Attack on U.S. food supply 'easy,' senators warn

They can monitor protest web sites, but not secure the food supply.--Dictynna

By Sophie WalkerWed Jul 20, 5:43 PM ET

An attack on America's food supply using biological agents or disease is easy to do, would spread fast and have a devastating economic effect, a Senate committee heard on Wednesday, as it reviewed protection for U.S. agriculture.

"In the case of foot-and-mouth disease it takes little scientific training," Sen. Pat Roberts (news, bio, voting record), a Kansas Republican and chairman of the Intelligence Committee, told the Agriculture Committee hearing.

"You put a handkerchief under a diseased animal in Afghanistan, put it in a zip-lock bag, put it in your suitcase, come to the United States and drop it in any one of our feed lots. And we're in a lot of trouble."