contents

Alternative Way of Farming

 

A Familiar Face Reflcets on Texas Tech

 

September 11th will be a day that remains in our minds forever because of the horrific images and heart-breaking sadness. But also for the fact that when one world ended on that Tuesday morning another one was born; one that has brought about significant changes for years to come.
One area that will have an impact for years to come is the change in the agricultural industry. Dr. Norman Hopper, associate dean of student and alumni affairs for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University, says that the terrorist acts reinforced the fact that we are vulnerable.
“It is a real unfortunate thing that has now affected life,” Hopper said.
He believes that it has caused those in the agricultural industry to start thinking about protecting the integrity of our food and water supplies.
“Because we produce the most basic of basic product, it has changed all of our futures,” Hopper said.
Dr. Louis Chiodo, assistant director for science for the Institute of Environmental and Human Health at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, agrees that the industry has gone through a tremendous change.
“You would have to be under a rock to not know that our world has changed,” Chiodo said.
Zooterrorism and bioterrorism are terms that have been around for a while, but are now being used more frequently since September 11th. This is the targeted attack on animal and plant commodities.
Chiodo stated that the average feedlot cow is on the lot for 240 days posing more of a threat because keeping the cattle in a contained place for such a long period of time allows for attacks to be more accessible.
Chiodo said that he believes this type of terrorism is a real threat and has been prior to the September 11th attacks. He says terrorists use zooterrorism because it is easy for animals to serve as a production vessel for the attacks.
“It is wrong to think that the terrorist mind is a stupid mind,” Chiodo said. “It is not our mind, but instead a very scientific one.”
Dr. Kevin Pond, in the department of animal science at Tech, says that there is a chance that bio or zooterrorism could pose a threat for the High Plains because of the swine, dairy and huge beef cattle industry in the area.
“There is a tremendous opportunity for threat in this area,” Pond said.
Pond says that if the swine and cattle that are raised and processed in the area are attacked, the effects could spread all over the country. For example, contaminated ground beef or milk could be shipped to all parts of the nation.
Food safety has always been a concern around the world, however we are now more focused on the issue. Hopper says that we now we need to be very conscience of someone intentionally wanting to cause harm.
“Terrorists will probably stop at nothing,” Hopper said.
Chiodo said that one of the problems now is distinguishing between what might be terrorism or just a previously existing disease in livestock. He believes that it is hard to know whether diseases or threats are natural or man-made terrorism. “In this day and age we always have to be thinking about biological warfare and terrorist attacks,” Chiodo said.
Hopper says that the future changes of agriculture are hard to predict, but that awareness is going to be the key for future safety. He says that even though new technologies will be developed, awareness is what is really going to help protect our resources.
“For our safety, we’re trying to think like they (terrorists) would think,” Hopper said.
Pond thinks that future changes for safety will include reduced or limited traffic in and out of feedlots. He also says that there will be major changes in grocery stores, which can be the most locally vulnerable place. According to Pond, prepackaging food items and monitoring their transport will probably become very routine in the future.
Chiodo believes that it is important to educate those in the industry, including, producers and veterinarians. He says that teaching and practicing preventative medicine will be a big part of our security.
“Early warning gives us options by taking control away from the terrorists and putting it back in our hands,” Chiodo said.

Easing Trade

 

Mapping Out a Career from the Classroom

 

Fuel of the Future

 

Dan Taylor Keeps the South Plains Ginning

 

A Nation Changed

 

USTRC...in the Making

 

Where Are They Now?

 

The Bobwhite Crusade

Seed Association has Rural Roots

 

 

Sponsors

 

Home