![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.551388888888889in"
height="1.4694444444444446in"}

Release No. 0222.02

Alisa Harrison (202) 720-4623

Johna Pierce (202) 720-4623

USDA RELEASES OVER \$5 MILLION TO CALIFORNIA FOR STRENGTHENING
AGRICULTURE HOMELAND SECURITY PROTECTIONS

STOCKTON, Ca., May 31, 2002---Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today
announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is releasing
\$5,034,869 to the state of California to bolster food and agricultural
homeland security protections, out of a total of more than \$43 million
being provided to states. The resources are part of \$328 million
approved by President Bush and the Congress earlier this year to
strengthen USDA's homeland security preparedness.

"These grants are an important component of the Administration's
continued efforts to strengthen homeland security protections for
America's food and agriculture," said Veneman. "States and local
communities, academia and the private sector are all critical partners
in making sure we are prepared in the event of an emergency."

The \$43 million will provide funding to support critical efforts to
strengthen the food supply infrastructure. Of that, \$20.6 million will
be provided to our state and university cooperators to be used to
establish a network of diagnostic laboratories disbursed strategically
throughout the nation to permit rapid and accurate diagnosis of animal
disease threats; \$14 million will be used to strengthen state
capabilities to respond to animal disease emergencies, primarily by
helping every state to meet the national standards of emergency
preparedness established by the National Animal Health Emergency
Management System; \$4.5 million will be used to strengthen state-level
surveillance for animal disease; and \$4.3 million will be used to
assist states to improve their capability to detect plant pests and
diseases.

Secretary Veneman made the announcement along with Rep. Richard Pombo
and California\'s Secretary of Agriculture William (Bill) J. Lyons, Jr.
at a meeting with local farmers and ranchers to discuss homeland
security issues. This week, Veneman, along with several USDA subcabinet
members, will travel to nearly a dozen states to discuss the importance
of homeland security and actions that federal, state, private sector and
academia are taking to improve agriculture protection systems.

The state of California will receive \$5,034,869 in funding. Of that,
\$2.9 million will be used for rapid detection and diagnostics network,
\$1,513,459 will be for animal disease response, \$350,000 will be for
plant pest and disease detection and \$271,410 will be for animal
disease surveillance.

-more-

-2-

Earlier this year, USDA also announced additional homeland security
allocations which include:

-   \$177 million to make physical and operational security improvements
    at key USDA locations. This provides \$64 million at the animal
    disease center in Ames, Iowa to relocate labs from leased space into
    the main Ames campus and includes funds for a new facility for
    sensitive diagnostic work, which will be completed in 18 months.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   \$23 million for USDA's Plum Island laboratory, pending an
    independent review of the critical needs and options for the
    facility.

-   \$35 million to strengthen the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection
    program to exclude agricultural pests and diseases at the borders.
    These funds are being used to expedite development of an automated
    system of inspections in coordination with the U.S. Customs Service.
    In addition, USDA is purchasing 100 rapid pathogen identification
    devices and hiring additional inspection personnel.

-   \$16.5 million for the Food Safety and Inspection Service to
    increase monitoring, provide training to inspectors and expand
    technical capabilities. \$1.5 million of these funds are being used
    to hire additional inspectors for imported meat and poultry.

-   \$15.3 million for the Agricultural Research Service to improve
    rapid detection technologies for foot and mouth diseases as well as
    other animal diseases.

Additional information on homeland security is available from
[www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity](http://www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity).

In USDA's FY 2003 budget request, more than \$150 million is being
requested for additional homeland security protections. As well, if the
budget is approved by Congress, it would bring food safety and pest and
disease protection spending to the highest levels ever at USDA.

#  

\#