Lexington, KY - The public became much more aware of the word "agrosecurity" after the September 11 attacks, but it is more than just something connected with terrorism.
Now, thanks to two pilot projects which University of Kentucky (UK) extension specialists played a significant role in developing, the UK Cooperative Extension Service is helping communities here and in other states learn more about agrosecurity and the proper actions to take in the event of an ag-related emergency.
The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Animal Agrosecurity and Emergency Management seminar and the EDEN Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning workshop were designed to create an awareness among agriculture professionals and emergency management people, according to Andrea Husband, UK agrosecurity program coordinator.
"Agriculture professionals will have a greater understanding of our emergency management issues, and emergency management professionals can have a better understanding of agriculture issues so they can be aware of those types of needs in their communities," she said.
Ricky Yeargan, UK senior extension associate, said that public awareness of agri-terrorism heightened after September 11, but as years passed without anything happening the public, has abated some of the concern since then. Still, he said, the need for emergency planning is important for more reasons than terrorist attacks.
"More recently with the winds from Hurricane Ike and the ice storm we have just gone through, there were occasions in both of those events where fences were compromised and animals were loose, and in the ice storm there were power outages," he said.
Yeargan added that with power outages, livestock owners, and particularly dairy farmers, still have to continue with operations around the clock.
"If you don't have power or a generator, that makes people start thinking of emergency planning," he said.
UK specialists developed the seminar through a partnership with New Mexico State University and several additional support institutions and created the workshop curriculum with funding from the USDA and EDEN, according to a report from UK.
"We're targeting all hazards, particularly in the seminars, which are based on an online course we developed," Yeargan said. "It's about eight hours worth of content if someone takes it at their computer."
The training deals with weather hazards as well as intentional events, preparedness and response issues, and ways to mitigate problems and lessen the impact of unavoidable occurrences, as well as recovery issues including compensation of lost stock and property, said Yeargan.
Husband said the seminars include scenarios that get participants involved and tie all the information together, showing people how to apply them to real-life experiences. She also said that the extension service is the ideal way to disseminate the information. In fact, the training has become mandatory for extension specialists in some states.
"These trainings provide a perfect conduit for emergency preparedness managers to get information on potential agrosecurity issues and connect them to local extension agents," said Husband. "Few people (aside from) extension agents know the breadth and depth of a county's commodities and the key agricultural components that would need to be protected in the event of a disaster."
Another element that has come to light through training sessions is the outreaching effect agriculture has on a community, including its economic impact on other business sectors and its connection to public health.
"It's not only the agricultural aspects that we need to be thinking about but it's also associated things, such as public health," said Husband. "Things such as zoonotic diseases, or diseases people can get from animals, are also an issue. This is a key issue."
Some of the workshops also cover not only information about agricultural assets but protecting food processing plants, Husband added.
Upcoming seminars and workshops will mark the first time Husband and Yeargan have presented in Kentucky, but several universities across the nation already are using the seminar and several states are piloting the workshop, and it is projected to go across the country.
Yeargan said in a joking manner, "In the words of ZZ Top, 'we're bad, we're nationwide.'" Obviously the fact that so many are finding the training beneficial is a testament to the UK staff. Yeargan is quick to point out the serious aspects of the program, however, and said that not only has it helped agriculturally for those who have gone through it, but it is becoming a model for other areas.
"At the original workshop, held in New Mexico, an emergency management person said this is a great process and they were going to use it to develop an ag component, which they didn't have. He also said they were going to use the same process for other infrastructure needs," said Yeargan.
Upcoming seminars are planned for May 11 to 12 in Boyd County, May 14 to 15 in Pulaski County, and May 20 to 21 in Muhlenberg County. The sessions will be held at the county extension office and will run from noon to 5 p.m. on the first day and 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second day. All times are local. Husband and Yeargan encourage all interested stakeholders, such as agricultural producers, emergency responders, law enforcement, local elected officials, and extension professionals, to attend.