Syllabus

Lesson I: Engaging Agricultural Workers as Partners in Plant Biosecurity Management

Purpose: By the completion of this lesson, Extension educators will be able to engage agricultural workers as partners in biosecurity management efforts by generating interest in the subject matter, convincing them of key issues, and providing the rationale for their involvement in local efforts.

What you will need to teach others about this topic:

• Pests and pathogens that currently or potentially threaten U.S. crops

• The numerous ways a plant epidemic may spread

• Ramifications and costs associated with an outbreak

• Vulnerability of U.S. agriculture to a plant biosecurity event

• Fundamental concepts of agroterrorism and plant biosecurity

• Relationship of local biosecurity management to national homeland security efforts

Presentations and Readings:

• Learning from Past and Current Epidemics: Case Studies, Ramifications, and Emerging Strategies for Combating Plant Diseases

• Responding to the Threat of Agroterrorism

• Introduction to Terrorism Against U.S. Agriculture

• Biological Attack on Agriculture: Low-Tech, High-Impact Bioterrorism

• Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-9) January 2004 [Web site]

• USDA’s Homeland Security Efforts Fact Sheet

Reminder: Each lesson contains links to readings and a complete reference list.

Case Study and Lesson Synthesis:
The case study will help you prepare for the knowledge assessment by encouraging you to synthesize and apply what you have learned from the readings in this lesson. After you have read the case materials on Spodoptera, you should be able to address the synthesis questions without difficulty, based upon what you have learned from this lesson. Spodoptera is a genus of insect that attacks many food and fiber crops.

Last Updated:  09/02/2009