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Biosecurity/Security Best Management Practices
BE ALERT

The area that we are emphasizing in this bulletin is the need to BE ALERT: Although not every one may pertain to you, some steps to take to BE ALERT would include:

· Be aware of unauthorized individuals on or near premise.
o Notify authorities of people taking unauthorized pictures or asking questions about operations, security, IDs, chemicals/hazardous materials, sensitive areas, etc.

· Maintain awareness of the location of visitors/vendors, especially for sensitive areas.
o Post/enforce signage of rules to follow while on the premises.

· Watch for and report unusual signs of:
o Tampering with equipment, feed/food, buildings, utilities, chemicals/hazardous materials, etc.
o Multiple cases of people on the premises with a mysterious illness, rash, or other signs of illness, with or without the following, if applicable:
- Unusually high numbers of sick or dead animals. (For those that are involved with animals.)
- Unusually high numbers of unexplained dying/dead plants. (For those that are involved with plants/crops.)

· Maintain situational awareness of world events and on-going threats.

BE SECURE

Although not every one may pertain to you, steps to take to BE SECURE include:
· Keep vehicles and equipment locked and the keys secured, when not in use.
o This is especially important when vehicles have company logos and/or identification.

· Limit access to, and secure, entrances, when not in use.
o Maintain adequate lighting in these areas.
o Restrict access to sensitive areas, such as those relating to the food chain, chemicals, hazardous materials, and utilities.

· Maintain up-to-date inventories, especially on chemicals/hazardous materials, food products, medications, etc. and investigate discrepancies immediately.
o Keep invoices on file.
o Restrict deliveries to scheduled appointments/arrival times.
- Have someone present to check and accept the deliveries.

BE CLEAN

A major part of the NJDA’s Best Management Practices is to BE ALERT, BE SECURE, BE CLEAN, NOTIFY/CALL. The area that we are emphasizing in this bulletin is the need to BE CLEAN:

Although not every one may pertain to you, some steps to take to BE CLEAN would include:
· Keep chemicals and hazardous materials separate from consumable products.
o Secure and restrict these areas.

· Follow sanitary practices to eliminate the spread of disease. This applies to people as well as equipment, and if applicable, with plants/crops and animals.
o Utilize hand washing facilities, especially after using the restroom facilities, handling hazardous materials, etc.

· Recognize common disease signs and patterns.

NOTIFY/CALL

The area that we are emphasizing in this bulletin is the need to NOTIFY/CALL: Although not every one may pertain to you, some steps to take to NOTIFY/CALL would include:

· If you suspect suspicious activity:
o Notify your supervisor
o Call 9-1-1
o Call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ

· If you notice multiple people on the premises getting sick:
o Notify your supervisor
o Call 9-1-1 for EMS
o Notify the local Board of Health
· For those with animals - If you notice multiple animals sick/dead:

· Or for those with multiple unexplained sick/dead plants/crops:
o Notify your supervisor
o Notify your Veterinarian/ local Extension Agent
o Call the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (609-292-3965)

We hope you incorporate these Best Management Practices into your routine. If you have any questions, please contact the New Jersey Department of Agriculture at (609) 292-8896.

Remember, your family and your job depend on you to Keep The Garden State Safe!