TEXAS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER SID MILLER CALLS FOR VIGILANCE AFTER ALLEGED CHINESE AGROTERRORISM IN THE US

Chinese nationals caught smuggling a harmful fungus

“I am deeply troubled by the recent allegations against two Chinese individuals for supposedly smuggling a dangerous agroterrorism agent into the United States, specifically a fungus that could cause significant damage to crops such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice.

What’s even more alarming is that one of the individuals reportedly has ties to the Chinese Communist Party. This raises serious questions about intent and highlights the real threats facing American agriculture and national security. Any effort to compromise our food supply or harm our agricultural commodities will be met with zero tolerance, and we are prepared to support any action that protects our producers and the integrity of our food system.

I commend the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other federal agencies working under the Trump administration for identifying and quickly neutralizing this threat. We must continue to strengthen biosecurity protocols and protect our agricultural research institutions from foreign interference.

Our food security is national security, and we will not let our guard down.”