LAS
VEGAS, Nev., Oct. 5, 2004 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture
today released a new voluntary security guidance document
for truck transporters of agricultural and food products
to bolster national security and safeguard public health.
"These
guidelines are practical, flexible and proactive," said
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jim Moseley during the American
Trucking Associations (ATA) Agricultural and Food Transporters'
Conference (AFTC) being held here. "USDA developed this
document in partnership with ATA/AFTC and it serves as a
great example of how successful we can be when government
and the private sector work together on homeland security.
This partnership will serve as a model for future efforts."
The
Guide for Security Practices in Transporting Agricultural
and Food Commodities is designed to enhance security measures
practiced by the nation's approximately 27,000 commercial
transporters of agricultural and food-related products across
the nation each year. Trucking is the common denominator
that moves a rich diversity of materials - food as well
as fertilizers, livestock as well as fresh and frozen produce,
building materials as well as farming equipment - and provides
a vital link in the farm to table continuum.
As
part of the partnership, the ATA/AFTC undertook a major
survey of 24,000 commercial food and agriculture transporters
on their concerns regarding security, terrorism, and where
and how to get information. The survey results helped in
the development of the guide and informed the identification
of additional security options aimed at enhancing protections
already in practice across the industry to safeguard people,
property, products, processes, information, and information
systems.
The
release of the guide is especially timely, as fall traditionally
brings increased transportation service demands with the
agricultural harvest season and the start of preparations
and deliveries for the winter and holiday retail season.
This
guide follows the same approach as other guidance offered
by USDA for food producers, processors and providers. All
are consistent with and in support of Homeland Security
Presidential Directive-9, Defense of United States Agriculture
and Food and are available at http://www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity/homeland.html.
The ATA/AFTC website offers information for acquiring the
guide in print or on CD-Rom at http://www.truckline.com/cc/conferences/atc.
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