Food and Agriculture SectorCoordinating Councils

John L. Williams, DVMU.S. Department of Agriculture

AFDO Annual ConferenceKansas City, MO

June 7, 2005

Food & Ag. Sector Coordinating Councils

GOAL:

A public-private effort that protects public health and that builds and sustains a protected national food supply chain where the U.S. Food and Agriculture Infrastructure is secure, resilient and prepared.

END STATE:

Homeland Security Presidential Directive-9

Food & Agriculture SectorStrategic Planning

Current Sector Review Partnership program is well established with 75% of the sector represented

under the new Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council (SCC) and meets biweekly.

Federal, state and local governments have organized into the Food & Agriculture Government Coordinating Council (GCC) which meets biweekly.

Their leaderships also meet biweekly.

The GCC is working directly with the SCC on key issues and providing a means to achieve unity and collaboration on key infrastructure security issues. This relationship is also facilitating public-private partnering at the state and local levels.

The awareness of the potential risks to the infrastructure and the importance of protecting the nation’s food chain has been raised. The value of public-private coordination and collaboration on food and agriculture security is now broadly accepted.

Food & Ag. Sector Coordinating Councils

Food and Agriculture Private Sector Sub-Councils

Producers/Plant Sub-Council- Comprised of 30 Firms and Associations

Producers/Animal Sub-Council- Comprised of 42 Firms and Associations and Affiliated Industry Groups

Processors/Manufacturers Sub-Council- Comprised of 61 Firms and Associations

Restaurants/Food Service Sub-Council- Comprised of 6 Associations

Retail Sub-Council- Comprised of 6 Associations

Warehousing and Logistic Sub-Council- Comprised of 10 Associations

Agriculture Production Inputs and Services Sub-Council- Comprised of 16 Firms and Associations

PUBLIC SECTOR PRIVATE SECTORGovernment Coordinating Council (DHS, USDA, HHS/FDA)

Food and Agriculture GovernmentCoordinating Council

Department of Homeland Security Department of Agriculture Department of Health and Human Services/Food

and Drug Administration Department of Defense Environmental Protection Agency Department of Commerce Department of Justice Department of Interior Assoc. of State and Territorial Health Officials Nat’l Assoc. of State Departments of Agriculture National Assembly of State Chief Livestock

Health Officials Assoc. of Food and Drug Officials National Assoc. of City and County Health

Officials

Food and Agriculture GovernmentCoordinating Council

Department of Homeland Security Department of Agriculture Department of Health and Human Services/Food

and Drug Administration Department of Defense Environmental Protection Agency Department of Commerce Department of Justice Department of Interior Assoc. of State and Territorial Health Officials Nat’l Assoc. of State Departments of Agriculture National Assembly of State Chief Livestock

Health Officials Assoc. of Food and Drug Officials National Assoc. of City and County Health

Officials

Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council

Mission and Purpose

The GCC provides effective coordination of agriculture and food security strategies and activities, policy, and communication across government and between the government and the sector to support the nation’s homeland security mission.

The GCC with the public health and clinical issues resulting from a terrorist act involving the food supply.

It acts as the counterpart and partner to the private industry-led Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council to plan, implement and execute sufficient and necessary sector-wide defense programs for the nation’s Food and Agriculture Critical Infrastructure.

Government Coordinating Council (GCC)

Food and Agriculture SectorGovernment Coordinating Council

Food and Agriculture

Sector Coordinating

Council

Dept. of Homeland Security

Dept. of Agriculture

Dept. of Health and Human

Services/Food and Drug

Administration

Dept. of Defense

Environmental Protection

Agency

Assoc. of State and Territorial

Health Officials

The GCC is comprised of director-level representatives from federal, state and local government agencies and organizations.

The FASCC is comprised of 3 representatives from each of 7 sub councils. Coordination across sub councils will happen at the council level.

Nat’l Assoc.of State

Departments of Agriculture

Nat’l Assoc. of County and City Health Officials

Nat’l Assembly of State Chief

Livestock Health Officials

Ex Officio members

Association of Food and Drug Officials

Department of Commerce

Department of Interior

Department of Justice

Ex officio members are non-voting participants whose criteria and qualifications for participating are based upon the ongoing needs for expertise and decisions by the GCC leadership. The purpose of their membership is for the GCC to gain relevant organizational and institutional representation and expertise.

The GCC and SCC will meet quarterly to coordinate food and agriculture security strategies and activities. Decisions will be made on a consensus basis. Communication and information exchange between Councils will be handled by the respective Secretariats.

Food & Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council (F&ASCC)

Private sector owners, operators, and trade associations

Information Sharing Concept taken to the next level

Broad industry participation

Now organized and functioning

Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council (FASCC)

Coordinating Committee

Food and Agriculture Sector Government Coordinating

Council (GCC)

Producers/ PlantSub

Council

Producers/Animals

Sub Council

Processors/ Manufacturers

SubCouncil

Restaurants/ Food Services Sub

Council

RetailSub Council

ISACPriority Issues

CommunicationInformation Sharing

Community and Educational OutreachResearch and Development (Includes Detection)

Vulnerability Assessment / PrioritizationShieldingRecovery

Each sub council will take responsibility for organizingItself.

Each sub-council will identify priority issues. This list is subject to change. Sub councils will likely prioritize issues on this list differently and may add additional issues.

Warehousing and Logistics

Sub- Council

Inputs/Services

Sub Council

Sector Councils – Key Activities

• Review, comment, and implement – Interim National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) and Food and Agriculture Sector Specific Plans (SSPs)

• Share Best Practices & Address Gaps

• Improve communications and information sharing capabilities – Homeland Security Information Network

GCC and F&ASCC come together in Joint Working Groups to address key issues:

This sector is the most advanced in terms of organization and addressing issues jointly. DHS is using it as a model for other sectors as they organize and develop Councils.

USDA Homeland Security Office Contact Information

Phone: (202) 720-7654www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity/