Part of the ACDIS Global Biosecurity Seminar Series.
Co-sponsored by the Center for Global Studies.

Abstract: On July 17, 2007, U.S. Senators Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the National Agriculture and Food Defense Act of 2007. The bill, which was in response to perceived gaps in our nation’s agriculture and food defense capabilities, aimed to help federal, state, and local governments work with private business to prepare for, detect, respond to, and recover from an agro-terror attack or deliberate food contamination, while maintaining the authority of States to oversee food within their jurisdiction. As part of the NAFDA Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of National Intelligence, were to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study relating to the use of irradiation technologies to enhance food defense capabilities. This seminar will detail how a scientist assisted in briefing policy makers to formulate part of this proposed legislation.