45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING STATE AGENCIES TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COORDINATED STRATEGY TO PREVENT AND RESPOND, IF NECESSARY, TO BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL TERRORIST THREATS OR ATTACKS UPON THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO'S AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

WHEREAS, the New Mexico state legislature acknowledges the importance of our state's agricultural industry to the social and economic well-being of the state; and

WHEREAS, agriculture is significant to state and national homeland security; and

WHEREAS, there is a growing concern for potential biological and chemical terrorist attacks against both our state and national agricultural industries; and

WHEREAS, a terrorist attack against New Mexico's agricultural industry can be more difficult to detect and easier to perpetrate than a terrorist attack against other civilian targets; and

WHEREAS, the ramifications of a biological or terrorist attack on an agricultural target may extend far beyond the immediate agricultural community to affect other segments of society; and

WHEREAS, a major biological or chemical terrorist attack against New Mexico's agricultural industry would cause economic destabilization, thus setting off a chain reaction touching the pocketbook of every citizen; and

WHEREAS, a biological or chemical terrorist attack against New Mexico's agricultural industry would disrupt interactions between rural and urban areas of the state; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico has an international border that must be protected from potential biological or chemical terrorist attacks against New Mexico's agricultural industry; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico must protect its agricultural infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, universities and laboratories in New Mexico are currently central to the development of defenses against potential biological and chemical terrorist attacks against New Mexico's agricultural industry;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of health, the New Mexico department of agriculture, the New Mexico livestock board and other appropriate state governmental entities collaborate with the United States department of agriculture in order to develop defenses against possible biological and chemical terrorist attacks against New Mexico's agricultural industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state universities of New Mexico collaborate with the national laboratories located in New Mexico to develop defenses against possible biological and chemical terrorist attacks against New Mexico's agricultural industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that state agencies and universities collaborate with the agricultural communities of New Mexico and representatives from agricultural organizations to develop methods to prepare and defend against potential biological and chemical terrorist attacks against New Mexico's agricultural industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the department of health, the New Mexico department of agriculture, the New Mexico livestock board, the board of regents of the following institutions: the university of New Mexico, New Mexico state university, New Mexico highlands university, eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university and the New Mexico institute of mining and technology.