Assessing the Vulnerabilities of Your Farm or Food business

Step one in developing a food defense plan

The Farm-to-Table Food Supply Chain is

Vulnerable Production Agriculture

Supplies

Transportation

Auctions

Feedlots

-Farm

The Farm-to-Table Food Supply Chain is

Vulnerable (continued)Food

Processing Supplies Employees Bulk Mixing Bulk Storage Water supply

The Farm-to-Table Food Supply Chain is Vulnerable (continued)

Retail Food Sales Supplies Employees Buffet Service Areas Farmer’s Market Fresh Produce

Is Food Defense Different than Food

Safety? Food Defense focuses on

protecting the food supply from intentional contamination.

Food Safety (HACCP) and Biosecurity focus on protecting the food supply from unintentional contamination. They help with, but are not a substitute for food defense.

Who Might Intentionally Contaminate a Food/Animal

Facility?Disgruntled employee/former

employee

Contract or temporary employee

Members of extremist groups

Truck driver

Affiliate of a competing facility

Visitor to facility

Potential Contaminants

Biological Agents: Injure by causing disease, or producing toxin.

Chemical Agents: Injure through toxicity to biological systems, or chemical burns to tissue.

Radiological Agents: Injure externally (radiation burns) or internally (organ damage).

What Makes an Attractive Agent of Intentional

Contamination

Incubation period/delayed effect

Highly effective

History of use

Available (easily produced in

adequate quantity)

Low traceability

Case Study: Bitter Harvest

1973 Fire retardant (PBB) accidentally mixed into feed rations for cattle.

Over a year later sickness in animals, and humans is linked to PBBs.

Cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, and contaminated commodities are destroyed and buried.

97% of humans living in Michigan during that time period have PBBs in their system.

Consider how a chemical might be “delivered” as an intentional contaminant: Directly added during production

process Added to ingredients at the supplier

level Indirect addition during the

production process(ex. Cleaning supplies or pesticides, packaging materials)

Transmission of Chemicals

Consider how a disease might be “delivered” as an intentional contaminant: Aerosol (airborn) Directs contact (including reproductive) Fomite (contaminated object) Oral (feed or water) Vector-borne (insect transmission) Zoonotic (transmission between humans

and animals)

Transmission of Disease in Livestock

Consider how a microbiological agent might be “delivered” as an intentional contaminant: Directly added to finished product Indirect addition to environment or

finished product (ex. Listeria)

Transmission of Pathogens in Food

Helpful Resources for Vulnerability Assessment

Labeled map of facility Written operational procedures Workforce procedures University extension personnel Law enforcement Insurance Agent

Government Guides

USDA – Pre-harvest Security Guide

USDA/Food Safety and Inspection Service – Developing a Food Defense Plan for Meat and Poultry Slaughter and Processing Plants

Food and Drug Administration – Guidance for Industry, Food Producers, Processers, and Transporters: Food Security Preventative Measures Guidance

Nine Questions to Assess Vulnerability

1. Is your outside perimeter secure?

2. Is access within your operation limited?

3. Are your processes secure?

4. Is your shipping and receiving secure?

Nine Questions to Assess Vulnerability continued

5. Do you have an inventory system for stored materials?

6. Is access to your water supply limited?

7. Is mail opened away from sensitive areas?

8. Do you have screening and training procedures for your workforce?

9. Is access to sensitive areas limited?

Livestock Auction Barn

Family owned auction facility with sales on Monday and Wednesday.

Restaurant on premises open Monday through Saturday from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Located at the corner of two highways and has a perimeter fence.

8 permanent and 12 part time employees.

Livestock Auction Barn, cont.

Arena can seat 300 people. Restaurant can seat 75 people. Can accommodate up to 5,000

animals. Security cameras are located inside

the pavilion but not in the pens. Restrooms are shared with arena and

restaurant.

24’

24’

Livestock Auction Barn Vulnerability Worksheet

Completed By: Mike R. O’Phone Vulnerability Assessment Worksheet

Date: 5-19-09

Vulnerability Questions Y N N/A

1. Is your outside perimeter secure?

2. Is access within your operation limited?

3. Are your processes or procedures secure?

4. Is your shipping and receiving secure?

5. Do you have an inventory system for stored materials?

6. Is access to your water supply limited?

7. Is mail opened away from sensitive areas?

8. Do you have screening and training procedures for your workforce?

9. Is access to sensitive areas limited?

Work on Your Vulnerability Assessment