Research Accomplishment Reports 2009

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Enhancing the EDEN Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning (S-CAP) Project

A. L. Husband, R. N. Yeargan, M.C. Newman, R. M. Dwyer
Extension Administration

 

Non-Technical Summary

Most communities have robust emergency operations plans to protect their citizens; however, local agricultural issues that can affect human health, safety, and welfare (e.g. zoonotic diseases, public health concerns due to mass carcass disposal, responder safety) and protection of agricultural assets (e.g. workforce, crops, livestock, property) are often not addressed. As a result, there is a need for enhancement of the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning (S-CAP) project to assist local agricultural emergency planning.

S-CAP workshop participants will learn, through newly revised workshop presentations and activities, to use capability-based planning and improve networking and build partnerships among community partners who can plan for and respond to emergencies. Local jurisdictions will have an increased capacity to handle agricultural issues during an emergency or disaster. As a result, communities become more self-sustaining by strengthening and increasing their resiliency to disaster and the impact of disasters is reduced through research-based education.