The Kansas Department of Agriculture is well aware of the threat posed by a large-scale agricultural emergency such as an outbreak of a foreign animal disease, and this summer, a new program will kick in that is designed to tap the resources in the general public to help cope should a crisis occur.

Large-scale livestock health emergencies threaten not only the health and well-being of animals, but also the health and well-being of humans. They could lead to a wide range of consequences, including the loss of large numbers of livestock and agricultural products, a decrease in food quality and security, and potentially, devastating human health consequences affecting the community.

During a large-scale incident, the limited state and federal staff cannot fill all necessary roles; therefore, the Kansas Department of Agriculture is looking to utilize the community and its wide range of skills. The Kansas Agricultural Emergency Response Corps will be comprised of volunteers who will be trained and prepared to respond rapidly and efficiently to an agricultural emergency. KAERC volunteers will work alongside the Kansas Department of Agriculture in response and recovery situations. 

This summer's effort makes Kansas the first state in the nation to launch a comprehensive volunteer corps to address agriculture emergency response. KDA needs skilled, dedicated citizens from many different backgrounds, possessing a wide range of proficiencies, to be members of this volunteer corps and is now signing up citizens who would like to be part of the corps.

“The agriculture emergency response corps will play an important role in responding to agricultural emergencies,” says Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey. “Kansas is at the forefront of emergency preparedness in case of an agriculture emergency, and through our annual exercises we have determined that one of our greatest needs for an adequate response is more people. Kansans have always been willing to step up and help when emergencies occur, and this new volunteer corps will provide structure and training to maximize that community support. We look forward to working with these volunteers across the state.”

Volunteers will be able to choose roles they feel comfortable in and will operate under direct supervision of KDA. All volunteers, regardless of their role, will complete several training courses to serve as an introduction to the KAERC program and to form a foundation for the emergency response framework. Other role-specific training will also be required, depending on the position held by the volunteer. KAERC volunteers will gain valuable emergency preparedness knowledge, skills and experience, giving them the tools to not only aid the state, but also their communities and families.

More information about the application process, specific volunteer roles and training can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/KAERC. For more information, contact KAERC program manager David Hogg at [email protected].

Source: KDA