically do little to prevent unauthorized access, most animal auctions and barn sales have no organized on-site surveillance, and food processing and packing plants tend to lack security and safety preparedness measures. Livestock producers are responsible for reporting unusual occurrences of animal disease, and these individuals may have incentives to avoid doing so. Many practicing veterinarians are unable to recognize and treat foreign livestock diseases. With larger herds and breeding operations, animals are rarely attended to individually, causing emerging diseases to be overlooked.

Consequences of Agroterrorism

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