The Bush Administration has moved aggressively to enhance lab security
at the Department of Agriculture, even before Sept. 11, 2001. USDA’s
laboratories are important assets in protecting U.S. agriculture from
pathogens, whether intentionally or naturally introduced.
A March 2002 USDA Inspector General report outlines recommendations for
increased security at USDA labs and is a useful reference as we continue to
enhance security. Many of the recommendations are already being addressed by
USDA agencies.
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman identified the importance of a
strong infrastructure to protect the food supply including a strong research
and laboratory system to support food safety and pest and disease protection
systems in her a report Food and Agriculture Policy: Taking Stock for the
New Century.
In addition, last May, Secretary Veneman submitted a report to the
Congress based on a USDA 10-year plan for upgrading and consolidating the Ames,
Iowa laboratory facilities that accelerated the completion time to 5 years. The
accelerated plan, with an appropriation of $113 million, will include a new
facility for sensitive diagnostic work, which will be completed in 18 months.
Following the attacks on Sept.11, USDA took immediate steps to secure
sensitive facilities, such as limiting access to laboratories to essential
personnel only; establishing processes for continuous escorts for non-USDA
personnel; and bolstering common security measures, such as increased security
provided by additional guards and/or local law enforcement and other measures
such as enhanced technologies. For example, USDA worked with the Coast Guard to
increase the surveillance around Plum Island.
USDA also quickly formed an internal task force to review policy,
identify priorities and expedite procedures to upgrade security at USDA’s
research laboratories. New policies and procedures for biosecurity issues
covering inventory control, physical security, personnel security, and
biosecurity incident response were adopted in November based on recommendations
of the task force. Agencies have instituted many of the controls called for by
the internal task force and other recommendations are in the process of being
implemented.
USDA contracted for independent reviews of all its labs, with the
highest priority established to review and make recommendations on security for
all five of its BSL-3 locations. In addition to the security upgrades for the
BSL-3 locations, security enhancements at other mission-critical USDA locations
continue to be addressed based on priorities established through ongoing
security assessments.
The FY 2002 Defense appropriations bill signed by President Bush
included $328 million for homeland security efforts at USDA, which includes
significant funds to bolster lab security. In addition, the President’s FY
2003 budget includes a $146 million increase for enhanced security efforts,
including lab security.
