Attendees listen intently to food defense workshop presentations. Photos by Lydia W. Smith, FAS Office of Capacity Building and Development

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the threat of food borne terrorism has emerged as an increasingly important issue facing the United States and other countries. Leading security experts have warned that food supplies present an attractive target for terrorism due to the open nature of the food and agriculture system from production through food manufacturing, processing, and distribution.

For example, ingredients used in food processing come from many sources, both domestic and foreign. When these ingredients are processed in large batches, biological, chemical, physical, or radiological contamination could be easily introduced and rapidly and widely distributed.

In addition, food products typically change hands numerous times along the supply chain. At each transition point, opportunity exists for deliberate contamination. Perishable food products present a special hazard. Because they are quickly distributed and consumed, large numbers of people could become ill before intentional contamination is detected.

APEC Members Work To Address Vulnerabilities
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation)—a forum of 21 economies on both sides of the Pacific—accounts for about 40 percent of world population, almost 50 percent of world trade, nearly 60 percent of global gross domestic product and, by some measures, nearly 70 percent of world economic growth in recent years.

Fellow APEC members Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam buy two-thirds of all U.S. exports and supply the United States with two-thirds of its imports. The APEC economies buy three-quarters of U.S. agricultural exports, making them important customers for U.S. farmers, ranchers, processors, and exporters.

Because APEC economies account for much of the world’s agricultural trade, food borne terrorism threatens not only the health and economic security of APEC members, but the entire world.

United States Spearheads Workshop
With considerable expertise in addressing the security of the domestic food and agricultural supply chain and recognizing its global interconnectivity, the United States is working with international partners within APEC to build and enhance regional and global capacity to reduce the risk of food borne terrorism.

In November 2006, USDA, the U.S. Department of State and HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) sponsored a food borne terrorism prevention and mitigation workshop for APEC economies as a first step in broader, ongoing APEC work on food defense.

The goal of the workshop was to provide technical assistance and training to attendees from APEC economies on defending against food borne terrorism. The workshop provided information on vulnerability assessment tools and participants shared strategies on how to mitigate risk of intentional acts of terrorism to the food supply.

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service obtained funding for the workshop from the State Department and USDA’s Emerging Markets Program, which helps improve market access and develop or promote U.S. agricultural exports through cost-sharing with eligible applicants.

Jason Dale, director, Group Supply Chain, Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd., provides his insights.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and HHS’ Food and Drug Administration provided faculty for the workshop and offered their expertise in conducting vulnerability assessments.

Food Defense Workshop for APEC Economies Held
On Nov. 1-3, 2006, the United States, along with co-host Thailand and co-sponsors Australia and Chile, held the first-ever, APEC-sanctioned workshop "Mitigating the Terrorist Threat to the APEC Food Supply" in Bangkok, Thailand, in support of the U.S.-initiated APEC Food Defense Initiative.

The workshop brought together policymakers, technical experts, and public- and private-sector stakeholders from 17 APEC economies, including Australia, Chile, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.

Food defense experts shared strategies to prevent attacks and mitigate the impact of an attack on the food supply chain. Attendees participated in exercises using state-of-the-art prevention and mitigation techniques. Eight APEC economies provided overviews of their regulatory and oversight agencies, vulnerability assessment strategies, risk communication, and regulations.

Participants recommended that APEC economies:

• engage in open and transparent discussions in key government sectors, including agriculture, health, trade, domestic law enforcement, and intelligence, and
• encourage frequent collaboration between their public and private sectors and with developing and emerging APEC economies to build their capacity to reduce risk and mitigate the potential of a food borne terrorist attack.

Panelists at closing of workshop. Left to right: Sri-anant Wanasen, researcher, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Thailand; Dr. Warapa Mahakarncahnakul, lecturer, Department of Food Science and Technology, Kasetsart University, Thailand; Dr. Natalia Comella, U.S. Department of State; Isabelle Benoliel, principal advisor to European Commission director general; and Suboonya Hutangkabodee, senior advisor, Thailand Ministry of Public Health.

At the Nov. 18-19, 2006, APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, the United States highlighted these food defense efforts. All 21 APEC leaders committed to continued work on protecting the food supply from deliberate contamination by developing APEC-supported best practices or recommendations.

More workshops and events on this topic are expected in the future.