The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) will receive $223,000 from the US. Department of Agriculture to help bolster food and agricultural homeland security protections. The funds, in the form of grants and cooperative agreements, are part of $328 million approved by President Bush and the Congress earlier this year to strengthen U.S. Department of Agriculture's homeland security preparedness.

"These grants will help us prevent the accidental or intentional introduction of a foreign animal disease in Utah," said State Veterinarian, Dr. Mike Marshall. "Utah's livestock industry generates more than $750 million to our economy, and it is vital that we protect if from harm," he added.

The UDAF initiated stepped-up biosecurity procedures for farmers and ranchers last year, in preparation for the Olympics. The additional funds will be used to strengthen and expand efforts already in place.

Farmers and ranchers in Utah and around the country are taking extra measures to limit access to their property to unknown visitors. The UDAF has created and distributed a 10-step informational brochure on how to better protect their herds. The department has also initiated the Utah Cattle Herd Assurance Program (UCHAP) that helps livestock owners create and maintain biosecurity procedures for their herds.

The UDAF will use the funds for animal disease surveillance, animal disease response and plant pest and disease detection.

The funds are part of $43 million being distributed by the USDA. The $43 million will provide funding to support critical efforts to strengthen the food supply infrastructure. Of that, $20.6 million will be provided to our state and university cooperators to be used to establish a network of diagnostic laboratories disbursed strategically throughout the nation to permit rapid and accurate diagnosis of animal disease threats. Fourteen million dollars will be used to strengthen state capabilities to respond to animal disease emergencies, primarily by helping every state to meet the national standards of emergency preparedness established by the National Animal Health Emergency Management System; $4.5 million will be used to strengthen state-level surveillance for animal disease; and $4.3 million will be used to assist states to improve their capability to detect plant pests and diseases.