Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to address the potential threat of an agro-terrorism attack on the United States. Senate Ag Committee Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas is co-sponsoring the bill. Nebraska Pork Producers Association Executive Director Al Juhnke says his group backs the measure.

He says the pork industry and all of animal agriculture has stepped up biosecurity in their operations to protect against any possible agro-terror attacks. Juhnke says they’re also team up with the USDA and other federal and state agencies for additional protection.

Robert’s legislation calls for coordination between federal agencies and the Department of Homeland Security to guard against any biological attack on the nation’s food and agriculture. Juhnke says the USDA is already working with Homeland Security on many of those issues.

Roberts and New York Congressman Dan Donovan who co-sponsors the companion bill says threats to the U.S. agriculture and livestock industries could devastate the U.S. food system.