Border Governors' Conference

RECOMMENDATIONS
2004-2005

Recommendation No. 1

· Develop and conduct a binational conference on animal and plant pests and disease and agroterrorism to promote biosecurity, the interchange of educational information and materials and allow for sharing of best management practices.

Action Plan for Implementation

Specific Activities

· Conduct a binational conference consisting of a tabletop exercise focusing on agroterrorism and two workshops focusing on animal and plant pests and diseases.

1. Obtain additional funding for workshops and exercise.

2. By August 2005, a date and place will be determined for the meetings.

3. By October 2005, lead states will develop an agenda and specific discussion items for the workshops.

4. Once topics are decided, potential speakers will be contacted to participate.

5. A list of invitees will be created and invitations will be sent to attend.

6. Committees will be organized at each of these workshops to address how to facilitate the creation of emergency response contingency funds in each border state for animal and plant diseases, respectively.

7. Coordinate with state homeland security agencies and first responders to develop a border tabletop exercise focused on agriculture.

8. All participants in exercise will complete necessary training before the exercise as determined by the planning committee.

9. Conduct a regional tabletop exercise

10. Work with DHS and FDA to develop and secure supply/chain protocol.

11. Plan for emergency response and train personnel on a state and regional basis.

Recommendation No. 2

· Develop acceptable food safety quality assurance measures to be used by producers and processors alike in both countries.

Action Plan for Implementation

Specific Activities

· Conduct a special meeting at the annual regional food safety summit to determine measures that will employ good agricultural and food processing practices to reduce the risk of chemical and microbiological contamination in foods in order to ensure the public is protected from potential illness.

1. By October 2005, lead states will determine a date and place for the meeting.

2. BGC-AWT states will develop a list of Agricultural producers and processors to be invited and invite them to participate in special meeting on food safety.

3. Food safety agencies (both federal and state) in each country will be invited to attend and be presenters.

4. Obtain resources for travel to Sonora

Recommendation No. 3

· Collaborate on a three-pronged approach to childhood nutrition emphasizing nutritious consumption, nutritional education and innovative methods of delivering nutritious foods to schools.

Action Plan for Implementation

Specific Activities

· Establish a Nutrition Working Group as an outlet to share ideas, accomplish goals and improve current systems.

· Introduce nutrition awareness and local grown programs into rural development strategies.

1. The Nutrition Working Group will identify and monitor current programs in the United States and Mexico that strive to increase consumption of nutritious foods.

2. The Nutrition Working Group will then monitor and share information on effective nutrition education programs (i.e. school gardens) in all states and programs currently in place to deliver nutritious foods to school and other institutions.