Oklahoma-Farm-and-Ranch_480240

SEPTEMBER 2025 | 7 I By Barry Whitworth, DVM Live s t o ck Agr o t e r r o r is m : A R e a l Th r e a t t o t h e Live s t o ck I n d u s t r y In January 2025, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) con rmed the presence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Germany. In March, Hungary and Slovakia reported cases as well. All three of these coun- tries had not experienced FMD outbreaks for decades. In June, Italy and France announced that Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) had been detected in their countries for the rst time. The origin of these two viruses has never been discovered leaving open the ques- tion of whether these two viruses were deliberately introduced. Livestock agroterrorism is a subgroup of agroterrorism that involves the intentional release of viruses, bacteria, toxins, and other harmful agents into agricultural animal populations. The goal is to generate fear among the public, cause economic hardship, and create social chaos. Agroterrorism does not receive as much attention as other forms of terrorism; how- ever, it poses a signi cant threat to national security, public health, and the global food supply chain. Diseases that may be associ- ated with livestock agroterrorism include African Swine Fever, FMD, Avian Influenza, Exotic Newcastle Disease, and many others. These diseases are highly contagious and di cult to con - tain. Controlling them typically requires mass culling of animals, lengthy quarantines, and extensive sanitation of facilities. Terrorists are attracted to this form of terrorism for several reasons. Disease agents used in livestock agroterrorism are rela- tively easy to obtain and are not as strictly regulated as those used in human bioterrorism. Addition- ally, terrorists can achieve a large impact with relatively low costs. Producing these biological agents is inexpensive, yet they have the potential to cause enormous eco- nomic damage. The United States (US) live- stock industry is at risk of agro- terrorism for a variety of reasons. The industrial approach to farming places large numbers of animals in close proximity, allowing infec- tious agents to spread rapidly. An- other risk is that animals are born, fed, and harvested in different parts of the country. As animals are transported long-distances across the county, pathogens move with them. Many livestock operations also lack biosecurity protocols, providing opportunities for pathogens to be introduced. Lastly, disease experts may not recognize the malicious introduc- tion of a disease agent, since it would likely resemble a naturally occurring outbreak. This could allow the disease to spread signi - cantly before control measures are implemented. Livestock producers must take steps to protect their operations. If producers do not have a biosecu- rity protocol in place, they should develop one with the help of their veterinarian and their local Okla- homa State University Coopera- tive County Extension Agriculture Educator. Biosecurity is a critical deterrent to the introduction of pathogens. Producers should al-so become familiar with the clinical signs of common diseases that could be used in an agroterrorism event. Early recognition of symptoms is key to containing an outbreak. They should strengthen on-farm security by restricting unauthor- ized access to their property. The United States has one of the safest and most a ordable food supplies in the world. However, bad actors may seek to exploit vulnerabilities in the livestock industry and in ict harm on the country. To combat these threats, livestock producers must con- tinue to protect their operations by implementing the latest disease prevention methods and securing their facilities. For more informa- tion about livestock agroterror- ism, producers should consult with their local Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension County Agriculture Educator. References Available on Re- quest Livestock agroterrorism is a subgroup of agroterrorism that involves the intentional release of viruses, bacteria, toxins, and other harmful agents into agricultural animal populations.(Courtesy photo)