Agriculture and National Security Act
The Agriculture and National Security Act would create a formal national security role within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and strengthen how agriculture and food policy connect with national security, homeland security, and intelligence efforts. The bill would establish an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for National Security within the Secretary’s Office, assign specific national security duties to that office (including liaison work with the National Security Council and other agencies, coordinating cross-department activities related to national security, and addressing vulnerabilities in food and agriculture—especially around emerging technologies like biotechnology, artificial intelligence, drones, cybersecurity, and supply chains), and authorize interagency detailees to improve information sharing and risk mitigation. It would also require biennial reports to Congress and the National Security Council detailing gaps, actions taken, policy recommendations, and resource needs. Overall, the bill aims to tighten national security oversight of the food and agriculture sector and to better align USDA with other federal security agencies.
Key Points
- 1Creation of an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for National Security within USDA to serve as the department’s principal national security advisor and liaison.
- 2Expanded duties for the Assistant Secretary, including coordinating with the National Security Council and related agencies, overseeing cross-cutting national security activities (such as the Office of Homeland Security within USDA and related intelligence/counterintelligence offices), and addressing vulnerabilities in food and agriculture tied to emerging technologies.
- 3Interagency detailee provision allowing USDA to borrow or accept personnel from defense, national and homeland security, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies to improve information sharing and risk mitigation in the sector.
- 4Requirement for biennial, and more frequent than every two years as feasible, reports to Congress and the National Security Council detailing gaps, actions taken, policy recommendations, and resource needs related to food and agriculture security.
- 5Conforming amendment to confirm USDA’s authority to implement the changes made by this Act (ensuring the Department can carry out the new provisions).