Transcript June 7, 2005 - Williams

Food and Agriculture Sector
Coordinating Councils
John L. Williams, DVM
U.S. Department of Agriculture
AFDO Annual Conference
Kansas 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 Sector
Strategic 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
GovernmentPUBLIC
Coordinating
Council
SECTOR
(DHS, USDA, HHS/FDA)
Food and Agriculture Government
Coordinating 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
PRIVATE SECTOR
Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council
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 SubCouncil
- Comprised of 16 Firms and Associations
Government Coordinating Council (GCC)
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.
Food and
Agriculture
Sector
Coordinating
Council
Dept. of
Homeland
Security
Food and Agriculture Sector
Government Coordinating Council
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.
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
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)
Each sub council will take
responsibility for organizing
Itself.
Producers/ Plant
Sub
Council
Producers/
Animals
Sub Council
Processors/
Manufacturers
Sub
Council
Restaurants/ Food
Services Sub
Council
Retail
Sub Council
Priority Issues
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.
Communication
Information Sharing
Community and Educational Outreach
Research and Development (Includes Detection)
Vulnerability Assessment / Prioritization
Shielding
Recovery
Warehousing and
Logistics
Sub- Council
ISAC
Inputs/
Services
Sub
Council
Sector Councils – Key Activities
GCC and F&ASCC come together in Joint Working
Groups to address key issues:
• 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
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) 720-7654
www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity/