U.S., Mexico confront threat of agroterrorism.

Multiple agencies from the U.S. and Mexico are working together to track cattle, prevent agroterrorism, and ensure that a major livestock disease doesn’t pass between the countries. George Perea works on the Mexican side of the border. He checks a steer’s ears for fever ticks, runs his hands down its neck feeling for lumps, and makes sure it’s been castrated. Further down the line, a U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarian marks the lame animals. The inspectors also look for cuts or other symptoms of diseases. While border authorities have worked to ensure there won’t be an outbreak of any natural diseases, agroterrorism has become a concern. New Mexico is spending some of its homeland defense money to learn how to stop a potential disease outbreak, Brig. Gen. Annie Sobel, head of the New Mexico Office of Homeland Security, said. Full Story