Assessing the Vulnerabilities of Your Farm or Food business Step one in developing a food defense plan
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
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.
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?