**GAO-05-214**                      Published: Mar 08, 2005. Publicly Released: Mar 08, 2005.                  

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## Highlights

U.S. agriculture generates more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity and provides an abundant food supply for Americans and others. Since the September 11, 2001, attacks, there are new concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. agriculture to the deliberate introduction of animal and plant diseases (agroterrorism). Several agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Defense (DOD), play a role in protecting the nation against agroterrorism. GAO examined (1) the federal agencies' roles and responsibilities to protect against agroterrorism, (2) the steps that the agencies have taken to manage the risks of agroterrorism, and (3) the challenges and problems that remain.

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## Topics

Homeland Security

Agricultural industryAnimal diseasesAnimalsCattleCounterterrorismDisease detection or diagnosisEconomic analysisEmergency preparednessEmergency responseEmergency response plansEpidemicsstate relationsHomeland securityImmunization servicesInfectious diseasesInspectionInteragency relationsLaboratoriesLivestockMedical educationPlant diseasesPlants (organisms)ProtocolsResearch and developmentRisk managementStrategic planningTerrorismZoonotic diseases