House Passes Agro-terrorism Bill

The U.S. House this week passed the Securing our Agriculture and Food Act, agro-terrorism preparedness legislation that’s also up for a vote in the U.S. Senate. The bill passed the House by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 406-6. Iowa Republican Representative David Young, a sponsor of the bill, says the legislation is a step “towards protecting America and consumers from agro-terrorism, and other high-risk events that pose serious threats to our food, agriculture and livestock industries.” The Act requires the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, through the assistant secretary for Health Affairs, to elevate preparedness of our nation's food, agriculture and veterinary systems against terrorism and high-risk events. The bill authorizes DHS to collaborate with other agencies to ensure food, agriculture and animal and human health sectors receive attention and are integrated into the department's domestic preparedness policy initiatives. The U.S. Senate version of Young's legislation has been voted out of committee and is waiting for a vote to be scheduled in the full Senate.