Rob:  Terrorism isn’t limited to blowing up buildings.  Our food supply is also a target, and a big one.  Food production and distribution is a one trillion dollar industry that accounts for one-in-five jobs here in the United States and the focus of a new effort here in Oklahoma, to educate the people and the areas that are the most vulnerable.  Our Hannah Wright explains.
Hannah:  It’s not a pretty subject. It’s not something producers, or anyone, wants to talk about, but they are, at Agroterrorism Workshops being held around the state.
Derrell Peel:  In the case of Oklahoma, you know, more than three-quarters of our total agricultural production, in the state of Oklahoma, is livestock related.  And much of that is the beef industry.  The beef industry is the most dispersed agricultural, or at least livestock, sector.  And because we are a major, not only a major production state, but also a major transportation center or crossroads for cattle movement around the country, that means that Oklahoma could very well be a particular target if someone did in fact attempt to deliberately introduce something into the U S beef industry.
Hannah:  Derrell Peel is an Ag economist at OSU and says when you take into account how quickly we move agriculture products in our country it is no surprise how fast a disease can potentially spread. That’s why Oklahoma has a disaster education and assistance team in place; Department of Agriculture Veterinarian, Leslie Cole. 
Leslie Cole:  Something that’s really important for the State of Oklahoma is producer knowledge about these diseases. The producer, out there on the ground with his livestock, is the point of the spear in detecting one of these disease incursions that we’re concerned about.
Hannah:  But agriculture producers are not the only ones vulnerable to an animal disease outbreak. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, no industry is more linked to everyday life. 
Gene Parker:  When we have a foreign animal-disease outbreak in the United States, our export markets are going to shut down, the stock market will crash, and we’re going to have big economic problems that are going to affect everybody, whether you own a cow or not.
Hannah:  Parker says quick action is the key to keeping the effects of a foreign disease outbreak minimal. That would include steps like shutting down roads to and from the infected area, and quarantining or possibly eliminating, infected herds.
Rob:  Now we have much, much more on work happening in our state to prevent terrorism.  Just visit our website at OkHorizon.com and click on value added.