Terror threat

Agro-Terrorism Threats To Nation’s Food Supply Addressed In House, Senate Bills

US agriculture is a $1 trillion industry employing 9.2 percent of American workers. Domestic animal agriculture production in 2012 alone employed 1.8 million workers and generated $346 billion and provided $60 billion in household income.

“We don’t always think of a terrorist attack as a deliberate, mass food contamination, or the danger a major disease outbreak could pose. But agriculture is Missouri’s most important industry, and Congress needs to think forward about the wide array of threats we face and take action before there’s a tragedy, not afterwards,” said McCaskill, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. “This bill is an example of setting aside differences to work across the aisle to keep American families safe, and that’s the greatest responsibility I have.”