Recommendation

Action Plans

1

Work with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) to coordinate a bio/agroterrorism defense plan for the Border Region.

1. Collaborate with government security agencies in both countries that are currently working in bio-agroterrorism defense plans on the implementation of the Agriculture Work Table’s recommendations.
2. Identify and review the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA), and State bio/agroterrorism defense plans.  U.S. Border States will contact the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Mexico States will contact the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) to inform and update them on the Border Governors Agriculture Work Table initiatives and recommendations. The Agriculture Work Table representatives will articulate the desire to work collaboratively in protecting the Border Region. The goal is to unify federal and state border bio/agroterrorism defense plans.
3. Identify current communication capabilities for each state (for example, e-mail, internet, telephone, teleconferencing, etc.). Indicate each state’s preferred method of communication. Develop a border state communication infrastructure system in order to disseminate reliable information as consistent and quickly as possible. Identify opportunities and funding sources to enhance existing border communication infrastructure.

2

Collaborate with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) to actively support programs to prevent, control, and eradicate plant diseases and pests.

1. Establish a mechanism to communicate new pest detections within the border region:
1. Exchange the pest detection information via e-mail between the following four state groups:
1. California and Baja California
2. Sonora and Arizona
3. New Mexico, Sonora and Chihuahua
4. Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Texas.
2. Develop and place the same information on the Agriculture Work Table web site with a password-protected code.
2. Share recent pest control accomplishments on the Agriculture Work Table website. For example, detailing advancements in pest controls on fruit flies, boll weevil, pink bollworm, etc.
3. Provide information on new quarantines on the Agriculture Work Table web site and include any related changes in the import/export policies.
4. Identify funding sources for workshop on plant health issues relevant to our states.
5. Establish technical plant health committees for the following groups:
1. California and Baja California
2. Sonora and Arizona
3. New Mexico, Sonora and Chihuahua
4. Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Texas.

3

Coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) the allocation of additional resources to support programs to prevent, control, and eradicate pests and animal diseases.

1. Continue partnerships with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) on tuberculosis eradication programs.
2. Encourage the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) to promptly review the changes of regional disease status. Note: Collaboration with the United States Animal Health Association's (USAHA) Bi-national Committee and the Border States Veterinarians is encouraged.
3. Request that United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) develop consistent interstate animal movement requirements.
4. Identify state and federal funding sources to provide border region training programs for animal disease education and management. The Agriculture Work Table recommends the first training program to be a Foot and Mouth Disease tabletop exercise.
5. Request that the Border States be permitted to participate with the Bi-national Committee of the United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) in order to review and provide suggestions to the Mexico tuberculosis regulation changes.
6. Establish regional working committees between the following states:
1. California and Baja California
2. Sonora and Arizona
3. New Mexico, Sonora and Chihuahua
4. Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Texas.