Workshop on Protecting Food Systems from Terrorists Set for March 30 at UMC
A workshop on “Protecting Our Food System from Intentional Attack” is scheduled for the new Crookston Regional Center of the University of Minnesota Extension Service, March 30, 2004.
The four-hour workshop runs from 1 to 5 p.m. in Sahlstrom Conference Center rooms A and B and is sponsored by Extension, the U of M Center for Public Health Preparedness, and the U of M Center for Public Health Education and Outreach.
“We’re doing these workshops because our agricultural and food industries are vital to the economic well-being of Minnesota,” says John Shutske, agricultural safety and health specialist with Extension. “Many people consider our food system to be a vulnerable target to a potential terrorist attack,” Shutske says.
“If we are not prepared to prevent and respond, a terrorist attack targeting agriculture could devastate our economy and cause widespread fear and panic,” Shutske says. “In addition to the economic impact, many people think that a terrorist group or individual could target our food directly through intentional contamination. Fresh fruits and vegetables are particularly vulnerable. They receive little if any processing and a large portion of our fresh produce comes from outside the U.S.”
The workshops are aimed at the local food production and processing infrastructure and the emergency management and response network that helps protect our rural homeland. “We hope they’ll be a model for other states to follow,” Shutske says.
People who’ll be interested in attending include county and local emergency managers, risk managers, food processors, public health directors, veterinarians, law enforcement officials, farmers, food service managers, retailers, Extension educators, farm service agency staff and county commissioners.
“This is also a great opportunity for us to use the new regional Extension system to build partnerships with those involved in emergency preparedness and response at all levels,” ( last name of regional educator) says. This includes the federal government, the state Departments of Agriculture and Public Safety and local resources, including regional Extension educators, county emergency managers and law enforcement officials.
For more information, contact the Crookston Regional Extension Center at 218-281-8027 or 1-888-241-0781. Please RSVP at least a week before the workshop. The cost is $10, which includes a certificate of completion and Continuing Education Units/Credits for nurses, food managers, peace officers, registered dieticians and sanitarians.
You can also click on http://safety.coafes.umn.edu/AgPHP for more detailed information.
Posted 03/02/2004
Contact: Andrew Svec,
218-281-8435