The Food Safety Fence: Gaps and Consequences

Abstract In this world, there are many potential hazards that could lead to a nationwide biosecurity threat. On the one hand, there are the unintended perils that result from natural outbreaks, such as with domestic food contamination. On the other hand, there are the intentional actions that lead to incidents of agroterrorism, which can reap significant economic loss, widespread destruction of crops and livestock, as well as increased human illness and death. For these reasons, the United States government has implemented various mechanisms over time in order to combat the food-borne threats imposed by both intentional and unintentional biosecurity hazards. For the purpose of this paper, these mechanisms will be referred to as the “food safety fence.”