The US has squashed a potential free trade agreement with Taiwan over disputes concerning US beef.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have created a free online tool, called Agriculture CARVER + Shock, which will allow farmers and producers identify vulnerable areas in their supply chains. Stephen F. Sundlof, director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, is quoted in an American Shipper article about the new tool:

“This assessment tool helps the producer understand how someone intending to disrupt agriculture might think" ... “Producers can easily identify weak spots in their operation and receive practical advice on countermeasures they can put in place.”

To learn more about this online tool, or to download the software, please visit this website.