Column: Likelihood of a bioterror attack considered slim

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 19, 2001

The recent discovery of anthrax mailings on the east coast has raised questions about the threat of bioterrorism nationwide.

Monday, November 19, 2001

The recent discovery of anthrax mailings on the east coast has raised questions about the threat of bioterrorism nationwide. Recently, the House Health and Human Services and Crime Committees held hearings in St. Paul to discuss Minnesota’s state of bioterrorism preparedness. We know there is a threat out there, but officials says the state is ready to respond. The best thing people can do right now is to avoid needless worry.

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Many experts have called bioterrorism a &uot;low probability, high consequence&uot; risk. Because of this, all public health agencies, hospitals, and clinics are at heightened alert for such an incident. Right now, emergency crews are being trained to respond to bioterrorist incidents, and physicians are learning how to diagnose diseases spread by terrorists.

The state obviously can’t guard everyone, but there’s a greater probability that a person would be killed by food poisoning, the flu or as the result of a car accident than by bioterrorism

Talking turkey

Thanksgiving is this week, and I’m sure your family is making plans for the holiday weekend. Our family is eyeing a Thanksgiving menu that includes turkey (a Minnesota bird!), and it made me think just how valuable the turkey industry is to Minnesota’s economy.

Minnesota is the nation’s second-largest turkey producer. Minnesota’s turkey growers raised an estimated 43 million turkeys in 2000, producing more than $212 million of on-farm income to turkey growers. The industry’s broad economic impact to Minnesota is remarkable. Our turkey industry directly employs almost 7,000 people, and it spends millions each year for items such as feed, propane, wood products and equipment. Each year turkeys consume approximately 15.5 million bushels of soybeans and 27.5 millions bushels of corn. On average, it takes 75 to 80 pounds of feed to raise a 30-pound tom turkey.

There are approximately 600 turkey farms in the state and most are located in central Minnesota. Minnesota’s top five turkey producing counties are: 1) Kandiyohi, 2) Morrison 3) Stearns, 4) Becker and 5) Otter Tail. The state has 11 turkey processing plants, including such household names as Butterball in Wells and St. James and the Jennie-O Turkey Store in Faribault.

At a time when we talk about creating &uot;value-added&uot; agricultural products (think ethanol and biodiesel), the turkey is an agricultural success story. While we all think of whole turkeys as the traditional centerpiece of our holiday meals, approximately three out of every four Minnesota turkeys are processed into other products, and approximately 15 percent of Minnesota’s turkeys are exported. What a success story!

What do you think? I welcome your input and ideas. Please call me at home at 377-9441 or at the legislature, toll-free, at 1-877-377-9441. My legislative office address is 579 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, MN 55155.