RUMFORD - A former U.S. Department of Agriculture official brought residents Tuesday night a new perspective on the trend of buying and eating locally grown foods: safety.

Floyd Horn, former undersecretary of agriculture for the Clinton administration, discussed agricultural and biological warfare at a meeting sponsored by the Rumford Agricultural Commission and the River Valley Growth Council. The Maryland resident, who is here visiting family, provided a multitude of agricultural resources for small farmers.

"United States agriculture is vulnerable, either through an accidental introduction of a disease or through attack," he said.

He cited the concentration of cattle, pigs and chickens in feedlots and other areas that could lead to rapid spread of d isease. He said nearly 144,000 foreign food companies are also registered to sell products in the United States, with only 3 percent undergoing inspection.

Biological warfare research by the former Soviet Union and other countries was a real threat because of the work done on anthrax, hoof-and-mouth disease and other deadly illnesses, which could have been placed on a warhead and flown to Asia or North America.

"Anyone who wants to hurt this country through food could do it," he said.

Len Greaney, interim town manager for Rumford, suggested that a greater emphasis on locally grown food may dispel fears of what may be on or in items brought in from the outside.

Horn said although contamination scares don't affect farmers' markets, it is doubtful small producers could meet the volume consumers need.

"Big agriculture is here to stay," he said, but small farmers have a definite niche.

During his years with the Department of Agriculture, he assisted in development of informational brochures and other data covering organic gardening, agricultural education, and other topics devoted to sustainable agriculture, he said.

He advised that state and federal governments have grants and other financial programs for value-added agricultural products, such as those from a shared kitchen project being launched by the commission and growth council.

Horn is chief executive officer of Centaur Security Solutions of Cleveland, Ohio, a firm specializing in custom engineered electronic security systems for homes, businesses and other properties.