According to an article by Grey Moran in The Intercept, cited by Will Coggin of Activist Watch, U.S. meat and poultry associations have liaised with the FBI regarding farm intrusions.  Since 2017, the FBI has tracked activist organizations including Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and Meat the Victims and kindred organizations that conduct illegal entry onto farms to generate publicity and funding.

The tenor of the article is that the FBI may use legislation relating to agro-bio terrorism against welfare extremists.  Farm intrusions do not rise to the level of an act of terrorism although the FBI believes that “minor criminal actions associated with animal rights activist extremism have a tendency to escalate towards substantial direct actions to include the unintentional introduction of biological materials, toxic chemicals or other hazards into a herd or flock”. The FBI is justified in monitoring the activities of any organization or group that breaks the law.

There is no evidence to date that there has been any attempt to deliberately introduce pathogens or toxins into farms, although there was some suspicion that illegal entry to a duck farm in California may have introduced HPAI. This is unfounded speculation and there are sufficient influenza outbreaks without having the involvement of DxE.  It is doubtful whether any state or federal Attorney would apply bioterrorism legislation in charging a perpetrator of farm intrusion as demonstrated by recent action with prosecution as a misdemeanor.

Zoe Rosenberg, affiliated with Direct Action Everywhere, was arrested as a result of a farm intrusion.  Evidence presented showed her holding what appeared to be a healthy duck obviously a staged photograph. In the photograph she was wearing a T-shirt over her hazmat suit. For your information Zoe, we wear our T-shirts under Tyvek coveralls and we do shower before entering a farm if facilities are available.