In the October 2011 Bio-Response Report Card, the Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (founded in 1994 as center for Counterproliferation Research as an offshoot of the Defense Counterproliferation Initiative[16][17]) stated that the biggest challenges to biosecurity are:[18] Biosecurity is a set of measures to prevent the introduction and/or spread of pests. minimize the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to humans, animals and plants by viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms. In addition to protecting agriculture and other industries in countries, it protects human health from biological hazards caused by natural events, accidents or deliberate acts of bioterrorism. The term also extends to the management of epidemic and pandemic diseases, with the World Health Organization (WHO) playing an important role in managing them. WHO has described biosecurity as a strategic and integrated approach to the analysis and management of relevant risks to human, animal and plant life and health and related risks to the environment. The National Academy of Sciences defines biosafety as “security against the unintentional, inappropriate or intentional, malicious or malicious use of potentially dangerous biological or biotechnology agents, including the development, production, stockpiling or use of biological weapons, as well as the emergence of emerging and epidemic diseases.” It is therefore an aspect of health security. [1] The term “biosecurity” has several meanings and is defined differently depending on the discipline. The term was first used by agricultural and ecological communities. Beginning in the late 1990s, in response to the threat of biological terrorism, biosecurity included the prevention of theft of biological material from research laboratories. [1] These preventive measures are a combination of systems and practices used in life sciences laboratories to prevent the use of dangerous pathogens and toxins for malicious purposes, as well as in customs agents and managers of agricultural and natural resources to prevent the spread of these biological agents.

[2] The Homeland Security Food and Agriculture Act is “a bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to confer additional biosecurity tasks on the Department of Homeland Security.” According to the Congressional Research Service`s summary, the law “directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a program to protect the United States. Agriculture and Food Supply through Agroterrorist Acts” and “declares that such a program provides: (1) consultation and coordination with federal, state, local, regional and tribal Agents of Homeland Security regarding the prevention, preparation and response to an act of agroterrorism; and (2) fulfill the responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture as described in the specified Presidential Directives on Internal Security. Biosecurity in the United States is regulated by the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, which is part of the U.S. Department of State. It receives advice and guidance on specific biosafety issues from various other government agencies. Strategischer Dialog zwischen den USA und Indien über Biosicherheit (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2018) Pflanzenbiosicherheit in den Vereinigten Staaten: Rollen, Verantwortlichkeiten und Informationsbedürfnisse (Magarey, Colunga-Garcia & Fieselmann, nov. 2009) Resources Directory for Security Practices in the Transportation of Agricultural and Food Commodities (Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference, 2004) Agroterrorismus in den USA: Key Security Challenge for the 21st Century (Cupp et al., Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, 2004) Hitting America’s Soft Underbelly: The Potential Threat of Deliberate Biological Attacks Against the U.S. Agricultural and Food Industry (Kreide, Rand, 2004) Crop Biosecurity and Countering Agricultural Bioterrorism: Responses of the American Phytophatological Society (Okt.

2020, Biotica Research Today) Effects of Welfare Standards and Biosecurity Practices on the Use of Antimicrobials in Beef Cattle (Diana, A., Lorenzi, V., Penasa, M.et al., 2020, Scientific Reports) Agricultural Biosafety (The Royal Society) The USDA`s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) defines biosecurity as “anything done to treat diseases and the pathogens that carry them – viruses, Bacteria, fungi, parasites and other microorganisms – to stay away from birds, property and humans.” [6] The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity is a group of experts reporting to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health. Its task is to recommend policies that address, for example, questions of how to prevent published biotechnology research from supporting terrorism without slowing down scientific progress. It provides “advice, guidance and guidance regarding the oversight of the biosafety of dual-use research for all federal departments and agencies with an interest in life sciences research.” [8] In 2001, the U.S. National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) defined biosecurity as “the sum of risk management practices to prevent biological threats” and its primary purpose as “protection against the risk of diseases and organisms.” [5] Numerous federal presidential directives, executive orders, and laws have been promulgated to protect the country`s research facilities and ensure that adequate biosecurity measures are in place. The following brief summaries highlight laws that impose laboratory biosecurity measures and ensure the protection of essential goods from theft, loss or misuse. Regulations specific to the Federal Select Officer Program (FSAP) can be found in detail on the Federal Selected Officer Program website. Part of the law on protecting America in the war on terror is the Biopreparation Act. The United States takes biosafety and biosecurity very seriously. Following deficiencies in biosecurity practices discovered/uncovered in the summer of 2014, on August 18, 2014, Assistant to the President of Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, Lisa Monaco, and Assistant to the President of Science and Technology, John Holdren, issued a memorandum entitled “Improving Biosafety and Biosecurity in the United States, “, which called on all U.S. government departments and agencies working with infectious agents to take immediate and long-term measures to improve the security of research to minimize the potential for future incidents.

All U.S. government departments and agencies that possess, use, or transmit infectious agents or human, animal, or plant toxins have been required to conduct a security measure to conduct an immediate search of their facilities to verify that all biological selectors and toxins in their possession have been properly registered, stored and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations. This decree requires entities possessing biologically selected agents and toxins (BSAT) to have in place appropriate personnel safety and security practices to protect themselves against theft, misuse or diversion to BSAT`s illegal activities. The OP establishes the U.S. Biosafety Strengthening Working Group within the Department of Defense to implement this policy and review and assess the efficiency and effectiveness of existing laws, regulations, guidelines, and practices regarding federal and non-federal entities conducting BSAT research or managing clinical or environmental laboratory operations involving ownership. Use or transfer of BSAT. In the United States, biosafety is regulated by the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, which is affiliated with the State Department. The bureau promotes global health security as part of its role in the Biodefense network “because infectious disease threats, whether natural, intentional, or accidental, have the potential to spread around the world and influence American people and interests.” .