July 10, 2007
Tunkhannock, PA—Congressman Christopher P. Carney, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Management, Investigations and Oversight, held a field hearing Monday at the Wyoming County Courthouse in Tunkhannock, PA.
"As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I believe it is vital for Congress to ensure that both the public and private sectors are doing everything in their power to keep America's food supply safe from terrorist acts," said Congressman Carney. "This hearing gave us the opportunity to examine what the Department of Homeland Security is doing to respond to an agro-terror or food contamination event and how it impacts Northeast and Central Pennsylvania."
Prior to the hearing, Congressman Carney toured Cargill Meat Solutions, formerly Taylor Beef, in Bradford County to look at their operations and discuss safety. He met with Michael Coleman, Cargill’s President, who discussed their operations and how they ensure the safety of their products. A Representative from the USDA attended as well. “Cargill has a reputation to maintain. They have shown us that safety and high quality can be maintained with a private-public partnership. These partnerships are proving more valuable than government mandates,” said Rep. Carney.
In the hearing, Congressman Carney stated, “Agriculture is one of Pennsylvania's leading industries. According to data compiled by the state's Department of Agriculture, 59,000 farm families farm over 7.7 million acres in this state alone. And it's not just farmers that contribute to our agriculture industry—there are over 2,000 food processing businesses scattered across the state that create goods for market, or prepare foodstuffs for the next step towards finished product.”
Agriculture is a thriving industry in Pennsylvania, particularly the district that Congressman Carney represents. According to the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service, in the 10th district of Pennsylvania, there are over 8,355 farms, accounting for over 996,000 acres of land. In 2006, Pennsylvania farms produced $4.9 billion worth of goods, including $1.1 billion in exports. Dairy contributed over $1.7 billion to this total, producing over 10.5 billion gallons of milk in 2005.
“Pennsylvania is not alone. Many states rely upon agriculture as a major piece of their economy. Most consumers take for granted what it takes to keep bringing food to their tables. Aside from just planting, farming, and harvesting, the industry produces, packs, and ships to markets--not to mention safety, which is integral to every step of the process,” said Congressman Carney. While domestic sources account for the vast majority of what appears on our plates at every meal, America imports roughly 15% of what we eat.
Agro-terrorism is receiving an increase in funding on the federal level. According to the Office of Management and Budget, the 2006 presidential budget statement included $596 million to improve our ability to detect and contain contamination of America’s agriculture and food system. This was a net increase of $144 million from 2005.
The field hearing featured testimony from Dave Filson, the Emergency Preparedness & Response Coordinator and Partnership Expansion Leader with the Penn State Cooperative Extension. Other witnesses include: Dr. Frederic J. Hoerr, a professor of veterinary medicine at Auburn University and Dr. Tom McGinn from the Department of Homeland Security.
Mr. Filson focused on the need for public-private partnerships. “Our system of food and agriculture safety is very complex, but it works! Could it be improved? Yes. Can we ensure zero risk? Absolutely not. Partnerships exist and they function, but sometimes the effectiveness of the partnership is limited intentionally, or unintentionally, by silo or stovepipe philosophy.”
Mr. Filson continued, “As our society and our culture are changed by the events of the world, our way of doing business needs to change as well. Change is difficult for everyone. We are doing business differently, which is necessary. Some who are directly affected by changes in agency roles and accountability are challenged to perform in a new work environment. Time will help, but we must all be accountable for our individual and collective role and responsibility to ensure a safe and secure food and agriculture system. You, as House Homeland Security Committee members are included in that charge.”
“It is clear that more work needs to be done on this issue. The Department of Homeland Security needs to be more proactive--not reactive--in anticipating threats. I hope that this hearing is a strong step forward in fostering better public-private partnerships to keep our country safe,” concluded Congressman Carney.
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