As cyber threats loom over America’s food supply, lawmakers are taking decisive action to shore up defenses. A reintroduced bipartisan bill aims to protect your dinner table from foreign adversaries seeking to disrupt the nation’s agricultural backbone.
At a Glance
- The Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act has been reintroduced with strong bipartisan support to protect America’s food supply from cyber threats
- Republican Senator Tom Cotton and Democrat Elissa Slotkin are leading the effort, declaring “food security is national security”
- The legislation requires annual crisis simulations and biennial risk assessments of vulnerabilities in the agricultural sector
- The bill responds to previous attacks like the 2021 Russian cyberattack on JBS that shut down slaughterhouses across America
- Major agricultural organizations including the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association back the legislation
Protecting America’s Food Security
Amid growing global tensions, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has joined forces with Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Michigan to defend America’s critical food infrastructure from mounting cyber threats. The Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act aims to identify vulnerabilities in our nation’s agricultural systems and implement stronger protections across both government agencies and private businesses that form the backbone of America’s food production capacity.
“America’s adversaries are seeking to gain any advantage they can against us—including targeting critical industries like agriculture,” Senator Cotton said. The Republican lawmaker emphasized that the threat to America’s food security must be taken seriously, adding, “Congress must work with the Department of Agriculture to identify and defeat these cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”
Previous Attacks Highlight Vulnerabilities
The legislation comes in response to concerning incidents that have already threatened American food security. In 2021, a Russian cyberattack targeted JBS, one of America’s largest meat processors, forcing the shutdown of slaughterhouses nationwide and demonstrating how vulnerable our food supply chains are to foreign interference. This incident served as a wake-up call that America’s farms and food producers need greater protection.
“Nebraska is home to some of the best farmers and ranchers who help feed the world and are a vital part of our economy. However, our agricultural sector faces increasing threats from foreign adversaries, as evidenced by the 2021 Russian cyberattack on JBS, which shut down slaughterhouses across the nation, including Nebraska. To safeguard our national security, we must take immediate action to protect our farms and food supply from cyberattacks,” Representative Don Bacon said.
The bill has garnered widespread support among lawmakers from agricultural states who recognize the strategic importance of protecting America’s food independence. With technology increasingly integrated into modern farming operations, the cyber vulnerability of this critical sector has grown substantially in recent years.
Comprehensive Security Measures
Under the proposed legislation, the Departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and national intelligence agencies would be required to conduct annual crisis simulations to prepare for potential cyber emergencies affecting food production. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture must perform biennial risk assessments of the food and farm sectors and report findings directly to Congress.
“With innovation and advancement in precision ag technology, the agricultural industry has become more technologically advanced, creating new challenges and vulnerabilities for farmers across southern Minnesota and the nation. Food security is national security. The Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act will make tremendous strides to protect our nation’s food supply from the imminent cyber threats that the ag sector experiences here at home,” Representative Brad Finstad said.
The legislation has earned backing from crucial industry organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and American Farm Bureau Federation. These groups recognize that protecting America’s agricultural sector is not just about business continuity but about ensuring that Americans can put food on their tables even during times of international conflict or cyber warfare.
