EDEN formed its Agrosecurity Committee to address challenges concerning the security of production agriculture and the food supply.  One of the Agrosecurity Committee’s first tasks was to create the EDEN Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning (S-CAP) pilot workshops.  The workshops empower local Extension personnel and other community partners to:   

• Build capacity to handle agricultural issues during an emergency or disaster.  
• Improve networking among stakeholders who can plan for and respond to emergencies.
• Develop Community Agrosecurity Planning (CAP) teams to establish or enhance agrosecurity components within existing local EOPs.

Participants that attend the EDEN S-CAP pilot workshops interact through team building activities that begin development of the agricultural component of their local agricultural emergency operations plan (i.e. Emergency Support Function #11 Agriculture and Natural Resources), standard operating guidelines, and an emergency resource list.  These tools help communities improve disaster preparation, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery efforts.  Instructors use guidance provided by the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to facilitate these efforts.   

The EDEN S-CAP pilot project is managed by lead institutions New Mexico State University and the University of Kentucky.  Supporting institutions include:  Montana State University, Texas A&M University, University of Tennessee, Colorado State University, University of Nebraska, Utah State University, and Clemson University.  Artwork and oversight is provided by Purdue University.   

The pilot workshops were conducted at seven locations:

• Las Cruces, New Mexico (January 13 – 15, 2009)
• Kalamazoo, Michigan (February 24 – 25, 2009)
• Chattanooga, Tennessee (March 3 – 4, 2009
• Logan, Utah (April 14 – 16, 2009)
• Alliance, Nebraska (April 28 – 30, 2009)
• Lake Barkley, Kentucky (June 1 – 2, 2009)
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania (June 23 – 24, 2009)
• Montgomery, Alabama (November 4 – 5, 2009)

Preliminary evaluation of the EDEN S-CAP pilot workshops generated very favorable feedback from participants.  Evaluation results are available upon request. 

We would like to thank the following host sites for all of their hardwork in conducting the Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning (S-CAP) workshop in 2010:

• Honolulu, Hawaii (February 22-23, 2010)
• Hilo, Hawaii ( February 25-26, 2010)
• West Point, Nebraska (March 9-10, 2010)
• W. Lafayette, Indiana (March 16-17, 2010)
• Wichita, Kansas (March 22-23, 2010)
•  Liberal, Kansas (March 25-26, 2010)
• Ellensburg, Washington (May 4-5, 2010)
• Glen Jean, West Virginia (May 25-26, 2010)
• Lamar, Colorado (November 9-10, 2010) 
   

We would like to thank the following host sites for all of their hardwork in conducting the Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning (S-CAP) Workshop in 2011:

• Beulah, North Dakota (January 11-13, 2011)
• Coalgate, Oklahoma (January 20-21, 2011) 
• Billings, Montana (May 5-6, 2011)
• Rutland, Vermont (May 13-14, 2011)
• Benton, Kentucky (July 25-26, 2011)
• Kinston, North Carolina (July 28-29, 2011)

The EDEN Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning (S-CAP) workshops are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative (FADI), and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Smith Lever Special Needs (SLSN) program.  The EDEN S-CAP project directors are very grateful for the continued financial support from federal partners to help communities enhance their local emergency operations plans and increase resiliency to future disasters.