UC Davis has announced that Hartnell College, in the Salinas Valley, is hosting a series of six agroterrorism training courses. David Goldenberg from the UC Davis, Western Institute for Food Safety and Security will be at the helm of these U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) courses.

Goldenberg, Acting Program Manager and Coordinator for Field Training at WIFSS, pointed out that the Agricultural Business and Technology Institute at Hartnell is partnering with WIFSS to conduct the agroterrorism training courses, which kicked off on September 5. These courses emphasize the importance of awareness of and preparedness for disasters that can affect the agricultural industry. Preparedness includes having a response action plan in which all community members and organizations have a coordinated disaster response strategy.

The remaining classes are:

• Oct. 10, AWR 155: Principles of Frontline Response to Agroterrorism and Food System Disasters, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Oct. 17, AWR 156: Principles of Planning and Implementing Recovery (6 hours), 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

These agroterrorism courses delivered at Hartnell are geared toward traditional first responders as well as community emergency planners, public health officials, and members of the agricultural community including county officials, local farmers and ranchers who are interested in training addressing potential threats to food safety and food security.