Why the sudden worry about a terror attack on food?

We've all seen the reports over the last few weeks about the possability of a terror attack on the food supply. Why has this all of a sudden become a big issue. Does the government know something that they are not sharing? Or does the media just need something to hang their hat on for the week?

Originally posted by sensfan
We've all seen the reports over the last few weeks about the possability of a terror attack on the food supply. Why has this all of a sudden become a big issue

Because one of hte resigning secretaries just gave a warning about it. As for why they gave a warning, who knows. They siad the fod industry is vulnerable.

I think it's just media crap! I watched a segment this morning on this very subject and at the end they did state that there is no threat nor have they had any indication that any threat has been made or even insinuated, and that it's not and never has been the MO of terrorists to use this type of tactic.....now...it's that last, "never has been the MO of terrorist to use this type of tactic" that grabbed me. Since it's something we would never expect...seems it would be something for them think about...especially now that it has been publicized that we are in no way prepared for such an attack. Gee, thanks news media!

Tommy Thompson, the former head of HHS who just resigned, made a statement to the effect that he was surprised that our food supply had not been targeted yet.

When pressed for details, he said he was referring to the large amount of food that we import from the mideast. Which surprised me. because I wasn't aware that this would be anything but a specialty market.

Does the government know something that they are not sharing? Or does the media just need something to hang their hat on for the week?

Actually, while I would love to believe that this is just something for the media to hang their hat's on, I have to agree that there is a huge potential threat to the food sources. Think of the obvious first. On a very small scale:
1) Your regular grocery store - In my area at least all of the fruits and vegetables are out on display, and you pick the ones you want. A simple diffuser, or spray bottle could contaminate quite a bit of food easily.

2) Milk - milk is carried in tankers where it goes to the processing plants and mixed together in large "vats". I read once, and I wish I could remember where, but an official in the Dairy Industry said If 1 truck were contaminated with Botulism, that "there would not be enough body bags in Wisconson to hold all of the dead"

3) Resevoirs - VERY scary - they are virtually large lakes with little to no security whatsoever other than a chain link fence. It wasn't too long ago that my buddies and I used to go swimming in a resevoir.

Think about that one for a second.

My wife uses food to terrorize me daily. Maybe Tom Ridge got wind of my wifes cooking....

To create an even more rancid culture of fear; this has been the doctrine of the American government for decades.

Deep

My opinion on this: It is the job of the media to spin fear and terror into the average American citizen by citing the word terrorism with any subject imaginable. This should be an indication the media is nothing but junk food for the mind.

Anyway, they should talk about the true terror of food supplies. What about all the pesticides in food, the growth hormones, and who knows what else they're doing to our food--those big food companies that mess with the genetics of food etc...that is never talked about! That is the true terror.