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Agrosecurity

The threat to agricultural security can come in many forms: natural, accidental and intentional. Agriculture and its related industries are certainly susceptible to sabotage from terrorists, disgruntled employees or others intent on doing harm through the nation's food supply. But just as deadly are losses due to natural disasters and accidents. A well educated industry, employees and emergency response teams can minimize the threat and the damage.

The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has taken on a major role in training throughout the state on agrosecurity issues. Other related activities include an international web network to identify invasive species, education of a largely Hispanic workforce in the Green Industry, cutting the incidence of salmonella and fighting insect pests in urban settings.

Impact Statements

Review these reports on agrosecurity issues from CAES faculty in research, teaching and Extension. For more reports, visit the searchable database.

2015 Reports

• Backyard Flock Biosecurity
• Escalating biosecurity practices

2013 Reports

• Planning for Disaster Response

2012 Reports

• Crisis Communication Training
• Nutrition Education

2011 Reports

• Disaster Preparedness
• Food Defense
• Improve seed health testing
• Bugwood Image Database

2010 Reports

• Human Emotions Study
• Improving access to information
• The Midgut Endocrine System
• Diagnosing plant diseases
• Food and Agricultural Defense

2009 Reports

• Food Emergency Response Plan
• Animal Disaster Plan
• Depopulating small poultry flocks

2008 Reports

• Enhancing Georgia
• Food Handlers Learn to ServSafe®
• Seed health testing

2007 Reports

• Local Emergency Planning
• Agrosecurity Training for Poultry Producers
• Agrosecurity Certificate Program

Georgia FACES Articles

Here's just a sample of agrosecurity issues in the news generated by the college. For the latest news, visit Georgia FACES.

• Francisco Diez is new director of UGA Center for Food Safety
  August 1, 2016 - For years, food scientist Francisco Diez studied and admired the work of University of Georgia Regents’ Professor Mike Doyle, but the two researchers’ paths never crossed. For the next year, they will work closely together as Diez transitions into Doyle’s role as director of the UGA Center for Food Safety in Griffin, Georgia.
• Doubling world food supply the subject of International Agriculture Day lecture
  March 29, 2016 - Ann M. Steensland, deputy director for the Global Harvest Initiative, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Sixth Annual International Agriculture Day reception. The event will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, at the Georgia Museum of Art. Hosted by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Global Programs, the talk and reception are free and open to the public.
• UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences hires Purdue University researcher to head Department of Poultry Science
  December 27, 2015 - Todd Applegate, associate head of the Department of Animal Sciences at Indiana’s Purdue University, has been tapped to lead the University of Georgia’s Department of Poultry Science. He will take the helm starting on Jan. 8.
• October 2015 was feast or famine for rainfall across the Southeast
  November 4, 2015 - While our neighbor to the northeast, South Carolina, was left reeling from October’s floods, parts of Georgia were left with less rain than normal.
• Chambliss and Breedlove inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame
  October 1, 2015 - The Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame has two new members: former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and the late Thomas Richard Breedlove Sr., a pioneering northeast Georgia dairy farmer. Breedlove and Chambliss were inducted Sept. 25 as part of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Banquet and Awards Ceremony.
• UGA President's Farm Tour showcases university's support for agriculture
  September 3, 2015 - From vineyards and vegetable patches to state-of-the-art food processing and food safety operations, agriculture in northeast Georgia is made up of a large and diverse set of enterprises.
• UGA economists to lead series of meetings about farm bill education
  March 27, 2014 - U.S. Farm Bill education will be the focus of an upcoming series of meetings coordinated by University of Georgia agricultural economists.
• Exporting products topic of International Agribusiness Conference
  September 25, 2013 - Farmers and businesses across the Southeast should be exporting more of their products, says a University of Georgia expert.

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