The Four Phases of Plant Biosecurity Management

Adapting an emergency management

model to protect the U.S. agricultural sector

from intentional and unintentional

biosecurity events

Contents

Best practice

Preventing intentional and unintentional

biosecurity problems

Why an emergency management model?

How does this apply to U.S. agriculture?

The four phases of emergency management

Applying the emergency management

principles to plant biosecurity efforts

Best practice:

proven management strategies

for agricultural producers

Part 1:

Best practice - continued

This course is built on the premise

that “best management practices” by

agricultural producers and workers will

help fight the threat of agroterrorism, and

will also aid in the prevention of

unintentional biosecurity problems –

those caused by human error.

So why adapt

an emergency management

model?

Why emergency management?

Data collected by state and federal agencies

demonstrate that a comprehensive,

coordinated, systematic approach is a

highly effective strategy for dealing with a

variety of emergency situations – both

natural and created disasters.

How does an

emergency management model

apply to U.S. agriculture?

How does the model apply to those

in the agricultural sector?

As shown in Lesson One, U.S. agricultural systems –

from production to transportation, storage, and

processing - are highly vulnerable to acts of terrorism.

In the event of an agroterrorist attack on U.S. soil, all

individuals involved in the agricultural sector must be

equipped with the knowledge and skills to quickly and

appropriately respond to an emergency.

Part 2:

The four phases

of

emergency

management

The four phases of emergency management are:

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Each phase is multi-faceted with numerous individuals

involved in every phase of the model

Regional

Governm

ent

Offi

ces

Stat

e G

over

nmen

t

Nonprofit and

Volunteer

groups

Federal Government

Citizens

Loca

l G

over

nmen

t

& b

usin

esse

s

An important note:

The four phases are not necessarily sequential “steps.”

Preparedness

Response

Recovery

Mitigation

Instead, the 4 phases are ongoing and interconnected; activities of one phase may flow into the others.

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

In the traditional emergency management model, activities occurred within the context of natural disasters and catastrophic accidents.

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Floods

Fire

s

Hurrica

nes T

orn

adoes

Catastrophic Accidents

Earthquakes

Drought

Blizza

rds

In the contemporary emergency management model, new hazards and threats must also be considered.

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Floods

Fire

s

Hurrica

nes T

orn

adoes

Catastrophic Accidents

Earthquakes

Drought

Blizza

rds

Random acts of terrorism

Weapons of mass destruction

Cro

p a

nd liv

esto

ck b

iose

curity

terr

ori

sm a

gain

st

ag

ricu

ltu

ral sy

stem

s

Now let’s look at definitions for the four phases of emergency management:

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Preparedness

Preparedness is any activity that helps an

individual or organization to prepare for

a timely and appropriate response to a

potential hazard, accident, or terrorist event.

Key words:

prepare for a

timely and appropriate response

Response

Response is any action taken at any level of the government or

private sector in response to the discovery of a potential

problem.

Key words:

action taken in response

to the discovery of a problem

Recovery

Recovery is a lengthy, concerted effort to return

the local community to normal operations after

the plant biosecurity event has been effectively

contained and controlled.

Key words:

a lengthy, concerted effort to

return to normal operations

Mitigation

Mitigation encompasses multiple strategies

designed to reduce and eliminate plant

biosecurity hazards and risks, thus avoiding the

consequences associated with a potential

hazard.

Key words:

multiple strategies designed

to reduce and eliminate

hazards and risks

Part 3:

Applying the

emergency management principles

to plant biosecurity efforts

in the U.S.

Individuals involved in agriculture must be engaged in numerous biosecurity activities:

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Agricultural producers work with numerous other individuals in every phase of the model

NPD

N

(Regional

Diagnostic

Netw

ork)

Stat

e G

over

nmen

t

Other producers

and local

comm

unity

groups

AHPIS(Federal

Government)

Agricultural producers

Exte

nsio

n Se

rvic

e,

loca

l gov

ernm

ent

& b

usin

esse

s

Uniform susceptibility and conducive environments

Un

inte

ntio

nal in

trod

uctio

n

of p

ath

og

en

s (hu

man

erro

r)

WM

D u

sed

ag

ain

st

ag

ricu

ltu

ral sy

stem

s

With plant biosecurity management, the context for intentional and unintentional threats are considered.

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Secure equipment and products

At the center of plant biosecurity management: The producer

Preparedness Response

RecoveryMitigation

Plant Biosecurity Preparedness

Preparedness activities may include

• Participating in educational seminars

• Creating biosecurity & emergency management plans

• Simulation exercises to test response systems

• Establishing official notification procedures in the

event a potential problem is discovered.

Plant Biosecurity Response

Response activities may include

• Securing a safe, viable sample

• Launching initial containment activities to halt the spread of a

potential risk until an official diagnosis is made

• Working with specialists in the event that a plant biosecurity

problem is officially diagnosed by the proper authorities.

Plant Biosecurity Recovery

Recovery activities may include

• Destroying diseased plants, vines, or trees

• Cleaning affected equipment and facilities

• Obtaining government subsidies

• Bringing the affected land back into production

Plant Biosecurity Mitigation

Mitigation activities may include

• Planting resistant varieties

• Monitoring/ surveillance/scouting fields

• Establishing visitor security measures

• Installing fences and security gates

• Installing field sensors

Later in this lesson you will have an

opportunity to learn more about specific

roles for producers in the

U.S. plant biosecurity initiative.

For your information . . .

If you would like to determine what you have

remembered about this presentation,

proceed to the Quick Quiz. Remember, this is

a self-test for your learning purposes only.

Your Quick Quiz score will not be recorded.

Now return to Lesson 2, Teaching Scenario 1

For your information . . .

Special thanks to Eric Evans of the Fire and Rescue Training Institute at the University of Missouri for his editorial help with this presentation.