SES helps public agencies and the private sector build a safer, more resilient food supply. We offer emergency management training, exercises, planning, and consulting services. With over two decades of emergency management experience, we can help you improve your biosecurity and continuity of operations plans. We can design and facilitate training and exercises to ensure your organization is prepared for all types of emergency situations.
Food and Agriculture Emergency Preparedness
We have expertise in food and agriculture preparedness, response, and resilience. Since 2005, SES has supported producers and industries, states, and federal entities prepare for and protect American agriculture from foreign animal disease outbreaks and food-related emergencies.
Learn more about SES’ services for Foreign Animal Disease Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Management Services
We help your organization become safer and more resilient by:
- Developing and conduct exercises and training to prepare for food and agriculture emergencies
- Improving biosecurity practices and preparedness
- Assessing your supply chain resiliency
- Developing Secure Food Supply and continuity of operations plans
- Conducting a review and develop After-Action Reports and Improvement Plans following emergency response and training activities
Emergency Management Expertise
SES has supported federal, state, and local agencies and the agriculture sector on emergency management projects including:
Technical and Administrative Support for the National Training and Exercise Program (NTEP), USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Service (VS)
SES conducts various projects for the USDA APHIS VS National Training and Exercise Program. Under this contract, our team provides technical expertise in the areas of policy; response planning; exercise development, conduct and evaluation; and training design. We develop state plans, policies, and procedures relative to implementing Secure Food Supply Programs for applicable commodities.
As part of this contract, SES conducted the Foreign Animal Disease Southern Agriculture Functional Exercise (FAD SAFE) in 2020. Ten states and Puerto Rico took part in the four-day functional exercise, which simulated an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The exercise design drove play to include resource management, incident management, and coordination at state and federal levels.
Agriculture Response Management and Resources (ARMAR) for USDA APHIS VS NTEP (through a cooperative agreement with Iowa State University)
SES led the exercise development team and was the lead Controller for the national-level functional exercise addressing foreign animal disease response and associated resource management. This exercise engaged six states, both lead and support agencies, and federal lead and supporting agencies, in a simulated multi-regional outbreak of FMD. Exercise conduct involved more than 1,500 players, over four days of play.
Biosecurity Plan Generator
Our experts developed the technical content for an online biosecurity plan generator for members of a large milk cooperative. The program addressed all aspects of biosecurity, including transport.
Agriculture Movement Control Planning, Multi-State Partnership for Security in Agriculture (MSPSA) and USDA APHIS VS
SES worked with multiple state and local agencies, including departments of transportation, emergency management, natural resources, environmental quality, public health, and law enforcement to create an emergency contact guide. SES developed a model agriculture movement control permit for emergency circumstances. Our team authored guidance for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between border states for agriculture movement control during a disease outbreak. We then developed the protocols and exercise for a National Movement Standstill and conducted MOU workshops with participating states.
California virulent Newcastle Disease (vND) After-Action Report and Improvement Plan for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and USDA
SES developed the After-Action Report (AAR) and Improvement Plan (IP) for the CDFA and USDA response to the 2018-2020 outbreak of virulent Newcastle Disease (vND) in California. The year-long project included review and analysis of over 4000 documents, data analysis of response data. Our team conducted more than 70 interviews with responders and impacted parties. The project included qualitative analyses on the interview feedback. Our team also validated the findings through survey input from more than 500 responders, support agencies, and impacted parties.
The final report covered all facets of the response. The report format included additional infographics, timelines, and images. This approach made the report usable, clear, and accessible to all audiences. Additionally, SES developed an actionable Improvement Plan with over 160 recommendations.