Agrosecurity
Enhancing Georgia's Agrosecurity Awareness
The events of 9/11, national initiatives such as development of the Department of Homeland Security, and last year's devastating hurricanes emphasize the need to institute relevant agriculture security programming in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The College has contributed substantially to Georgia's agrosecurity preparedness through its activities in collaboration with the Georgia Committee on Agriculture and Food Defense.
In 2005, about 300 county Extension agents and specialists were trained on Agrosecurity Awareness and the Incident Command System levels 100 and 200 in four statewide training events. In addition, 37 local Agrosecurity Awareness trainings were coordinated to educate more than 1,000 Georgians to increase the knowledge of potential responders on relevant agriculture issues. Training continued through spring, 2006. This training is designed to raise potential responders' abilities to recognize, respond to and notify the correct authorities in the event of an agricultural emergency or disaster.
Source: Don Hamilton, Director of Agrosecurity Awareness (2006)