Better Safe

Crop dusters contend with a slew of post-attack regulations

Comments (0) By Carlton Stowers Thursday, Oct 4 2001

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He's skeptical that germ warfare can be effectively fought with crop dusters and agrees with Folks that the industry's single pilot planes are difficult to fly and take years to master. And most chemical and biological materials that a terrorist might attempt to use, he adds, are not in forms that would easily mix with the liquids and pellets used in agriculture treatment.

Various experts quoted in a recent Wall Street Journal article pointed out that the viruses, bacteria and poisons most likely to be used by terrorists are not only very difficult to effectively disperse but almost impossible to store for any length of time.

Texas Agricultural Aviation Association

Crop dusters are flying again, albeit with a new set of post-terror attack regulations.

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Which is to say that the current focus on crop dusters and the danger they might pose is but another example of the new level of awareness being exercised today. In a recent statement, in fact, the FBI said as much: "In an abundance of caution, the FBI has taken a number of steps in reaction to every bit of information and threats received over the course of this investigation."